The Bike Co. - Pemberton and Whistler Bicycle Rentals and Store

Synopsis : Located some 4500 feet above the floor of the Pemberton valley, nestled amongst fields of wildflowers, Tenquille Lake provides a home to Black bear, moose, mountain goats, Grizzly and cougars. A long, tough climb up old logging roads leads to a system of singletrack that leads to the alpine areas.

While the natural setting is stunning, the jewel in the crown of this ride is the descent, an almost incomprehensible 4000 vertical foot singletrack that takes over an hour to complete. Cut in 1917 to facilitate mining exploration, the Tenquille Lake Trail provides both stunning vistas and technical challenges and is one of the premier trails in North America.

Riding Tenquille Lake is an epic event, a five to eight hour journey that requires riders to push, carry, and sometimes even ride their bikes up the Old Hurley road before reaching the parking lot at the Tenquille Lake trailhead. This route requires good physical conditioning and toughness, but is well worth the effort.

Note: During the summer months daytime temperatures in the Pemberton valley often climb into the mid-30's (that' s in the 90's for you Fahrenheit folks), so an early start is recommended.

Also note that this trail is susceptible to winter blowdown, rendering it almost impassable until some hardy souls clear it. If you plan on riding Tenquille Lake in the early season, consult High Line Cycles in Pemberton for information.

Trailhead Access: From Pemberton, drive some 30km east, up the valley on the Pemberton Meadows road, following the large orange Forest Service signs that direct you towards Goldbridge-Bralorne and Megar Creek. The Forest Service road turns right from the Meadows road and runs across the valley through a farmer's field to a single lane bridge. Cross the bridge and park well off the road.

Right at your parking spot there is a sign reading 'Tenquille Lake Trail'. Ignore this sign; this is where the ride ends.

The Ride: From your parking spot, start to ride down the main logging road, away from the 'Tenquille Lake Trail' signs. Note that this portion of road is used extensively by heavy equipment; use caution. This section winds along the valley floor beside the Lillooet River for about eight kilometers, just long enough to stretch the legs out for the climb ahead.

Keep an eye on the right side of the road for a very old road that climbs up away from the river. This is the Old Hurley road, and it has a large boulder parked in the middle of it to prevent people from driving up. If you cross a bridge on the main road to a fork that is marked as the Hurley River road you have gone too far; the Old Hurley road is about a kilometer behind you.

Once you have found the Old Hurley, begin the long climb out of the Pemberton valley. The Old Hurley has been deactivated for some time now, and has seen better days. The good parts of the road are loose and rocky; the bad sections are completely washed out. The road climbs steeply through several switchbacks until it reaches a particularly bad washout and forks. The right fork has a large log across it, the left has a huge ditch through it. Take the right fork and continue to climb.

This section of road is in much better shape and is ridable right to the crest of the hill. The road now winds along a plateau for awhile; enjoy it, as it is the only flat section of the ride. There is one road branching to the right, ignore it and continue to the next intersection, then turn right. There is a "Tenquille Lake' sign at this intersection; ignore the mileage's and times marked on it (I don't think they are correct, though I've never measured the distance). From here simply stay on the main road until you reach the parking lot.

From the parking lot, a singletrack trail climbs steeply up into the cut block, heading for the virgin forest on the right (note that there is a nice little creek coming out of the moss at the end of the lot). Once in to the forest, the trail quickly comes to Mowich Creek, then resumes its uphill climb. Portions of this part of the trail must be hiked, while other sections can be ridden. After several kilometers of uphill, the trail abruptly pops out of the forest into an avalanche path on the southeast flank of Goat Peak. From here one is presented with a breathtaking panorama of the valley, with the avalanche chutes of the Copper Mound directly ahead. The trail soon meets Wolverine Creek, and here the trail forks, with the left fork continuing the climb to Tenquille Lake, and the right crossing the creek and beginning the 4000 foot descent to the valley, far, far below. Here a decision must be made, to ride the descent (directly across the creek) or hike up to Tenquille Lake itself.

The remaining 500 foot climb to the lake is very steep hike. Some folks prefer to stash their bikes in the forest at the fork, then hike up to the lake, while some carry their bikes. The choice is yours. Once at the lake, try hiking one of the many side trails up to the Copper Mound, explore the old log cabin, circa 1940, or just lie by the lake and marvel at the sight of trout, visible 20 feet down in the crystal clear water. In July the meadows around the lake are thigh high with wildflowers. Check out the rocks of Goat Peak, those tiny white spots often seen moving around are Mountain Goats, another 2000 feet above you.

When you are ready to begin the descent, retrace your steps back to the fork in the trail at Wolverine Creek. From here, cross the creek, lower your seat, check your brakes and headset and get ready for the ride of your life. The first section of descent offers spectacular views, but the trail rapidly drops into the forest and from here it becomes a twisting, turning rollercoaster ride down the mountain. After an hour or so you will approach the bottom of the trail, and you will pop out of the forest right at the beginning of the Meagar Cr. road, at the bridge where you parked.

Riding Time : Assume five to six hours to ride the basic loop, and at least another hour to go right to the lake.

Notes: There is an alternate route to Tenquille Lake that creates a 100 km loop that begins and ends in Pemberton itself. Named one of "The Ten Gnarliest Rides in North America" by Bike magazine, it is not for the weekend warrior and should probably be ridden with someone who knows the route.

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