Everything looked optimal for a repeat of "The Best Fat Bike Ride Ever", that is, the Fish lake/Rose Lake/Watson River loop.
The trails were "in", we haven't had snow for a bazillion weeks (this is critical later on) and the forecast was for fine.
The grind up Fish lake is getting to feel like going to work, I've certainly made it enough times. The trail beyond Fish was bullet proof. Once into the alpine, it was clear that there wasn't going to be much snow.
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| Ibex Mountain Looms in the Distance |
Where one can usually cruise on smooth sled/dog sled trail, it was mostly hummocks and rocks, with the occasional drift thrown in.
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| Kinda Sorta Like Summer |
The trail seriously deteriorated past Mud lake, and when I dropped down to Rose creek, it was pretty much bare, frozen swamp. The next few Kms to the meadows where you pick up the Watson River trail are badly tussocked, and need lots of snow to fill it all in. Didn't have any snow in fact. So after 40 Km, I turned back. It was just way to rough. I had a satellite phone with me, so I phoned Michelle and let her know not to leave the truck at the other end for me.
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| Mud Lake |
It was a bummer that the loop isn't "in shape" for this year, as the lack of snow has everything rock hard. The big thaw and high winds in January really did a number on the back country.
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| Old Camp at Mud Lake |
By this time the wind had really picked up, so I had tailwind all the way back.
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| The West end of Fish lake is a serious skating rink |
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| Michelle road out and met me on her new birthday bike |
Still, got in a great, long ride on an amazing spring day.
