Areas to ride outside of OHV Ban?

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twitch13
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Areas to ride outside of OHV Ban?

Post by twitch13 »

Hi does anyone know of a good area to ride north of the OHV ban which I believe ends South of Sundre? I have ridden in ghost/waiparous area but never much North of that. Looking to try to buzz out of work early and make it home in the dark.

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Re: Areas to ride outside of OHV Ban?

Post by dirtyboy »

There doesn't seem to be much information for the North Saskatchewan region. I think it may be because the NSRP wasn't done yet? Anyway, I saw a bunch of quads and bikes staging at various spots on the Coal Camp road (it starts at 9 km west of Sundre ) on the weekend. A few places along the road there. Deer run or Deer Creek it was called. I did not see one designated trail sign out there.

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Re: Areas to ride outside of OHV Ban?

Post by GWsXR250R »

I've spent a lot of time out West of Sundre on 4 wheels. Never have I rode single track out there but there are miles of quad trail and cut lines to play on. This year is the driest it's ever been so the mud holes and scag fields are easy to get around.

Map systems are tough. I've referneced all my riding off the snowmobile maps, elevation maps and the old mans GPS.

Happy riding!

GW

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Re: Areas to ride outside of OHV Ban?

Post by Tronneroi »

Came here to ask the same question.

I'm looking to find some trails for this weekend in the Kiska/Wilson area, just wondering if anyone has rode much out there?

http://aep.alberta.ca/recreation-public ... r2017A.pdf

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Re: Areas to ride outside of OHV Ban?

Post by boland »

Vega is fun
KTM 300 XCW
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Re: Areas to ride outside of OHV Ban?

Post by dirtyboy »

Tronneroi wrote:Came here to ask the same question.

I'm looking to find some trails for this weekend in the Kiska/Wilson area, just wondering if anyone has rode much out there?

http://aep.alberta.ca/recreation-public ... r2017A.pdf
It's really hard to make sense of those maps. No distinction between trail types except to say that motorized is allowed or not. Best thing to do is get out there and see what you find. That's what I do. :thumbsup:

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Re: Areas to ride outside of OHV Ban?

Post by vwrally »

There is single track south of Rocky, and plenty of quad trails as well. Lots to ride, plenty to explore outside of those Pluz maps.

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Re: Areas to ride outside of OHV Ban?

Post by scubarusteve »

We have been riding just west of Sundre on Rigg Street "blue sign on right of highway a few KM after it turns to gravel" Didnt find any single track but some insteresting quad trails. May be random camping there next week if we dont see any rain. Also hear there may be some single track near James-Wilson rec area on highway 40.

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Re: Areas to ride outside of OHV Ban?

Post by twitch13 »

Has anyone been in the Limestone Mountain area? I heard through the grapevine that there may be some sketchy trails up to the top of the lookout. I might just run out there to check it out, unless someone has some detail on a good place to start.

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Re: Areas to ride outside of OHV Ban?

Post by cerealkiller »

Pretty far trek for a day trip, but growing up I used to ride in this area west and south of Rocky Mountain House: https://goo.gl/maps/HdhrSyzjeS62

Spots to random camp all along the road. CMRC used to hold a race out there too, but that hasn't happened in many years now. There's quad trails all over the place. Singletrack too, but tough to find without a guide.

A couple you might be able to find are located at the top of a mountain you ascend via a truck/ATV trail:
  • Highway 752 winds its way west and south, past Cow lake, then Outwest RV campground and the Prairie Creek Group campground. Once it turns to gravel, you could stage anywhere along the road.

    However, if you continue on the gravel until it crosses a small bridge (the creek bed may or may not have water this time of year), there's a truck and ATV trail almost immediately on the east side of the road. It's a relatively easy, rock and gravel trail with a few mud holes and boulder sections that ascends the mountain.

    Just before the peak there's a singletrack section that takes off to the south. It will be on your right and is wide at first (where ATV riders undoubtedly try to ride it) and descending a somewhat steep hill. Then it narrows up and starts to climb (where the ATV riders get scared and usually turn back around).

    There's another trail at the very peak that drops off the steep side of the mountain (heading east). I was back out there recently and it's marked with some ribbon - makes me wonder if the Rocky motorcycle club was using it as a racecourse.
There used to be an old ranger station on the top of the mountain where ATV and Truck people who made it would pin up photos of themselves, crush a few beers and scribble some graffiti, but sadly someone ruined the fun and burned it down a few years ago. Now all you can find is some steel cable, pins drilled into the mountain and a few stairs that were chiseled into the rock face (maybe a couple beer cans too).

There's lots of other singletrack in the area, but its mostly found by knowing where to jump off the quad trails. Tons of other scenic stuff in the area too, like a sulphur stream and a big waterfall you can only access via with an OHV. Unless someone produces a map, I don't know how you'd find those places without a locale guide though. If you take any cutline far enough west you'll run into a big river.
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Re: Areas to ride outside of OHV Ban?

Post by dirtyboy »

Rocky motorcycle club is having a race at Gloomy Creek in the next week or two

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Re: Areas to ride outside of OHV Ban?

Post by cerealkiller »

Ha. I googled "gloomy creek". Turns out that's the name of the race in the area I was talking about (we called the area "Prairie Creek" growing up). I found this youtube video. You can see the exact spot I was talking about!



at 6:31, you would take a sharp right turn down the hill for the first singletrack section (the rider shooting the helmet cam video doesn't look that direction, but that's where the turn is).

at 6:40 you can see the remains of the ranger station. Pause the video and you can even make out the staircase I was talking about. Then the guy in the video drops over the top into the second section of singletrack.

Brings back some good memories. Race is this Sunday according to the website - I might have to head out there! Thanks for the tip dirtyboy :thumbsup:
-Jared
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Re: Areas to ride outside of OHV Ban?

Post by twitch13 »

Made it to Limestone Mountain just West of Sundre on the weekend. Not much single track. There are a bunch of rocky quad trails and some crazy rocky/steep cut-lines that were a lot of work. Parked just past the Limestone Compressor station (this is the map for where the compressor station is at http://maps.apple.com/?daddr=51.814948,-115.29753) in a clearing by a bridge/creek. Headed just North to a quad trail that takes you up on the on the ridge with great views of the mountains to the west. If you keep following this trail North it will eventually take you the top of the Limestone Mountain lookout. Coming back down from the lookout we headed East which is a straight drop into the valley. After that we followed some cut-lines South and West back to the truck. It wasn't the most epic ride but the rocks and scenery made it a great day. I think my buddy GPS'd the trip so I might be able to show the exact route.

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Re: Areas to ride outside of OHV Ban?

Post by Tronneroi »

cerealkiller wrote:Ha. I googled "gloomy creek". Turns out that's the name of the race in the area I was talking about (we called the area "Prairie Creek" growing up). I found this youtube video. You can see the exact spot I was talking about!

at 6:31, you would take a sharp right turn down the hill for the first singletrack section (the rider shooting the helmet cam video doesn't look that direction, but that's where the turn is).

at 6:40 you can see the remains of the ranger station. Pause the video and you can even make out the staircase I was talking about. Then the guy in the video drops over the top into the second section of singletrack.

Brings back some good memories. Race is this Sunday according to the website - I might have to head out there! Thanks for the tip dirtyboy :thumbsup:
A couple buddies and I rode up to that lookout station last october on the quad trail. We took the single track back down the west side of the mountain and got completely buried in the bush. Lots of swearing that day... great ride though. I'm planning on heading out to that general area this weekend.

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Re: Areas to ride outside of OHV Ban?

Post by tones211 »

Rode Yaha Tinda area yesterday. Its super dry but legal to ride. Seen a big grizzly in one of the creeks along some trail. Theres single track and quad trails.

DIrections below are from the SGC website.

There are two different ways you can get to us from Calgary:

1. Take Hwy 22 (The Cowboy Trail), north to Sundre. Then 10 kms west of Sundre, turn south onto the Coal Camp Road, and follow for 50 kms (25 km pavement, 25 km gravel) Then turn South on to Hwy 734 and follow the road past Big Blue Bridge turn off and then turn left (west) onto Ya-Ha Tinda road (approx 6kms).
2. Go north on Hwy 2, turn west on Hwy 27 towards Olds. Go west to Sundre, then 10 kms west of Sundre, turn south onto the Coal Camp Road, and follow for 50 kms (25 km pavement, 25 km gravel) Then turn South on to Hwy 734 and follow the road past the Big Blue Bridge turn off and then turn left (west) onto Ya-Ha Tinda road (approx 6kms).

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