June 17, 2026 : Baines Lake to Fernie: Some Excitement on Sheep Mountain

July 09, 2026

The Cokato community near Fernie; the Lizard Range forms a background

Welcome to Day 3 for 2026. I usually start the page with my favorite photo of the day, regardless when it was taken. This happens to be the last photo I snapped. It shows the community of Cokato, just outside of Fernie, my destination for today. Its a quiet little hamlet, hovering close by Cokato Road, with a nice scenic background of the Lizard Range, the range of mountains that make up the western side of the Crowsnest Pass. Here the Rockies begin to demand attention, as the backbone of the North American continent.

Today the climb to the Continental Divide began in earnest, with no downhill at the end of the day to erase the elevation gains made earlier. Starting at a low point of 2625 feet by Baines Lake, I ended at 3460 feet in Fernie. So 835 feet of progress today, over a ride of 38 miles.

Those are the facts and figures; however, the most interesting part of the day, bears little relation to my final numbers. It was my escapade on Sheep Mountain!

After meeting Audrey at our first stop for today, we were on Highway 93, just a few miles north of the US border, where our route would take us away from the USA toward the little community of Elko. Audrey's route was basic - just stay on Highway 93. For me the TransCanada Trail took me away to the northeast, onto the lower slopes of Sheep Mountain, but never far from Highway 93. Trying to follow the trail was challenging due to a lack of signs. However, I felt I was going fine and eventually I came to a dirt road - a wide dirt road. I followed it and began to notice that there were a lot of semis hauling lumber going the other way. No surprise, the guidebook said there was a sawmill in the Elko area. Then the warning signs started to appear. A warning that many commercial trucks use this road. Then a sign about wearing a hardhat - I figured my helmet would suffice. Finally a sign that said 'no trespassing" and all visitors need to check in at some office.

OK. It was obvious I had missed a turn or made a mistake somewhere. So I turn around, thinking, I have several miles to double back to where I began riding this dirt road. A little ways later I come upon the view seen below in the first Sheep Mountain picture. It was a path which I later realized was an ATV trail, heading westerly, right towards Highway 93. Looks like a nice shortcut - manage to get over the hill, and I should soon see Highway 93.

This is how adventures start - several years ago, I had a similar situation in Penticton. I was off course a bit, but if I could just get myself and my bike up a steep embankment, I'd be back on track. Well I injured myself; the bike began to slide backwards, and I got some scrapes and contusions in the effort to stop the bike. Nothing serious, but some pain for the next few days.

So the ATV track goes up an extremely steep slope; it felt like I was walking the bike up a ski jump. The hill seemed like a 45 degree angle - for every foot of forward distance gained, it seemed a foot of climbing. It was exhausting - I think it took me 15 minutes, to get to the top. The elevation change on my GPS was around 115 feet. Just crazy steep. From the top I turned around and took the second picture, looking from whence I came. Then riding forward a bit, guess what I saw?

A similar hill, similarly steep, going down! Certainly too steep to ride my bike (and no highway in sight). Mother Nature, or geology, take your pick - had played a nasty trick on me. Go figure - a ridge, with similarly steep sides - goes up, and then right back down. So that shortcut became a big mistake. I had to figure out how to get me and the bike down from this ridge. Fortunately, I saw a rough double track trail that was heading in the right direction. Much less steep, but no picnic either. I took the trail and did fall once. No damage to me, but my GPS device flew off the bike - the two plastic ties to the handlebar had snapped. Eventually I did complete the descent, and 15 minutes later came upon the highway. Somewhat chagrined, this midwestern boy is in the mountains now, and I realized that I can't use midwestern assumptions in the mountain terrain of this trip.

Finally Audrey and I met up at and had lunch at an ice cream stand. Delicious Nathan's all beef hotdog. If you're ever in Elko.

The second half of the day's ride contained no adventures like Sheep Mountain. I descended to the Elk River, and rode a dirt road, that follows the river, although not in elevation. At some points I was well above the river; uphills followed by downhills. I am starting to get used to traveling the dirt roads. A paved road is a bonus; other than the main highways, the roads around here are dirt - dusty and often washboarded. The Elk River will be our travel companion, as the TCT follows alongside all the way to the Continental Divide.