Training Log Archive: Bash

Group ride on Nipika trail network. Time deducted for photo stops. Photos to come!

Exploratory trek up Aurora Pass. Photos and details to come.

By yesterday afternoon, most of the forest fire haze had blown out of the area and we had clear views for the rest of our stay. This is the meadow of Nipika Mountain Resort; in winter, a ski trail runs by the cabins.



We took a different Kootenay River trip today. We drove north, began paddling from Hwy 93 and finished at the bridge where we started on Tuesday. Nipika offers this as a half-day trip. They also offer 5-day paddling trips where you camp along the river on some of the beautiful beaches where we've been having our lunch stops and snack breaks.



There was no Class 3 whitewater today so it was very relaxed - just the odd rock or log jam to avoid. One of our highlights was a view of Mitchell Ridge where we hiked yesterday.









We stopped for lunch at the junction of the Cross and Kootenay Rivers, which is where the Nipika trail system begins.





We went for a hike from here, then paddled a short distance to the take-out. This GPS track includes both the paddle and the hike.

'Bent made a great 4-minute video of our two days on the Kootenay River.

Side trip from the paddle to hike along the Cross River Canyon at the north end of the Nipika trail system, see some waterfalls and visit a ski warming hut filled with quotes about life.











This is the Canyon Bridge. We biked across it a couple of times later on.

'Bent and I went for a ride on the Nipika trail network to see the Natural Bridge - a beautiful canyon in the Cross River. 'Bent's adventures on an upright bike continued. At one point I looked back to see him hanging upside down from a shrub on a steep hillside below the trail. His phone fell out but it was recovered and no harm was done. We came back across the river on the Canyon Bridge that we'd seen on our hike earlier. It's all starting to fit together! Here's a trail map on Trailforks.
<https://www.trailforks.com/region/nipika-mountain-...>





See the bridge we rode across way up there?



Then we headed back for the last night in our cozy cabin where Pate had made us B.C. salmon for dinner - yum. And yes, there was a rainbow. Probably some unicorns too if I had looked for them.

This exploratory trek around Mitchell Ridge near Invermere was the most epic day on our trip; it felt like adventure racing!

Our mission was to try to find an old trail that had been used by a horse outfitter until two decades ago. The trail, which is shown in the brown area on this old map, leads to some beautiful lakes. The normal route to these lakes starts along the boundary with Kootenay National Park, which runs along Mitchell Ridge marked with the orange line, and stays high as it approaches the lakes from the northwest. If we found the trail, we planned to go as far as we could, then loop back on the ridge. If it was nasty bushwhacking with no sign of a trail, we could bail out and just do an out-and-back hike on the usual ridge trail.



VO2Max, Goose, 'Bent and I drove on forest service roads to the bottom of the ridge and dropped a dirt bike that would be used to shuttle the driver back to our truck, assuming we finished our loop there as hoped. This meadow was full of wild strawberries - yummy and I'm sure grizzlies like them too.



Then we drove around to the old trail. Its southern part is now in a logged area so we could drive partway up an abandoned forest road. I thought this was the end of the line but VO2Max carries a chainsaw!



We parked the truck and headed up the valley behind us.



We knew the trail should be lower than the road so we started with some bushwhacking and fanning out to search. We made lots of noise to scare away wildlife.





Within half a km, after a few false starts, we found an overgrown trail that we were able to follow up the valley.



When we got into the trees, the trail was very obvious. It must have been used over the last 20 years, probably by hunters. There were occasional signs of trees being cleared with saws - also some relatively fresh grizzly tracks.





Wood lily



When we crossed avalanche slopes, the views opened up and the trail became less distinct.





Yup, that's the trail.



Eventually we popped out into a flat open area with lots of snow. Behind us in this photo is the ridge we planned to return on.



Ahead of us, it looked like the trail might be more difficult to find.



VO2Max pointed out the lakes this trail supposedly leads to. They were across a wide valley and it was clear we were not going to get there. Instead we would aim for a saddle ahead of us, then we would return on the ridge as planned.



We discovered a hunting camp here, which explained the quality of the trail.



After this, there was a lot more bushwhacking and guessing but we usually found signs of the trail. VO2Max hung some flagging tape.







The alpine wildflowers were gorgeous. This is the best time of year for them.



Glacier lily





The saddle (left) was getting closer but we ran into a canyon soon after this.



Rather than finding a way through the canyon and bushwhacking to the saddle, we decided to climb the ridge and start our trip back. At first it was beautiful.



Then it got rocky - "chossy", VO2Max called it.



The final climb to the ridge was tricky so VO2Max went ahead to scout the route.



Then he led us up there one at a time, pointing out safe footholds.







Mitchell Ridge is narrow with steep slopes and beautiful views on both sides. We enjoyed a late lunch, then headed south along the ridge (behind us in this photo). We still had 8 km to go, and we were going to be late meeting Coach LD for dinner.



It was so beautiful that I could post a hundred photos but don't worry - I won't! :) This is the view into the valley we'd traveled up.



We ran when the going was good.



You can tell Mitchell Ridge is a national park boundary because there are tiny yellow signs propped up with rocks.



These photos look back at where we'd come from on the ridge.





Some scrambling was required.









Most of the ridge was loose scree and easy going.



At the very end, the trail descends steeply through the trees and loses close to 1,000 m. We ran this as much as possible and got back to the dirtbike. Amazing day! It was fun and challenging, and I got to read a map, which always makes me happy. :)

The morning smoke forecast didn't look promising for views so VO2Max proposed that we paddle the Kootenay River. We started from the Settler's Road bridge near Nipika Mountain Resort and traveled to the next bridge about 45 km south.

Our put-in point



We used SOAR inflatable canoes, which fortunately are nicer than the infamous Tomcat kayaks we used to paddle in AR.







The river passed through canyons and was mostly Class 1 or 2 whitewater with a handful of Class 3 rapids. Goose and Coach LD paddled together. 'Bent and I chose VO2Max's boat, which meant we only had to provide paddle power while he steered through the rapids - an extremely relaxing way to do whitewater!







We took a couple of onshore breaks to explore, make coffee and have lunch. (Time deducted.) When Nipika operates longer river trips, these beautiful beaches are used as campsites.







The forest fire smoke got heavier through the morning but eased off later in the day.



After lunch, Goose and VO2Max went back into the Palliser Rapid to play.









There were no big rapids after lunch - just bouncy standing waves, riffles and steady current. We took out just after the only bridge we'd seen since the start.



Someone had shuttled a truck downriver for us to take back. However, a little work was required to get it on the road. :)



Luckily, VO2Max has many talents.



Then we drove back to the lodge for appetizers and another yummy dinner.

Forest fire smoke swept into Canmore late yesterday afternoon. We walked into town for a drink with Charm last night and kept getting ashes in our eyes. Crazy!



Today we drove to Nipika Lodge near Invermere, B.C. The smoke got worse as we headed west but improved when we turned south toward the B.C. border on Hwy 93. It turned out the smoke had come mostly from a big fire in Banff National Park - not from B.C.

The reprieve was short-lived though. The wind wasn't in our favour today and it was smoky when we arrived at the lodge. In spite of that, it's such a great place! More on that later.



Goose and Coach LD arrived and we settled into the beautiful Palliser cabin. VO2Max was going to be our guide for the week and it was great to see him in his element.







Before dinner, the four of us headed out for a short ride to see the Kootenay River and get a feel for the trail network.



'Bent rode a regular bike. This led to some nervous moments, as he's not used to that position. "I don't know why anyone would want to ride so high off the ground with your head leading the way!"



Tomorrow we're going paddling. Looking forward to a fun week!