Click map to enlarge

Explore four scenic ranch roads less travelled on the dry side of B.C.’s Coast Mountains:

1. the spectacular Fraser River grasslands and canyons between High Bar and Big Bar
2. Pavilion Mountain and Marble Canyon
3. Upper Hat Creek and Oregon Jack Creek
4. Texas Creek – North Spencer Road on the west side of the Fraser River between Lillooet and Lytton.

Three YouTube videos of the ride along the High Bar Road, Fraser River grasslands, Big Bar Ferry Road west of Clinton:

Gravel Is The New Gold – Gravel Riding the Cariboo – 59 sec
The Gunslinger – Tutti Gravel Inn, Clinton, BC – 35 sec
The Path Less Paved opening scenes and 2:40 – 4:12 feature this beautiful country! 

“Big Bar, B.C. Untamed and Stunning” Kelly Funk photos

Oct. 2021 photos here. Pavilion Mtn., Diamond S Ranch, Fraser River: N. of Lillooet, 2021 McKay Creek Wildfire (45,000 hectares) in background.

Three campsites are reserved for two nights at Clinton Pines RV Park & Campground located 1.4K south of Clinton off Highway 97. Hookups. Showers.

Lillooet based camping will be at the BC Hydro Seton Dam Campsite located 6K west of Lillooet off Highway 99. No hookups. There are 45 non-reservable, first-come first-served FREE sites. Showers in town at the REC Centre Pool or at nearby Cayoosh Creek Campground ($5).

A note about Meals:
With Group agreement: three Group Dinners: M-T-W and three Breakfasts T-W-Th = Three Cook Teams each with 4 people. Each Cook Team plans and prepares one Dinner for 12 people AND the following morning’s Breakfast for 12 people. Each Cook Team purchases ingredients for their Group Dinner and Group Breakfast. Consider preparing Dinner for 12 at home in advance and freezing? “Food Safe” – suggest each Cook Team brings a cooler and ice to store prepared food. Bring lunch fixings to prepare your own lunches. 

Click to enlarge. High Bar Rd. on right side of Fraser River in this photo.

Intermediate – Advanced Ride Classification. Unpaved, gravel / dirt roads. High Bar Road descends from 1520M elevation near the Jesmond Road junction thru Edge Hills Prov. Park , past Cougar Point at the top of the switchbacks, down along the Fraser River at 280M elevation, a drop of about 1240 meters over 15K with some >20%+ downhill grades for ~800M at the bottom of the hill, below the switchbacks. Steep drop-offs on some road sections each day requires your vigilance. See Ride with GPS links below for each day’s ride route grades.

Click to enlarge – High Bar Road switchbacks above Fraser River

Along the way:
Cyclists will each share the driving of three participant-owned group support vehicles for about 25% of each day’s total driving distance including the distance between the campsite location and the ride route’s start and end points. Cyclists will ride about 75% of each route’s cycling distance each day. Support vehicles must have adequate clearance for gravel road driving, 4WD or AWD and capacity to each carry a driver and 3 passengers and to safely and securely carry at least 3 or 4 bicycles. Support vehicles will travel with the group of cyclists. Extra drinking water will be carried by each support vehicle. There are no washroom facilities along these cycling routes, nor are there grocery stores, gas stations or restaurants.
Note: Rider Selection criteria will include the group’s need for three suitable support vehicles.

Ride Leader provided Happy Hour snacks, veggies & dip for three Happy Hours (M-T-W).  

Clinton Campground fee for three campsites: shared equally among 14 participants. Lillooet Seton Dam BC Hydro Campground is free. Ride days’ shuttle vehicles’ gas costs will be tallied and shared equally among 14 participants. Each Cook Team member will share equally the cost of food for their one Dinner and one Breakfast for 14 hungry cyclists. Meal plans, stoves, cooking pots & pans, cooking utensils, coffee/tea pots etc. to be coordinated in advance.

Gas costs will be tallied at the end of the event to calculate the shared cost owed by each participant for approx. 444K (Day 1: 214K + Day 2: 79K + Day 3: 140K) of ride supported fuel consumption by each of the three support vehicles. Estimated cost: $25/participant. Suggest adding on a contribution $ amount  for vehicle wear and tear… 

 
Click to enlarge. L: Diamond S Ranch / Pavilion Mtn., R: above Pavilion, B.C. view S. to Lillooet 

Arrival Day: Monday, June 13:

Arrive at Clinton to Clinton Pines RV Park Campground, the afternoon before the first ride day. Orientation, Waivers signing, Personal Medical form completion. Ride Leaders hosted Happy Hour Social. Group Dinner in Camp hosted by Cook Team #1.

Ride Day #1: Tuesday, June 14:

Cook Team #1 hosts Breakfast. Bring lunch fixings to prepare your own lunch.

Driving: to Start of Ride #1: 27K drive to Jesmond Rd / High Bar Rd junction from Clinton in three vehicles. End of Ride #1: from Big Bar / Jesmond Rd junction to Kelly Lake: 37K. From Kelly Lake to Start of Ride #2: Pavilion Mtn – Diamond S Ranch Ride: 11K.  Return: 56K from Crown Lake – Turquoise Lake to Clinton Pines Campground.  

Cycling: Ride #1: 50K distance/1564M total descent, 1255M elevation gain, (one, 800M section of 20% slope downhill) – west of Clinton along the Fraser River. Ride with GPS (RWGPS) link: High Bar road descent, along Fraser River, Big Bar road climb 

Cycling Ride #2: 33K distance/989M total descent, 214M climbing, RWGPS link: Pavilion Mountain – Diamond S Ranch. We’ll aim to do both rides today.

Ride Day #1: Group shared Total Cycling: 88K & Group shared Total Driving: 214K (Gas costs and Driving Time to be shared)

Clinton Pines RV Park Campground: Ride Leaders hosted Happy Hour Social. Group Dinner in Camp hosted by Cook Team #2.

Consider an evening walk around Clinton.

Ride Day #2: Wednesday, June 15:

Cook Team #2 hosts Breakfast. Bring lunch fixings to prepare your own lunch.

Break camp this morning. Camping near Lillooet tonight at BC Hydro Seton Dam Campsite. Spot all loaded vehicles not being used on today’s ride at Historic Hat Creek Ranch near Hwy 97 / Hwy 99 junction 28K south of Clinton.

Driving: to Start of Ride: 28K to Historic Hat Creek Ranch Parking then 20K in three vehicles to start of Ride. 30K from Hat Crk Rd on Hwy 1 junction (south of Ashcroft – Cache Creek) back to Historic Hat Creek to pick up parked vehicles. After today’s 40K bike ride we are onward down to Lillooet. The spectacular drive thru Marble Canyon and along the Fraser River is 79K to Lillooet’s – BC Hydro Seton Dam Campsite. 

Cycling: 40K/575M climbing, RWGPS link: Hat Creek – Oregon – Jack Creek

Ride Day #2: Group shared Total Cycling: 40K & Group shared Total Driving: 90K (Gas costs and Driving Time to be shared).
Note: 107K (28K + 79K) Drive Clinton to Lillooet is not included in gas costs sharing. 

Lillooet’s Seton Lake, B.C. Hydro campsite: Showers at Lillooet REC Centre Pool or nearby Cayoosh Creek Campground ($5). Happy Hour Social. Group Dinner in Camp hosted by Cook Team #3.

Evening Drive & walk to Bridge River rapids located 7K north of  Lillooet – a historic First Nations fishing spot. Wander around Lillooet: Miyazaki House, Lillooet Historic sites

Ride Day #3: Thursday, June 16:

Cook Team #3 hosts Breakfast. Bring lunch fixings to prepare your own lunch.

Driving: Cyclists start riding from Campground along Cayoosh Creek. It’s 4K east to the Texas Creek Rd junction accompanied by three support vehicles. End of Ride: load bikes at Lytton Ferry to cross Fraser River. 66K drive back to Lillooet’s Seton Lake, B.C. Hydro campsite. Note: this ferry closes during high water periods in the spring. 

Cycling:  66K/1333M climbing, RWGPS link: Lillooet to Lytton on west side of Fraser River gravel road.

Ride Day #3: Group shared Total Cycling: 66K & Group shared Total Driving: 140K (Gas costs and Driving Time to be shared). 

Departure Day: Thursday, June 16 or Friday, June 17:

Options: Depart for home after today’s ride OR, stay and camp at Lillooet’s Seton Lake B.C. Hydro campsite to explore more of the area. Dinner suggestion: “The Kitchen” at Fort Berens Estate Winery.

Registration Lottery will be on the CCCTS website during the dates and times shown. A computerized lottery system and waitlist will be utilized if the ride is over-subscribed. A $25 CDN payment is required at the time of registration. The lottery signup will run for five days, after which the Ride Leader will review the results.

The selection process will consider the following criteria in evaluating candidates:

• fitness and riding ability and experience required for the tour,
• a history of demonstrating safe riding practices,
• acceptable social behavior.
• Rider Selection criteria will include the group’s need for three suitable support vehicles.

The leader may interview riders or others who know them to verify their suitability for the tour.

• The leader will notify registrants of their selection status. If the ride is filled registration will continue until the Registration closing date shown.
• Payments are considered non-refundable in the event of cancellation, unless you choose to remain on the Wait list until after the Hub & Spoke start date or due to BC Public Health Officer COVID restrictions or Ride Leader cancellation for safety reasons or road access issues.
•  If an applicant has paid the registration deposit, is accepted on the H&S ride, then withdraws, the deposit will NOT be returned.

*** This Club event will follow the most current CCCTS Staying Safe: COVID 19 Guidelines for 2022