Regional map of area of bike rides
Above photo: High Bar Road along the Fraser River – Jurgen Harding, June 14, 2022 

Explore five scenic, beautiful areas following roads less travelled along and near the mighty Fraser River on the dry side of B.C.’s Coast Mountains. Building on our Club’s June 2022 Hub and Spoke gravel roads cycling experiences and September 2022 cycling recces, this group supported camping and four cycling days Hub and Spoke ride will be based from a campground hub in Clinton for 2-nights and followed by a 3-night hub based at Lillooet’s Seton Dam Campground. Bring your camera, binoculars and mountain bike, gravel bike or wide-tire hybrid bike for a BC backroads cycling adventure!

June 2022 CCCTS Hub & Spoke Trip Report with a Drone Video and Cycling Group web album 

Two YouTube videos and Photos of the High Bar Road, Fraser River grasslands, Big Bar Ferry Road west of Clinton:

1. Gravel Is The New Gold – Gravel Riding the Cariboo – 59 sec
2. The Gunslinger – Tutti Gravel Inn, Clinton, BC – 35 sec

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

Photos, October 2021 – Pavilion Mtn., Diamond S Ranch, Fraser River: North of Lillooet, and 2021 McKay Creek Wildfire (45,000 hectares) in background.

Fraser River grasslands from High Bar Road switchbacks
Pat Hutchins photo, June 14, 2022 

A group booking has been made at the Clinton Pines RV Park & Campground for six shared campsites. Once your Hub and Spoke “Go List” status is confirmed, please contact Dianne Andreesen at the Clinton Pines to confirm your campsite and to arrange payment. Campsite sharing with more than one tent is possible. There are motels and B&B  options in Clinton.

The quiet, well-kept Seton Dam BC Hydro Campground near Lillooet is non-reservable, no campsite fees. Water, Pit Toilets, Picnic Tables, spacious in-the-trees campsites. Nearby in Lillooet warm shower options: the community indoor pool and a community campground near the Bridge of the 23 Camels. Seton Lake beach is close by for a refreshing swim on a warm day.  There are motels and B&B  options in Lillooet.

Intermediate – Advanced Ride Classification. Cycling on gravel 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. The road drops about 1240 meters over 15K with some >20% downhill grades for ~800M at the bottom of the hill, below the switchbacks. The group who cycled this section in June 2022 had no problems biking down this road grade. 

Steep drop-offs on some road sections each day will require your vigilance.

See the Ride with GPS links in the Itinerary section below for each day’s ride route climbs, descents and grades and in the Itinerary section’s Summary Table.

Pat Hutchins photo – June 14, 2022

Fee of $120 per cyclist includes: 

$100 per cyclist for staging and accompanying vehicles’ fuel expenses and a tad for vehicle wear and tear. The three staging and accompanying vehicle’s drivers, who will also be cycling, will not pay this fee.

“Staging” means vehicle owners will transport all cyclists and bikes to the start of the day’s ride from our campground and back to the campground from the end of the ride.

“Accompanying” means shared driving of the three vehicles by the group of cyclists along the day’s ride route to provide group support: carry the groups lunches and water, sag support, first aid support, road radio communications.

Staging and accompaniment vehicles:

• Craig McBride’s pickup truck with bike carrying capacity 
• George Zorn’s RAV4, towing a utility trailer  for bikes and gear
• Do you have a high clearance pickup truck or SUV with seatbelts for 5 cyclists including the driver and 5-bikes plus gear carrying capacity to contribute? Driving distances are: i) Staging: 372K (you drive), ii) Accompanying: 245K (shared driving by cyclists). Must have minimum $5M Liability Insurance.  Please discuss with George Z. A Salmon Arm CCCTS cyclist’s vehicle may be available. To be confirmed.  

Participating cyclists will share a portion of the driving of these three accompanying vehicles on each day’s cycling route but not on each day’s staging sections. 

$20 per cyclist to cover trip incidentals: kitchen supplies, road channel radios rentals, bike transport gear to protect bike paint.   

Clinton Pines RV Park and Campground campsite fees for the first 2 nights.

No Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner costs are included in the Registration Fee.

Four Cook Teams will be set up well in advance of the ride dates to plan and look after each day’s Breakfast and Supper preparations for the entire cycling group, including the arrival day dinner and departure day breakfast. It is expected that food costs for the four Ride Day  meals will be shared equally by all participants on a Cook Team basis. One group Dinner is planned at Lillooet’s Ft. Beren’s Winery, “The Kitchen” on Ride Day 4.  

The Cook Teams will coordinate the gathering of a kit of shared kitchen equipment including stoves and fuel, pots, utensils, coolers, wash basins, dish soap, water containers, dish towels, tarps &/or pop up awnings, etc.

Participants will bring their own lunch fixings. Joint cooler storage is necessary because  space will be limited to transport gear.

Participants will bring their own plate, bowl, mug, and cutlery.     

“Ready to ride” – June 14, 2022 CCCTS cyclists – top of High Bar Road

Explore four scenic ranch roads less travelled on the dry side of B.C.’s Coast Mountains, initially based in Clinton at the Clinton Pines RV Park & Campground for two nights camping. Nights three, four and five will be based near Lillooet at the Seton Dam Hydro campsite: no reservations, no campsite fees. Thanks, B.C. Hydro! 

Arrive at Clinton Pines RV Park & Campground the afternoon before Ride Day 1.

Note: Ride with GPS links are linked below for each day’s ride and in the Summary table below.  

Ride Day 1: cycle the spectacular Fraser River grasslands, canyons and benches between High Bar and Big Bar. Views across the Fraser River to Watson Bar Creek. Ride Pavilion Mountain if time permits and the road south to Kelly Lake is open / snow free. Night 2 of 2 camping at Clinton Pines RV Park & Campground. 
36K cycling, 1572M descent, 712M climbing.  

Ride Day 2: Break Camp in Clinton. Drive 28K south on Hwy 97 to Hat Creek Historic Ranch on Hwy 99  to park all vehicles. Return to vehicles after rides and drive 80K west and south on Hwy 99  to Lillooet’s Seton Dam BC Hydro Campsite: Night 1 of 3 at this campsite.  Pavilion Mountain, Marble Canyon, Upper Hat Creek grasslands, the Cornwall Hills and Oregon Jack Creek.
67K cycling, 1924M descent, 816M climbing. 

Ride Day 3: cycling the scenic West Pavilion Road road begins with a 93K drive north on that road, loaded with bikes and cyclists, to near the top of the Big Bar Ferry hill. We’ll explore the Watson Bar Creek grasslands down to the Fraser River and then ride south to Lillooet. Night 2 of 3 at Lillooet’s Seton Dam BC Hydro Campsite.
77K cycling, 3221M descent, 1210M climbing.

Big Bar Reaction Ferry,  Sept. 4, 2022. Fraser River crossing – closes for high water periods

Watson Bar Creek along west side of Fraser River from High Bar Road – June 14, 2022

 
Pat Hutchins photo – June 16, 2022.
Lillooet Suspension Bridge, one-lane, was constructed in 1913.
The “Bridge of the 23 Camels”, two-lane was built down river in 1981.

Ride Day 4: The forests are more dense and green today than what we saw on Ride Day 3. We’ll  cycle south of Lillooet with a possible stop at a Cliff and Gorge Vineyard and Winery at Texas Creek.  We continue south on the Texas Creek – North Spencer Road on the well- watered west side of the Fraser River. North of Lytton we cross the Fraser River on the Lytton Reaction Ferry, approx. 185K downstream by our cycling route from the Big Bar Reaction Ferry. We’ll drive north on Hwy 12 back to our Lillooet Seton Dam BC Hydro Campsite for a third of three nights there and a  celebration dinner at Fort Berens Winery , “The Kitchen Restaurant”.
66K cycling, 1394M descent, 1333M climbing.

Next day: depart for home after Breakfast in camp or consider exploring more of the Lillooet region.  

PLEASE NOTE: this Hub and Spoke’s Start Date, May 23, 2023 and End Date, May 28, 2023 are based on predictions of the expected early June start of Fraser River highwater closures for the Big Bar Ferry and the Lytton Ferry.    

Summary Table of  Cycling Distances, Climbing / Descending Elevations
and Ride with GPS Route links

June 15, 2022 CCCTS cyclists on Oregon Jack Creek Road

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 $120 CDN payment is required at the time of registration. The lottery signup will run for seven 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.

*** As of early February, 2023  the CCCTS Board requires all participants to be fully COVID vaccinated. Proof of COVID vaccination may be requested by the Ride Leader.  All Ride Participants should bring a COVID rapid test kit with them on the trip and take responsibility for self-testing if they feel ill.