castlegar to hope on the KVR?

[spokes81]

I was wondering if anybody knows if we are allowed to ride bikes from Castlegar to Hope using the KVR? Also I need to know where to get on the KVR in Catlegar and where to get off in Hope, is it quite obvious? Also is thereaccess tocamping along this route? I am actually from Alberta (don't shoot me) and me and my friend are planning a trip taking us up the allison creek road/forestry trunk road in Alberta, accross the Gray Creek Pass/Nelson and then hopefully through the KVR to the ocean. Any advice would be greatly appretiated....thanks in advance :hb:

 

[250ccforme]

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Short answer: No. Debatable if motorized travel is even allowed at all. West of the Paulson bridge there is a nasty wash out on the railgrade, tough even with a bicycle. I've heard that through the Boundary country (west of Christina Lake to Rock Creek) a lot of the railgrade is fenced off by adjacent landowners who don't care to have ANYONE passing through. Heading northwest into the Okanagan more conflict re motorized vs non-motorized. With a motorcycle camping is probably wherever you duck off the (semi) beaten path and find a spot in the woods to pitch your tent.

 

[spokes81]

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doyouknow how far a guy can get from Castlegar on the KVR?

 

[250ccforme]

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A few kms west of the railgrade summit; hit the highway againnear the Paulson bridge,via the old highway just a bit before the bridge.Not sure how many km of railgrade that is from Castlegar. The railgrade goes quite a ways further north than the highway does.

 

[koots_roots]

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yea, i think its about 60 km from castlegar side to the jumping off point 250ccforme mentions, another 4 or so to the HWY and then 20 or so to christina lake.

that section is pretty established as multi-purpose, ive seen plenty of full size vehichles on this stretch. the section to christina lake is signed as "non-motorized" but i think its just TrailsBC wishing it was (debatable for sure). i tend to stay off this section during the busy cyclist season and keep the speeds low even in the shoulder season as an encounter is still likely.

the washout is significant (speaking on experience here...hehe), but certainly ridable/passable on smaller bikes, removable panniers would be handy here for sure as well. not sure what kind of bicycle 250ccforme rides, maybe a fake chopper style ;-)

 

[spokes81]

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Great Pic!

I've heard a few rumors that I should be able to make it to Midway from Castlegar on the KVR. Does this sound about right?

 

[motorambler]

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I wrote to Tom Grenon last summer asking him if the KVR was still passable by motorbike. Here's what he told me:

Hello Arthur

Yeah, back in the good olden days, 15 to 20 years ago the whole KVR was open to anyone that wished to ride, walk, peddle or take their pony through. Just a ton-o-fun, meeting up with nary a soul, and if you did you were happy to see them.

I haven't been on the KVR for 3 years now and I only did the section from north of Christina Lk. along Lower Arrow Lk. to Castlegar. It was one of the most remote sections and still had some "undeveloped" rail trestles and tunnels. I met only 2 friendly people on bicycles, great ride!

The rest of the trail I can't say what the latest news is but, its getting chewed up by special interest groups and every year more signs go up "Authorized Vehicles Only", What that means I'm not completely sure. I have though of putting an Authorized Vehicle sticker on my bike and going for it.

If you have the time, you can always follow it along and if you come to a area you are made unwelcome on public land there are lots of roads intersecting the KVR to let you go around. It'll eat up a bunch of time but you will then be the authority on the subject.

Good Luck and Ride Far!

Tom

 

[bossche]

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There are quite a few ride reports on the ADVRIDER site, some of them from the last couple of years that give details on the route maps and notes on getting around the blocked sections.

I have a couple of GPS tracks for the western section form Coquihalla Hwy to south of Veron I can email to you if you PM me. These can be loaded into Google Earth so that have a look at the route.

 

[spokes81]

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For some reason I am not able to PM. My e-mail address is [email protected] (bring on the spam). I would love those GPS tracks if you got'em.

Cheers!

 

[icanpopawheeli]

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I'm not sure if you're familiar with BC or not, but if you aren't then I'd say that a good option is to take forestry roads. The KVR, being a railway grade, is mostly steady climbs and descents and straight, so not as much fun as taking roads with blind corners, dips and whatnot.

Check out this website for Forest Rec Sites: http://apps.gov.bc.ca/pub/recst/

There are hundreds of camping spots ("rec sites") that you could just jump off a main forest service road to stay at, many times no one collects the fee. Its also good to use to get a sense of where the main roads are, so probably you could patch together a series of dirt roads to take you to the coast from AB easier than following one route like the KVR with obstacles.

If you're headed to Vancouver then basically the furthest you can get to it by dirt is to Mission/Harrison Lake then its all pavement.

 

[spokes81]

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Wow, thanks for the resource. It is gonna come in handy for sure. I think we will try and do a combination of dirt/gravel roads and work the KVR into it. If any of you guys know of some must see roadson either side of that area please let me know!

I would hate to ride right by somthing wicked cool

 

[250ccforme]

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Caution thread jack in progress

koots_roots wrote:

not sure what kind of bicycle 250ccforme rides, maybe a fake chopper style ;-)

Hi, Koots_roots

Good one! Are we going to pedal a Clearwater-Ymir this year? Did you get your lady into being a throttle twister yet? Having a quiet (read boring) winter here. See you when the snow line is close to the mountain tops. :hb:



THREAD JACK OVER

 

[spokes81]

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Thank you very much for the trax Curtis, I will also check out advrider to see what I can find.

 

[koots_roots]

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post your finding back here for reference. .


250 -

lets get some rides in for sure this year, not sure about the pedal part of the clearwater - ymir though, would be a good grunt though if so.

when the snow is gone, if your up for some adventures into the bonnigtons (or elsewhere), let me know.

im happy that the lady is not riding at least for now...i dont even have passenger pegs on my bike for a reason. cheers.

 

[zoo]

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Hi,

your in for a great adventure. Ive been over the kvr numerous times over the years and it is an awesome ride. you got some good info. all ready I see. Getting on from Castlegar is easy to find and a great ride all the way to Christina lake. Then your best on the highway to Grandforks. back on to Greenwood then highway to Rock creek. From rock creek to Crami you'll be having to get on and off, but allways easy to do. Carmi to myra canyon is awesome with Arlington or McCullochlakes making a great campsites. You'll have to bypass Myra canyon and there is info. on these. Again nice to Penticton. Penticton to Princeton is open all the way. Old highway to Coalmont then kvr all the way to Bordie loop on the Coquhalla. At this point your on and off again. After the snowsheds the KVR joins up to the highway and there is an overpass to an access rd with a gate heading backwards(east on the KVR) into the amazing Coquhalla canyon. A must see 1 hour in and out. Quads have made a great trail around the gate.

Camping is everywhere with nice creeks and numerous pubs.

If you want more info. let me know.

zoo

 

[KTM-Bryon]

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I am very interested in doing a Hope to Castlegar ride this summer. I am driving to Castlegar next week with my car but can't wait for summer!

If anyone has some good GPS tracks for the route please PM me.

Has anyone used this site or one like it to keep track of GPS routes?

http://www.everytrail.com