Bikepacking the Chilcotins in British Columbia

[carbonguy]

Lee Blackwell and myself rode in the Canadian Chilcotin mountains for three days. It's remote and beautiful. Enjoy the pictures!
https://2wheeltrails.wordpress.com/2015/08/01/chilcotin-bikepacking-adventure/

[evdog]

Nice job guys!

Chilcotins was my favorite trip last year.  I think we only covered around 100 miles in six days.  So true, that stats do not mean much there!

[carbonguy]

Evdog, 6 days?    What route did you take? How were the rivers? Pictures?

Nice writeup on the Dixie - I heard bad things about a couple sections; it's good to know that they've been mostly cleared just now. It looks like a worthwhile destination.

[evdog]

Yes, six days!  Was meant to be seven but we skipped a repeat of one pass and finished a day early.  We did a bonus ride out of Tyax on Day 7 but it was not part of the bikepack.  This was my longest unsupported bikepack.  Definitely a heavier load than normal.  

I thought I had posted a trip report here but looks like neither I nor Vikb ever did - party foul!

Our route was:
Day 1 - fly in to Lorna Lake, ride up Big Cr to Grants Creek Tr. Camp around 2000m.  
Day 2 - Cross Iron Pass, down to a river then back up a trail toward Warner Pass.  Camp half way up.
Day 3  T- Cross Warner Pass, descend past Warner Lake, go up and over Deer Pass, drop down and camp at Tyaughton Cr.
Day 4 - Up Tyaughton Cr Trail, then up and over Little Paradise Creek to Little Graveyard Pass, down to Graveyard Tr, loop around to Big Creek Tr.  South on that.  Couldn't find Elbow Pass Tr so we camped at its base.
Day 5 - Went up and over Lorna Pass instead, then Tyaughton Cr Trail to Spruce Lake.
Day 6 - Exit back to Tyax Lodge on Gun Creek Tr.  
Day 7 - Day ride from Tyax, we did High Trail to Camel Pass and back down Cinnabar.  

We crossed Big Creek once on Day 4.  It looked deep but was just above knees.  4 crossings of Tyaughton heading to Spruce Lake, smaller stream but a bit deeper.  We were there mid July which is early season, so the flows were low for that time of year due to low snow pack.  

Here is the link to my writeup from a local forum:  http://www.sdmba.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=2506

I should post it up here too...  

Chilcotins are awesome, a true backcountry bikepacking mecca!

[vikb]

Thanks for the report Carbonguy. I was on the trip with Evan [EvDog] in 2014 and just came back from another 6 day Chilcotins bikepacking trip on Monday. As you guys note stats are meaningless to anyone who has not travelled that area with their bike. The Chilcotins has some amazing bikepacking potential if you can get your head wrapped around the amount and difficulty of the hike-a-bike involved.

Great report Evan. I had not seen that before. Good to hear your perspective and glad you and Brian came along.

[carbonguy]

Evdog: That looks    I finally got out my map and followed your dizzying loops. Were you looking for something?   I had seriously thought about your Iron Pass/Warner Pass route, but we weren't even close to being prepared for that. Maybe it was the weather that day making it look more ominous, but it looked like it could quickly turn into an alpine hike-a-bike gone south when we saw the peaks from Big Creek. Maybe there will be a "next time" when I come with a couple extra layers and even more food.

Vik: I think I saw some trip report of yours from last year? Were you there with a couple little kids? This year's trip report looks amazing. I am sure glad we didn't have to deal with the flies that you encountered. The flies were bad down south on Gun Creek were we went for a little hike, but up north/west there weren't any (or none that I vividly remember).

Great writeup and pictures! You guys know that 3 days ain't enough and went for the whole meal deal this time.

Cheers!

[evdog]

That was Vik's route!  Brian and I were just tagging along.  It was pretty thorough tour of the whole area.  I'd definitely like to get back there again and check out some of the ridge routes.  The float plane access was great but I'd like to ride in next time via one of the access points north of Tyax.   

[vikb]

Vik: I think I saw some trip report of yours from last year? Were you there with a couple little kids? This year's trip report looks amazing. I am sure glad we didn't have to deal with the flies that you encountered. The flies were bad down south on Gun Creek were we went for a little hike, but up north/west there weren't any (or none that I vividly remember).

2013 - I went there with Doug and his two kids.

I went twice in 2014. Once with Evan bikepacking and once with a basecamp group that did day trips out of Spruce Lake.

I was just there this year bikepacking with my buddy Scott. Trip reports are top 3 posts at link below.

https://vikapproved.wordpress.com/?s=chilcotins+2015

[vikb]

I'd definitely like to get back there again and check out some of the ridge routes. 

Ya that's on my radar as well. Depending on how much riding vs. HAB I may just stash my bike and loop the ridges on foot then come back.

The one good thing about all these trips is I have a much better idea of what sections will be rideable and which ones are just hiking with my bike.