Friday: June 26, Back to the TCT: The High Rockies Trail

 


High Rockies Trail crosses a reservoir - photo taken from the top of the dam

Today we got back to the TransCanada Trail.  Its been a week since we departed the TCT along the Elk Valley Trail in Sparwood, and I was excited about getting back to it.  The Elk Valley Trail ends at the the Continental Divide, which in this area is also the provincial boundary between BC and Alberta. The trail however doesn't stop - it has to continue because it carries the TCT, which is continuous across the country.  In Alberta the trail becomes the High Rockies Trail.  An evocative name which had me thinking about a singletrack path above the treeline.  Audrey and I checked out a tourist information center in the Elk Lakes area, and the ranger told us it would be easy to find behind the  local campground.  

So I told Audrey to take the Smith-Dorrien Road and I would search for the High Rockies Trail and meet her along it. Not super clear instructions, especially since we knew the Smith-Dorrien Road was closed at some point. So Audrey was taking a road which we didn't know how far she could take, while I was taking a trail that I had yet to find. That's a recipe for getting lost!  Well, it did take me quite a long time navigating through the campground taking every trail that looked like it might be the one I needed.  Finally, I came upon a couple of cyclists; when I asked them if they knew where the High Rockies Trail was, they said I was on it, and showed me where it continued, on a dam  that held back a reservoir. The big question mark for me was the surface of the trail - a wide double track, a logging road, or a singletrack path?   Eventually I came out upon the Smith-Dorrien Road, and shortly after, Audrey came along in the Escape, returning from going further down the road.  It was probably an hour we had been apart, and Audrey said we were only achieved a couple kilometers down her road, which did not surprise me.

So after a brief break it was time to continue.  For me I was going to try my luck on the High Rockies Trail, however with visions of the Coal Discovery Trail from Fernie to Hosmer.  Audrey was going to continue on her road, and watch for the first place where the road and trail join again.  Basically, on our map. the trail ran along the roadside, never diverging by much.  I gave it a good try on the trail. but indeed it was a single track mountain bike trail, narrow, twisty, exposed roots, etc.  and after a couple
miles I knew I had to give up and look for a way to descend to the road. There was a steep embankment which was clear of trees, so a good place to try to get to the road.  Eventually I did arrive at the side of the road.  I continued on the road, and eventually came to the point where Audrey was parked.

My goal on this trek is to take the TCT all the way, or at least as much as possible.  But there have been occasions when I took detours.  Early on in the first years, I was unable to take a certain mountain trail because of a forest fire in the region.  Last year I took the long detour around Gray Pass, in order to avoid camping out in the wilderness.  This year, I detoured off the Elk Valley Trail when it became obvious I could not ride it all the way in one day.  In this case we needed to make 60 miles in two days to get to Banff, so reluctantly I resigned myself to taking the gravel road. Exact same scenery, just a much easier path.  For a person considering riding across the country on the TCT, they need to be ready to do some wilderness camping in the Rocky Mountain area!

From that point I continued on the Smith-Dorrien road, always staying close to the car.  This was definitely bear area, and we  had seen signs warning of bear sightings recently.  I continued riding, hoping to get to a point where  a single day ride to arrive in Banff tomorrow would be doable.  We ended at 29 miles today.  We also found out the location of the road closure ahead.  It was at the end of the road, where it descends down to Canmore. There was a rock slide there recently which blocked the road, and the slope remained dangerous with a particularly large boulder in danger of falling and wreaking destruction all the way down into Canmore. Essentially the Smith-Dorrien Road that Audrey was travelling was a 50 mile dead end road.  
 
Scenery along the Smith-Dorrien Trail

On the left is the Smith Dorrien Road, a gravel road

On the right is the High Rockies Trail, a mountain bike trail 


 Yup, its a mountain bike trail

Along Smith-Dorrien Trail

Part of the dam on the High Rockies Trail
The signpost indicates this is part of the TCT
Smith Dorrien Trail (Road) - Audrey's route;  just around the corner we found this road is closed.

Mileage:  29 miles
Elevations:  
Start:  6500 feet
End: 6101 feet
Highpoint: 6253 feet, a local maximum on Smith-Dorrien Road
Low: 5350 feet
Max speed.  35 mph

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