You can say that again, that was some real rugged terrain! I was a little disappointed you didn't bunny hop the fallen tree...
It was sure worth the effort for those incredible vistas!
I was exhausted watching that!
Amazing effort Art!
Dayum Art... Nicely done indeed for tackling that!This is a bit late in coming but I’m finally getting around to posting a follow up to my ride on Thursday. This would only be my second visit to the trails of West Bragg Creek and I know that it likely won’t be my last.
Powderface Ridge was also high on my list of trail rides this year so I thought that I would take it on when it was still early in the season before the swarms of summer hikers converged on it.
View attachment 157186
View attachment 157185
The trailhead is located about an hour’s drive west of the townsite of Bragg Creek, AB at the end of the paved section of Hwy 66. This 15 km loop can’t be taken lightly as the rocky terrain could prove to be challenging even for the most seasoned rider.
It’s a grueling grind on an aesthetic mountain ridge. Steep and technical, with lots of large loose rock combined with a view of the Rockies to the west and the foothills to the east, making this an athletic test piece with constant rewards. You definitely don’t want to be riding it on a hardtail.
My plan was to ride it from north to south (CW) starting from the Powderface Trail which is a gravel forestry road and likely the most convenient way to access the ridge via the Trail Creek Junction. I arrived at the starting point of my ride at 9am and immediately set off up the PF Trail.
There is no signage for the Creekside junction but you’ll know that you’ve arrived at the trail head by a visible pullout which allows for limited vehicle parking. From there, a small orange marker on one of the trees indicates the trail entrance.
View attachment 157187
The 1.3 km up the steep and rocky junction trail towards the ridge gets your heart pumping and is an early warning of what to expect further on. Nothing on this trail comes easy.
View attachment 157188
View attachment 157189
View attachment 157190
The rocks seemed to outnumber roots but they also made their presence felt.
View attachment 157191
View attachment 157194
Last uphill stretch before arriving at the saddle on top of the Powder Ridge Trail.
View attachment 157192
A fabulous view of the Nihahi Ridge.
View attachment 157193
Just prior to reaching the summit at 2250 meters, I met another rider on his Santa Cruz emtb who came up on my six as we both approached the top. We ended up walking our bikes up the last 100 meters as the steep and rocky terrain was impossible to ride over. He remarked how there was still snow present two weeks ago along the section just before the decent down the ridge trail.
View attachment 157195
View attachment 157196
The well deserved view atop the summit on the Powderface Ridge Trail.
View attachment 157197
The Ridge trail makes a sharp exit left and drops off the east side of the ridge and down a descent into the forest and as expected more of the same accompanying rock-strewn terrain.
View attachment 157198
View attachment 157199
Being accustomed to fallen tree encounters, there was no way that this one was going to halt my way to the east ridge.
View attachment 157200
Another climb brought me back up on to the open east ridge and down to a lush alpine meadow. I stopped here for a snack and also thought that it was a good spot to capture some aerial footage. The views were stunning but I could have taken advantage of a superior vantage point had I left the trail and hiked another 200 meters to the south summit cairn overlooking the Elbow Valley (Rt of center in the image). I could hear the echoes of hikers up at the flag cairn but I was firmly planted and enjoying the view from my lower perch. I was constantly on the lookout for wildflowers but it might have been too early in the season.
View attachment 157202
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View attachment 157204
The view of the Elbow Valley as seen from the drone. The meandering Elbow River and emerald waters of Forget Me Not Pond are backed by an astonishingly picture-perfect panorama of the Rockies.
View attachment 157203
I started my descent down the Ridge Trail. By this time, I had already crossed paths with several hikers most of who were walking the trail from point to point. This couple were keenly interested in how my FS bike handled the rocky terrain.
View attachment 157206
View attachment 157207
Back in the forest, more of the same but steeper now. It was hard to set a consistent pace typical of the terrain on the trail. No picking lines here, you just go with the flow and try and let the bike do its job.
View attachment 157208
View attachment 157209
I exit the trail down to the parking area. This completes my ride of the Powderface Ridge Loop and I can definitely say without a doubt that its reputation precedes it. I can’t imagine riding this as an out-and-back but those who have the legs to do so, would certainly deserve all of the accolades. I would even consider riding this trail during the winter on a fat bike when all of the rocks and roots would be covered in a foot or two of deep snow.
View attachment 157210
Before driving the 200+ km back to home base, I stopped by the nearby picturesque Elbow Falls to take in some refreshing views.
View attachment 157211
View attachment 157212
View attachment 157213
Looking back along Hwy 66, the beauty of the area alone makes it deserving of to visit. Just be sure to purchase a K-Country park pass before you head out on the road.
View attachment 157214
This video is longer than usual but I think it depicts a true visual experience of what the Powder Ridge Trail is really like to ride. That being said, if it’s not your thing, feel free to skip over it.
It would make a great road trip for sure Dave. At the end of my ride, I headed to the pond but being the last day of school, there were busloads of students on what was likely their final field outing before the summer holiday break so I decided to return back to my vehicle.
Thanks RH. It might be a while before I attempt to ride this trail again. That being said, I knew beforehand that the views at the top were going to be well worth the effort and I wasn’t disappointed. There is such a variety of singles to choose from at West Bragg Creek which makes it such a phenomenal place to ride. The summit was nice but I thought the vistas at the east ridge were even more spectacular.You can say that again, that was some real rugged terrain! I was a little disappointed you didn't bunny hop the fallen tree...
Believe me, I felt that way a few times up the Powderface Creek Trail on my way to the Ridge intersection. I had to stop to catch my breath at many of the rock gardens. I'm just thankful that I didn't have a puncture along the way as some of the rocks were pretty jagged.Dayum Art... Nicely done indeed for tackling that!
I'm pretty sure I would have died about 1/3 of the way up.
Nice range of camera work there, scenery doesnt need mentioning, where do you keep your bear spray?This is a bit late in coming but I’m finally getting around to posting a follow up to my ride on Thursday. This would only be my second visit to the trails of West Bragg Creek and I know that it likely won’t be my last.
Powderface Ridge was also high on my list of trail rides this year so I thought that I would take it on when it was still early in the season before the swarms of summer hikers converged on it.
View attachment 157186
View attachment 157185
The trailhead is located about an hour’s drive west of the townsite of Bragg Creek, AB at the end of the paved section of Hwy 66. This 15 km loop can’t be taken lightly as the rocky terrain could prove to be challenging even for the most seasoned rider.
It’s a grueling grind on an aesthetic mountain ridge. Steep and technical, with lots of large loose rock combined with a view of the Rockies to the west and the foothills to the east, making this an athletic test piece with constant rewards. You definitely don’t want to be riding it on a hardtail.
My plan was to ride it from north to south (CW) starting from the Powderface Trail which is a gravel forestry road and likely the most convenient way to access the ridge via the Trail Creek Junction. I arrived at the starting point of my ride at 9am and immediately set off up the PF Trail.
There is no signage for the Creekside junction but you’ll know that you’ve arrived at the trail head by a visible pullout which allows for limited vehicle parking. From there, a small orange marker on one of the trees indicates the trail entrance.
View attachment 157187
The 1.3 km up the steep and rocky junction trail towards the ridge gets your heart pumping and is an early warning of what to expect further on. Nothing on this trail comes easy.
View attachment 157188
View attachment 157189
View attachment 157190
The rocks seemed to outnumber roots but they also made their presence felt.
View attachment 157191
View attachment 157194
Last uphill stretch before arriving at the saddle on top of the Powder Ridge Trail.
View attachment 157192
A fabulous view of the Nihahi Ridge.
View attachment 157193
Just prior to reaching the summit at 2250 meters, I met another rider on his Santa Cruz emtb who came up on my six as we both approached the top. We ended up walking our bikes up the last 100 meters as the steep and rocky terrain was impossible to ride over. He remarked how there was still snow present two weeks ago along the section just before the decent down the ridge trail.
View attachment 157195
View attachment 157196
The well deserved view atop the summit on the Powderface Ridge Trail.
View attachment 157197
The Ridge trail makes a sharp exit left and drops off the east side of the ridge and down a descent into the forest and as expected more of the same accompanying rock-strewn terrain.
View attachment 157198
View attachment 157199
Being accustomed to fallen tree encounters, there was no way that this one was going to halt my way to the east ridge.
View attachment 157200
Another climb brought me back up on to the open east ridge and down to a lush alpine meadow. I stopped here for a snack and also thought that it was a good spot to capture some aerial footage. The views were stunning but I could have taken advantage of a superior vantage point had I left the trail and hiked another 200 meters to the south summit cairn overlooking the Elbow Valley (Rt of center in the image). I could hear the echoes of hikers up at the flag cairn but I was firmly planted and enjoying the view from my lower perch. I was constantly on the lookout for wildflowers but it might have been too early in the season.
View attachment 157202
View attachment 157205
View attachment 157204
The view of the Elbow Valley as seen from the drone. The meandering Elbow River and emerald waters of Forget Me Not Pond are backed by an astonishingly picture-perfect panorama of the Rockies.
View attachment 157203
I started my descent down the Ridge Trail. By this time, I had already crossed paths with several hikers most of who were walking the trail from point to point. This couple were keenly interested in how my FS bike handled the rocky terrain.
View attachment 157206
View attachment 157207
Back in the forest, more of the same but steeper now. It was hard to set a consistent pace typical of the terrain on the trail. No picking lines here, you just go with the flow and try and let the bike do its job.
View attachment 157208
View attachment 157209
I exit the trail down to the parking area. This completes my ride of the Powderface Ridge Loop and I can definitely say without a doubt that its reputation precedes it. I can’t imagine riding this as an out-and-back but those who have the legs to do so, would certainly deserve all of the accolades. I would even consider riding this trail during the winter on a fat bike when all of the rocks and roots would be covered in a foot or two of deep snow.
View attachment 157210
Before driving the 200+ km back to home base, I stopped by the nearby picturesque Elbow Falls to take in some refreshing views.
View attachment 157211
View attachment 157212
View attachment 157213
Looking back along Hwy 66, the beauty of the area alone makes it deserving of to visit. Just be sure to purchase a K-Country park pass before you head out on the road.
View attachment 157214
This video is longer than usual but I think it depicts a true visual experience of what the Powder Ridge Trail is really like to ride. That being said, if it’s not your thing, feel free to skip over it.
That slab rock pile...This is a bit late in coming but I’m finally getting around to posting a follow up to my ride on Thursday. This would only be my second visit to the trails of West Bragg Creek and I know that it likely won’t be my last.
Powderface Ridge was also high on my list of trail rides this year so I thought that I would take it on when it was still early in the season before the swarms of summer hikers converged on it.
View attachment 157186
View attachment 157185
The trailhead is located about an hour’s drive west of the townsite of Bragg Creek, AB at the end of the paved section of Hwy 66. This 15 km loop can’t be taken lightly as the rocky terrain could prove to be challenging even for the most seasoned rider.
It’s a grueling grind on an aesthetic mountain ridge. Steep and technical, with lots of large loose rock combined with a view of the Rockies to the west and the foothills to the east, making this an athletic test piece with constant rewards. You definitely don’t want to be riding it on a hardtail.
My plan was to ride it from north to south (CW) starting from the Powderface Trail which is a gravel forestry road and likely the most convenient way to access the ridge via the Trail Creek Junction. I arrived at the starting point of my ride at 9am and immediately set off up the PF Trail.
There is no signage for the Creekside junction but you’ll know that you’ve arrived at the trail head by a visible pullout which allows for limited vehicle parking. From there, a small orange marker on one of the trees indicates the trail entrance.
View attachment 157187
The 1.3 km up the steep and rocky junction trail towards the ridge gets your heart pumping and is an early warning of what to expect further on. Nothing on this trail comes easy.
View attachment 157188
View attachment 157189
View attachment 157190
The rocks seemed to outnumber roots but they also made their presence felt.
View attachment 157191
View attachment 157194
Last uphill stretch before arriving at the saddle on top of the Powder Ridge Trail.
View attachment 157192
A fabulous view of the Nihahi Ridge.
View attachment 157193
Just prior to reaching the summit at 2250 meters, I met another rider on his Santa Cruz emtb who came up on my six as we both approached the top. We ended up walking our bikes up the last 100 meters as the steep and rocky terrain was impossible to ride over. He remarked how there was still snow present two weeks ago along the section just before the decent down the ridge trail.
View attachment 157195
View attachment 157196
The well deserved view atop the summit on the Powderface Ridge Trail.
View attachment 157197
The Ridge trail makes a sharp exit left and drops off the east side of the ridge and down a descent into the forest and as expected more of the same accompanying rock-strewn terrain.
View attachment 157198
View attachment 157199
Being accustomed to fallen tree encounters, there was no way that this one was going to halt my way to the east ridge.
View attachment 157200
Another climb brought me back up on to the open east ridge and down to a lush alpine meadow. I stopped here for a snack and also thought that it was a good spot to capture some aerial footage. The views were stunning but I could have taken advantage of a superior vantage point had I left the trail and hiked another 200 meters to the south summit cairn overlooking the Elbow Valley (Rt of center in the image). I could hear the echoes of hikers up at the flag cairn but I was firmly planted and enjoying the view from my lower perch. I was constantly on the lookout for wildflowers but it might have been too early in the season.
View attachment 157202
View attachment 157205
View attachment 157204
The view of the Elbow Valley as seen from the drone. The meandering Elbow River and emerald waters of Forget Me Not Pond are backed by an astonishingly picture-perfect panorama of the Rockies.
View attachment 157203
I started my descent down the Ridge Trail. By this time, I had already crossed paths with several hikers most of who were walking the trail from point to point. This couple were keenly interested in how my FS bike handled the rocky terrain.
View attachment 157206
View attachment 157207
Back in the forest, more of the same but steeper now. It was hard to set a consistent pace typical of the terrain on the trail. No picking lines here, you just go with the flow and try and let the bike do its job.
View attachment 157208
View attachment 157209
I exit the trail down to the parking area. This completes my ride of the Powderface Ridge Loop and I can definitely say without a doubt that its reputation precedes it. I can’t imagine riding this as an out-and-back but those who have the legs to do so, would certainly deserve all of the accolades. I would even consider riding this trail during the winter on a fat bike when all of the rocks and roots would be covered in a foot or two of deep snow.
View attachment 157210
Before driving the 200+ km back to home base, I stopped by the nearby picturesque Elbow Falls to take in some refreshing views.
View attachment 157211
View attachment 157212
View attachment 157213
Looking back along Hwy 66, the beauty of the area alone makes it deserving of to visit. Just be sure to purchase a K-Country park pass before you head out on the road.
View attachment 157214
This video is longer than usual but I think it depicts a true visual experience of what the Powder Ridge Trail is really like to ride. That being said, if it’s not your thing, feel free to skip over it.
Yep, it was a nice day to be out on the links and thankfully neither of us needed to reach for the spray. BTW, happy Canada D’eh! That call goes out to all fellow Canucks here as well.
Awesome!Yep, it was a nice day to be out on the links and thankfully neither of us needed to reach for the spray. BTW, happy Canada D’eh! That call goes out to all fellow Canucks here as well.
With that said, it's time we cue the ‘Stomper’!Awesome!
Happy Canada day!
Where we promote:
Maple syrup
Pancakes
Moose
Beavers
Tragically Hip
Cowboys
Ice Hockey
And fire smoke!
That was a jaw dropping bike ride! I rode 50 mile Endurance rides on rock-strewn nasty trails exactly like that, on a nimble, savvy part-Arabian horse, when I was competing. Never in a million years would I ever attempt to ride it on a bike, so hat's off to you for an awesome effort and some fabulous pics.
Well that was a very inspirational video and an amazing selection of photos to view. That trail was definitely above my pay grade but it was fun to watch you tackle it. And with the huffing and puffing we could hear who says you can't get in shape on an e-bike. Great examples of giving the right-away to the hikers and the same is necessary on the Little Elbow with the high equestrian users in that area. Did you have a feel for how much battery used on the uphill sections as I imagine the steep pitches would have been pushed to "Turbo"?This is a bit late in coming but I’m finally getting around to posting a follow up to my ride on Thursday. This would only be my second visit to the trails of West Bragg Creek and I know that it likely won’t be my last.
Powderface Ridge was also high on my list of trail rides this year so I thought that I would take it on when it was still early in the season before the swarms of summer hikers converged on it.
View attachment 157186
View attachment 157185
The trailhead is located about an hour’s drive west of the townsite of Bragg Creek, AB at the end of the paved section of Hwy 66. This 15 km loop can’t be taken lightly as the rocky terrain could prove to be challenging even for the most seasoned rider.
It’s a grueling grind on an aesthetic mountain ridge. Steep and technical, with lots of large loose rock combined with a view of the Rockies to the west and the foothills to the east, making this an athletic test piece with constant rewards. You definitely don’t want to be riding it on a hardtail.
My plan was to ride it from north to south (CW) starting from the Powderface Trail which is a gravel forestry road and likely the most convenient way to access the ridge via the Trail Creek Junction. I arrived at the starting point of my ride at 9am and immediately set off up the PF Trail.
There is no signage for the Creekside junction but you’ll know that you’ve arrived at the trail head by a visible pullout which allows for limited vehicle parking. From there, a small orange marker on one of the trees indicates the trail entrance.
View attachment 157187
The 1.3 km up the steep and rocky junction trail towards the ridge gets your heart pumping and is an early warning of what to expect further on. Nothing on this trail comes easy.
View attachment 157188
View attachment 157189
View attachment 157190
The rocks seemed to outnumber roots but they also made their presence felt.
View attachment 157191
View attachment 157194
Last uphill stretch before arriving at the saddle on top of the Powder Ridge Trail.
View attachment 157192
A fabulous view of the Nihahi Ridge.
View attachment 157193
Just prior to reaching the summit at 2250 meters, I met another rider on his Santa Cruz emtb who came up on my six as we both approached the top. We ended up walking our bikes up the last 100 meters as the steep and rocky terrain was impossible to ride over. He remarked how there was still snow present two weeks ago along the section just before the decent down the ridge trail.
View attachment 157195
View attachment 157196
The well deserved view atop the summit on the Powderface Ridge Trail.
View attachment 157197
The Ridge trail makes a sharp exit left and drops off the east side of the ridge and down a descent into the forest and as expected more of the same accompanying rock-strewn terrain.
View attachment 157198
View attachment 157199
Being accustomed to fallen tree encounters, there was no way that this one was going to halt my way to the east ridge.
View attachment 157200
Another climb brought me back up on to the open east ridge and down to a lush alpine meadow. I stopped here for a snack and also thought that it was a good spot to capture some aerial footage. The views were stunning but I could have taken advantage of a superior vantage point had I left the trail and hiked another 200 meters to the south summit cairn overlooking the Elbow Valley (Rt of center in the image). I could hear the echoes of hikers up at the flag cairn but I was firmly planted and enjoying the view from my lower perch. I was constantly on the lookout for wildflowers but it might have been too early in the season.
View attachment 157202
View attachment 157205
View attachment 157204
The view of the Elbow Valley as seen from the drone. The meandering Elbow River and emerald waters of Forget Me Not Pond are backed by an astonishingly picture-perfect panorama of the Rockies.
View attachment 157203
I started my descent down the Ridge Trail. By this time, I had already crossed paths with several hikers most of who were walking the trail from point to point. This couple were keenly interested in how my FS bike handled the rocky terrain.
View attachment 157206
View attachment 157207
Back in the forest, more of the same but steeper now. It was hard to set a consistent pace typical of the terrain on the trail. No picking lines here, you just go with the flow and try and let the bike do its job.
View attachment 157208
View attachment 157209
I exit the trail down to the parking area. This completes my ride of the Powderface Ridge Loop and I can definitely say without a doubt that its reputation precedes it. I can’t imagine riding this as an out-and-back but those who have the legs to do so, would certainly deserve all of the accolades. I would even consider riding this trail during the winter on a fat bike when all of the rocks and roots would be covered in a foot or two of deep snow.
View attachment 157210
Before driving the 200+ km back to home base, I stopped by the nearby picturesque Elbow Falls to take in some refreshing views.
View attachment 157211
View attachment 157212
View attachment 157213
Looking back along Hwy 66, the beauty of the area alone makes it deserving of to visit. Just be sure to purchase a K-Country park pass before you head out on the road.
View attachment 157214
This video is longer than usual but I think it depicts a true visual experience of what the Powder Ridge Trail is really like to ride. That being said, if it’s not your thing, feel free to skip over it.
Some of the trails at West Bragg are used by a nearby equestrian center such as the Ford Creek Trail and might be typical of what you rode during competitions. Likewise, I would be afraid of falling off a steed onto the rocky ground below so kudos to you.
Thanks Bill. Powderface definitely tested my limits particularly at the start near the climb up the steep section of Powderface Creek where some of the rocks were quite large. Mind you I was hauling a heavily gear laden pack around with me which likely didn’t help the cause. There were some mellower segments along the way but they seemed far and few between. I’m sure there were moments where hikers could have passed me on the way up.
One of the most treacherous trails included in one notorious east coast Endurance ride was on Indian Graves in the Fort Valley George Washington National Forest in Virginia/West Virginia. It was so difficult that you were better off dismounting, unsnapping one rein end so that you had a long lead from your horse's face to your free hand, and "tailing" your horse up the slope while it hopped from boulder top to boulder top. Let me tell you, it was HARD work following behind, but it was way too scary to be on top your horse while climbing those boulders
Impressive!!
No walk mode for this trail! It was more like "hop" "hop" (yank rider into a fast trot on the rocks to keep up) "hop" "slide" "pause" (to select the best way forward between the boulders) "hop some more" (while dragging your rider along as fast as their legs could keep up). He chose his route, I followed trying to keep my feet under me to keep up.
A hop, hop power mode setting might have deemed to be more beneficial for me on the trail that day. BTW, I love your spunk. Just what the world needs more of.
