Shuswap Okanagan Bikepack TEST EVENT 2023? (Updated Dec 1 2022)

[taprider]

Anyone interested in a Grand Depart for 2023?  
There is still a delay to officially use the rail trail from Sicamous to Rosemund Lake
Other sections of the trail were in great shape in 2022

This post will be used as a place holder and be updated as the links get fixed.
Also the routes will always be changing, as reroutes are required due to some trails becoming decommissioned as others open up, or due to construction.
If you have suggestions, I will give them a try.
The original post was here http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/ultra-racing/shuswap-okanagan-divide-planning-stage/

2020 July 509 km loop
 https://www.trailforks.com/ridelog/planner/view/127966/
2020 Ridewithgps version
https://ridewithgps.com/routes/33255463

Have now rode 100% of the route, but not all in the same ride.  Section ride not Thru ride.
I found an easier way to the summit of Little White mountain without having to do much bushwhacking or hike a bike.  Removed some singletrack that didn't add much value (fun) to make the route easier to follow .
But as of yesterday, there are a lot more fallen trees across the trail and with late snow melt it is much wetter and buggier.  Should be better by late July.

My goals for these routes are:
- To find the most fun singletrack to ride with a lightly loaded bikepack Mountain Bike (Dual suspension, dropper posts and proper knobbies will make it a lot more fun).  
- To be 99% rideable for those with amateur expert level skills and fitness (That is still 5 km of hike a bike for 99% rideable or 50 km of hike a bike for 90% rideable. Also if you are an old enough Canadian to remember that Participaction TV ad back in the 1970s "The average 60 year Swede is fitter than the average 30 year old Canadian", based on that, I am issuing a new challenge along that line "That a 60 year old BCXC/Down Country rider, can ride more [as in clean trials style] than the average 30 year old gravel grinder")
- Easily accessible food resupply. Also high quality nutrition with organic grocery stores, fruit stands, craft brew pubs and cool cafes, and no gas station convenience stores (not that there is anything wrong with them)
- Wilderness camping at official forestry rec sites or cool view points, and frequent access to beaches with good swimming (at least in summer).  Also the ability to go really light, and hit motels or BnBs every night (that facetious challenge I issued above, might not be that mean after all).


I am not sure what the Regional District has in plan for the rail trail between Sicamous and Rosemond Lake for 2022 or later, so even though it's a decommissioned rail bed, it is not officially open, and is considered a social trail. When or if construction does begin, it could be closed at times. Although a multi-use trail is planned, the rail bed is perfect for mtn biking right now (at least with mtn bike tires).  So some riding on the highway might be required to get from Sicamous to Rosemond Lake or Grindrod if you are unwilling to ride social trails (the organic diary farmer with the land adjacent to a crucial bridge is ok with bicycles using the rail bed, and the real issue is 4x4s and motos).

The following are overnighter or short loops/sections (although small route changes made to the above 2020 July track, such as at Postill Lake, Hwy 33 and logging road to Little White have not been updated):

Salmon Arm, Larch Hills Traverse, Sicamous, Rosemond Lake, South Canoe, Salmon Arm 100 km loop
https://www.trailforks.com/ridelog/planner/view/82389
https://ridewithgps.com/trips/41100603

Photos
https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21AD9MXSCY4i0UcDg&id=7434FA0FD95140BC%211070&cid=7434FA0FD95140BC

Vernon, Kalamalka, Okanagan High Rim, Kelowna, Lake Country, Vernon 165 km loop
https://www.trailforks.com/ridelog/planner/view/82390
https://ridewithgps.com/trips/41100626

Photos
https://1drv.ms/u/s!ArxAUdkP-jR0iC8lBDQial2Ir4tc?e=G4vZSd

The Okanagan High Rim Trail has a bad reputation for riding difficulty, but I have tested reroutes to avoid the more unrideable sections (the ravines into Kelowna and Vernon creeks and the associated washed out bridges).  Trail reroutes are currently under construction as of June 2020 through the burned out slash at the bottom of Cardiac Hill just before Highway 33 so there is a straight line on my gps track with I anticipate a big improvement (route finding should be easy or just take the gravel road out if you have trouble). The Mission Creek level has been too high and dangerous (for me, or for me to suggest other people should try it) to cross 4 out of 4 times that I have been on this route, so there will be no plan to continue from Highway 33 to Hydraulic Lake and the Kettle Valley Rail Trail using the High Rim Trail (I did ride up 17 km of Highway 33 to connect to Hydraulic Lake, but I am choosing a route to hit both the Myra Canyon Trestles and the summit of Little White mountain because they are two highlights you don't want to miss, although, if Little White has snow then I suggest just doing Myra Canyon southwards to the Crawford Canyon downhill trails and skipping two big climbs)
As mentioned above, there is a major reroute off the Okanagan High Rim trail by Kelowna and Vernon Creeks, but you get to resupply at the Beaver Lake Resort with junk food, or buy freshly made waffles (at least you could in 2019).
One major difficulty is that when the grass is high, it is hard to see the trail (black diamond if you are breaking trail, and blue to green if you are following a beaten in trail - I am hoping more people will think this stuff might be fun).  Mosquitoes can be bad until later in the summer as it gets closer to forest fire season, so late July or mid September are the recommended times to try the route.

Kelowna, Myra Canyon, Little White, Crawford Canyon, Okanagan Lake, Kelowna 80 km Beach to Alpine Loop
https://www.trailforks.com/ridelog/planner/view/82391
https://ridewithgps.com/trips/41100644

Kelowna, Myra Canyon, Crawford Canyon, Okanagan Lake, Kelowna 75 km Winter Overnighter Loop
https://www.trailforks.com/ridelog/planner/view/92811/
Not a full fat bike route, just one stomach flu away from target weight biking, or I'll be race weight by spring biking loop,
use June Springs/Little White Forest Service Road if the snow is too deep for the climb up Myra Bailout Trail

Photos.
https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21APqzoliHX%5FbBgro&id=7434FA0FD95140BC%211072&cid=7434FA0FD95140BC

The Okanagan High Rim Trail through the alpine is nearly non existent.  The cairns have fallen down over time, flagging blown away or faded, and previous tracks overgrown in grass (it basically becomes a choose your own adventure to find a way through all the cliff bands). Maybe as this route becomes more popular, more of the Rim Trail will be added to extend to Naramata.

2022 or later? The Whole Works 504 km loop, after completion of the Armstrong Sicamous Rail Trail
 https://www.trailforks.com/ridelog/planner/view/82387 https://ridewithgps.com/trips/41100661

With the exception of Sicamous to Rosemond Lake, the Armstrong Sicamous Rail Trail is now badly overgrown, but after the completion of a multi-use rail trail, there will be less paved road to link the Shuswap to the Okanagan

Photos for the valley link between the Shuswap and the Okanagan.
https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21AFlApGAlAu6KNEI&id=7434FA0FD95140BC%211073&cid=7434FA0FD95140BC

[taprider]

Updated Oct 18 2019

[taprider]

Update Nov 19 2019
Proposed group ride or unofficial unofficial Grand Depart for those that want to try for the first Fastest Known Time
further details coming

[taprider]

Update Feb 20 2020
A winter overnighter for Kelowna and more photos added

[taprider]

Update June 25 2020
100% of the route has now been ridden, just not as a Thru Bike, but in sections.
Updates to the route have not been added to the overnighter / short loops /sections (refer to 2020 July gps track)

[taprider]

Update April 13 2021

Hi Everyone
I'm still not sure if a group event is possible this year.  If it is to occur, it will be the loop starting in Vernon, heading south to Little White and Kelowna and returning to Vernon.  About 250 km and a tonne of climbing and singletrack.

Although, the north loop is fully rideable, it can?t be officially done until the Rail Trail along Mara Lake is completed (fully doable by bike, but too narrow in one place for heavy road building equipment).
I am thinking of just doing the whole works to set a target time for the FKT?ers to shoot for.  But you FKT?ers would be doing it unofficially(squared).

Some other things I?m thinking of is variations on the usual bikepack race rules.  The Okanagan and Shuswap valleys have nice lakes that are holiday destinations, so you could make this bikepack route a family holiday destination, and you would not be asterisked if you visit your family at lakeside camp sites along the route (you are still expected to be fully self sufficient, and if you are planning to set a FKT, all the usual strict rules would apply).

[Sonikphyr]

Hi Rod,
Looking to ride the Mara Lake section of rail trail from your route at the end of May. Are the rail ties pulled up and the pathway mostly cleared? From the pictures I have seen online it looks like the majority of the Mara lake section is railway ballast. I put together a route using a bit of your route and a bit of the Buckshot route. https://ridewithgps.com/routes/35993890?privacy_code=XbIvEBVhToyyoa5J
Let me know what to expect.
Thank you,
Dion Clark

[taprider]

Yes the rails have been pulled up for a long time.  The ballast is medium sized from Sicamous to Rosemund Lake Road, so smooth enough for mtn bike tires, but not gravel bike tires

But from Coell Jones Road south, the rail bed is completely overgrown and impassible even for hiking

see photo 10 for a view of the Mara Lake Rail Trail
https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21AD9MXSCY4i0UcDg&id=7434FA0FD95140BC%211070&cid=7434FA0FD95140BC
and photo 11 for the bridge you need to take to avoid Coell Jones Road
https://onedrive.live.com/?authkey=%21AFlApGAlAu6KNEI&id=7434FA0FD95140BC%211073&cid=7434FA0FD95140BC

But when the Armstrong Sicamous Rail Trail is complete (don't hold your breath), your route will work for gravel bikes (except for walking down the rocky portions of Larch Hills Traverse)

[Sonikphyr]

Thank you for the feedback Rod.
I will reroute up the climb you originally planned to avoid that and loop back down through Enderby. I am trying to stay off the highway at all costs. More climbing is better anyways right.
Also, I will be on a hardtail. I am most looking forward to the Larch Traverse. I have heard it is a great trail.

[taprider]

Last year high flood waters and the left over debris made the trail from the Mara Rail Trail along the side of Rosemund Lake to that climb difficult.  When you see the rail bridge over a little channel from Mara Lake to Rosemund Lake, back up two metres and look for something resembling a game trail to your right.  In previous years, there was a nice rideable singletrack along the rock face before it opened up to a quad track.  The climb up out of Rosemund Lake is steep, but it is a gravel road and after about 1km does get less steep.
Let me know how it goes

[Sonikphyr]

Hi Rod,
I rode the route last weekend and in hindsight I should have double checked your route vs my route over the Larch Traverse. The ski trails were a mess up there and I should have went straight to the road and up to the start of the Larch Travers singletrack. Fun and challenging trail in the fading light of the evening. The climb up the road on the westside of Mara lake was crazy steep and my legs were toast. It will be much more feasible once the rail trail is open. I also stayed on the rail trail over the bridge and down to the farm. I did not think I would survive the steep gravel road out of Rosemond lake. It was 2am when I went through so no disturbance was caused. Riding the railway ballast was also quite challenging. The quad track was very distinguishable from the railway over to the rec site. Might have to try it one day if I modify my route.
https://www.strava.com/activities/5384240926

Regards,
Dion

[taprider]

Holy Cow, you did all that in less than 24 hours.
 
I was wondering where you would camp, but I guess you didn't.
Do you think you could do the Whole Works route with almost no sleep?  Probably really difficult route finding in the dark with zombie brain. I was expecting that this route would suit Hares rather than Tortoises (rest and eat well frequently, and have the leg and mental energy for the orienteering, punchy climbs and technical riding), but I guess you will prove me wrong.

You went above the golf course on the west side of Mara Lake ??&%#^$??  I think the Rosemund Lake climb would have seemed easy after that, but it looks like you had a deadline to make it back home, and went todo directo

How is auto traffic on the west side of Okanagan Lake?

Again, impressive ride in such a short amount of time

[taprider]

Anyone interested in a Grand Depart for 2023? 
There is still a delay to officially use the rail trail from Sicamous to Rosemund Lake
Other sections of the trail were in great shape in 2022