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Trail Description:
Start at Heart Creek Trail at Lac Des Arcs accessed from Highway 1(Transcanada). Head east on rolling single track until you come to a gravel road, go right and climb (moderately) to the Quate Valley campground. Continue through the campground(watch for bears) and start some steep dual track/old road climbing for about 30 min. You will come to a fork in the trail, stay right(jewel pass) left is prairie creek. The trail starts to rock here! Ride the single track for about 30 min. until you come to a dirt road at Barrier Lake, go left , the road runs along the lake, stay on the high road, until you come to a split/intersection. Stay left and start climbing up the switchback road, it is about a 45 min climb with a bike/hike near the end. You will have to shoulder your bike and climb up through some rock s to the summit( it well worth it ). Now the fun begins, follow the trail back into the woods where a technical fast downhill starts. At the very least I hope you have V brakes as your hands will start to cramp from all the braking. The single track exits at the junction of jewel pass. Follow your route back from here.
How to get there:
1 hour west of Calgary on the TransCanada Highway. Exit at the Lac Des Arcs turnoff and park at the Heartcreek Parking lot.
Additional Notes:
Watch for wildlife, especially bears early in the season.
| Posted by: Bryan Garrett on 12/14/2004 |
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The trail is Prairie View / Jewell Pass / Stoney Trail in Kananaskis (not to be confused with Powderface / Prairie Creek which is accessed off highway #66 in south Kananaskis).
The best recommended way to do this ride and to get the full meal deal is to drive west of Calgary on the #1 highway, turn onto #40 for roughly 8-9 km south to the Barrier Dam parking lot, cycle up 2 km to a signed intersection and take the fireroad going up Prairie View in switchbacks, portage your bike the last bit to the summit overlooking Barrier Lake, continue down Prairie View, a technically exhilarating descent to the Jewell Pass / Quaite Valley intersection, be sure to turn left and continue on yet another technically superb bump and grind descent down Jewell Pass to Stoney Trail, turning left and back to the original intersection, back up the fireroad switchbacks, this time turning right on the 11th switchback, (this is the chance to do another awesome technically difficult fun ride downhill known as t
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| Posted by: docbas on 4/16/2000 |
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I've hiked this beauty several times and when I rode it last summer, it was a real grind to the top.Be prepared to walk a fair section of the uphill unless you have legs of steel. Of course, I'm fifty and NOT 21.
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| Posted by: Chuck Taylor on 8/4/1999 |
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When climbing the fire road to the summit,look for the single track that dives off to the right(approx. 3 quarters of the way up the climb). This heads back down to the highway!
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| Posted by: Luke Kay on 8/3/1999 |
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This is one of the funniest trails, once your are famialiar with it, try doing it so that you are coming down to the highway and ending your trip that way, its much funner going down the single track
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| Posted by: Luke Kay on 8/3/1999 |
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This is one of the funniest trails, once your are famialiar with it, try doing it so that you are coming down to the highway and ending your trip that way, its much funner going down the single track
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