Ride Statistics
Ride Difficulty Rating: Easy
Distance: 39.7 km
Continue reading “Bearspaw Tour”Bearspaw Tour
Author: lizoberhofer
The Seven Closed Roads – Recommend as an early season goal
As promised we have compiled a list of the Seven Closed (to motor vehicle traffic) Roads for you to put on your bucket list. Here they are:
Canmore – Lake Minnewanka Loop via the Legacy Trail – 56 km (Lake Minnewanka)
Banff to Lake Louise – 111 km (Bow Valley Parkway)
Highwood Pass – Multiple Distances
Sheep River Ride – Spring Road Closure Delight – 35.4 km (Please see our 2022 update on this route)
Allen Bill to Forget-me-not Pond – 38.3 km (Elbow Falls)
Great Divide Highway 1A from Lake Louise towards Field
An eighth option is Morraine Lake Road. This one does not make it on the list officially, as usually there may only be a one to two day window to ride this without motor vehicles and it varies year by year.
Did we miss any closed roads that are road friendly? Please let us know.
Cochrane to Water Valley out and back
Ride Statistics
Ride Difficulty Rating: Intermediate
Distance: 81 km
Estimated time: 4 hours based on cycling speed of 20 km/hr
Continue reading “Cochrane to Water Valley out and back”Yoho Valley Road
Goldenrod, Madden, Dog Pound Panhandle
Ride Statistics
Ride Difficulty Rating: Intermediate with option for a Beginner ride by turning around at Madden
Distance: 69.4 km
Estimated time: 3.5 hours based on 20 km/hr cycling speed
Continue reading “Goldenrod, Madden, Dog Pound Panhandle”Grand Valley Road out and back
Ride Statistics
Ride Difficulty Rating: Beginner
Distance: 47.2 km
Continue reading “Grand Valley Road out and back”Brown Lowery Millarville Loop Extension
Ride Statistics
Ride Difficulty Rating: Intermediate based on potential for heavy traffic and minimal road shoulder.
Distance: 40 Km
Estimated time: 2 Hours based on a cycling speed of 20 km/hr.
Continue reading “Brown Lowery Millarville Loop Extension”Recent Cycling Adventures
June 26, 2022
Well, it has been a month since we have contributed to this part of our blog….but that means we have been out cycling. We are both training for the Whistler Gran Fondo on Sept 10th so have been keeping that in mind as we choose our routes, making sure that we get lots of km’s with hills.
With the price of gas high this summer we have been cycling closer to home. Some of our routes that are closer to the city limits are the Bearspaw Tour, Calgary to Chestmere, Springbank, and the Big Hill Springs Out and Back.
Although they are not routes in this blog, we have explored the Fish Creek Park and the Bow River pathway systems including a few Edworthy Park hill repeats to add some elevation.
Highwood Pass: Through Route to Longview; Gate to Gate to Gate; Kananaskis (North Gate) to Summit; Longview to Summit; South Gate to Summit…the options are endless
Note: As of June 3, 2021 the road surface is not as good as in past years. For the North gate to Summit route there are sections of rough pavement as well as a few herds of mountain sheep to contend with on your swift descent. Our current recommendation, is to do this route from the South gate to the Summit as the road is in better condition. On Sunday, June 12, 2021 there were cyclists reporting that it was snowing at the summit.
Through Route to Longview – Ride Statistics
Ride Difficulty Rating: Expert , also an expert level of logistics and planning required!!
Distance: 98.9 km…darn, just shy of a metric century ride
Estimated time: 5 hours based on cycling speed of 20 km/hr, but you might be quite a bit faster because there is quite a long descent on this route.
Continue reading “Highwood Pass: Through Route to Longview; Gate to Gate to Gate; Kananaskis (North Gate) to Summit; Longview to Summit; South Gate to Summit…the options are endless”Nanton to Chain Lakes – More Details Coming Soon
Ride Statistics
Ride Difficulty Rating: Intermediate
Distance: 58.5 km
Estimated time: 3 hours assuming 20 km/hr
Continue reading “Nanton to Chain Lakes – More Details Coming Soon”Horse Creek Road, Grand Valley Road Loop
Ride Statistics
Ride Difficulty Rating: Beginner
Distance: 42.7 km
Estimated time: About 2 hours based on cycling speed of 20 km/hr
Continue reading “Horse Creek Road, Grand Valley Road Loop”Springbank
Ride Statistics
Ride Difficulty Rating: Beginner
Distance: 38.1 Km
Estimated time: 1 hour and 45 minutes based on cycling speed of 20 km/hr
Continue reading “Springbank”Century Ride from Turner Valley
Ride Statistics
Ride Difficulty Rating: Intermediate
Distance: 101.7 km (or round it to 100 km! and call it a century ride)
Expected time: 5 hours based on 20 km / hour average cycling time
Continue reading “Century Ride from Turner Valley”Madden-Water Valley-Cremona (Short Version)
Ride Statistics
Ride Difficulty Rating – Intermediate
Distance – 58.7 km
Elevation Gain – 470 km
Maximum Grade – Uphill grade 3.3% at km 19.3 , downhill grade 3.2% at km 52.6 just before you turn south off Twp Rd 292 onto RR 35
Continue reading “Madden-Water Valley-Cremona (Short Version)”Madden to Dog Pound
Ride Statistics
Ride Difficulty Rating – Beginner
Distance – 26.4 km
Elevation Gain –190 m
Maximum Grade – Uphill grade of 2.2% early in the ride and downhill of 2.5% late in the ride (Perfect for Beginners!)
Continue reading “Madden to Dog Pound”Madden – Water Valley – Cremona
Ride Statistics
Ride Difficulty Rating – Intermediate
Distance – 72.3 km
Estimated cycling time: Just over 3.5 hours based on an average 20 km/hr speed
Continue reading “Madden – Water Valley – Cremona”Sundre to Bearberry
Ride Statistics
Ride Difficulty Rating: Intermediate due to the distance
Distance: 84.3 km
Estimated time: 4 hours and 15 minutes based on cycling speed of 20 km/hr
Continue reading “Sundre to Bearberry”Legacy Trail – Canmore to Banff with Vermillion Lakes extension Out and Back
Ride Statistics
Ride Difficulty Rating – Beginner
Distance – 55.5 km (a shorter option at only 44 km is to exclude the Vermillion Lake extension and turnaround at Banff)
Estimated cycling time – 2.75 hours if you go all the way to Vermillion Lakes, 2 hours if not. Based on 20 km/hr cycling speed.
Continue reading “Legacy Trail – Canmore to Banff with Vermillion Lakes extension Out and Back”Road to Nepal
Ride Statistics
Ride Difficulty Rating – Intermediate
Distance – 52.7 Km pan handle loop
Estimated Cycling time – 3.5 hours
Continue reading “Road to Nepal”Allen Bill to Forget me not Pond
Ride Statistics
Ride Difficulty Rating – Intermediate due to the steep grades…not due to distance
Distance – 38.3 Km out and back
Estimated cycling time – 2 hours
Continue reading “Allen Bill to Forget me not Pond”Banff to Lake Louise (Bow Valley Parkway Hwy 1A)
Spring/Summer/Fall 2022: Part of this route is closed to motor vehicle traffic this year which provides a unique opportunity to cycle the Bow Valley Parkway without any motor vehicle traffic. Check the Parks Canada website before heading out. As of the latest public notice (May 3, 2022) the section of the ‘Bow Valley Parkway east of Johnston Canyon to Banff will remain open to public vehicles EXCEPT from May 1 to June 25 and from September 1 to 30 in 2022, 2023 and 2024 where public vehicles will not be allowed (as part of the 3 year cycling pilot on the Highway 1A).’
All Creatures Great and Small!
Bow Valley Parkway cyclist reported both a black bear and a grizzly bear along the trail on the May long weekend. Be prepared and cycle in groups and bring your bear spray. CBC reported that Bow Valley Parkway cyclists are asked to mindful of salamanders crossing the road. So while you are scanning the horizon for the bears also take a look in your immediate road ahead for these little guys.
Ride Statistics
Ride Difficulty Rating – Beginner or Intermediate. The majority of this ride has grades less than 2%, and as an out and back you can always turn back at any point. It is a nice gradual uphill ride but just 5 km out from Lake Louise there is a steep uphill grade to the turn off to Lake Louise, then a steep downhill grade into town.
Distance – 111 km out and back
Estimated cycling time – 5.5 hours assuming 20 km/hr
Continue reading “Banff to Lake Louise (Bow Valley Parkway Hwy 1A)”Mountain View – Bearspaw to Cochrane Out and Back
Ride Statistics
Ride Difficulty Rating – Beginner for shorter route, Intermediate with add on.
Distance – 44.1 Km out and back (with short loop near the end), 52.3 km with Cochrane hill alternative extension for Intermediate and Expert riders
Estimated cycling duration – Just over 2 hours…
Continue reading “Mountain View – Bearspaw to Cochrane Out and Back”Big Hill Springs Out and Back
Note: as of June 26, 2022 the Big Hill Springs park is reported to be open after being closed all summer 2021. Another development noticed is that Lochend Road has had heavy traffic at times so use caution during these times.
Ride Statistics
Ride Difficulty Rating – Beginner
Distance – 44.2 Km out and back
Estimated cycling time – 2.5 hours
Continue reading “Big Hill Springs Out and Back”Sundre Timber Trail With Optional Extension on the Burnt Timber Road
Main Route
Ride Statistics
Ride Difficulty Rating – Beginner for short loop, Intermediate with the optional extension
Distance – 49.2 km circle route, option for an additional 44.0 km out and back
Estimated cycling time – 2.5 hours with out the extension
Continue reading “Sundre Timber Trail With Optional Extension on the Burnt Timber Road”Four Hills of Banff
Ride Statistics
Ride Difficulty Rating – Intermediate and Expert
Elevation Gain – 848 m
Distance – 49.7 Km combination of loops and out and back routes
Estimated cycling time – 3 hours due to steep grades
Continue reading “Four Hills of Banff”Lake Louise to Waterfowl Lake Out and Back
Ride Statistics
Ride Difficulty Rating – Expert due to the distance and elevation gain and grade up to and down Bow Summit
Distance – 120.7 km out and back Elevation Gain – 1309 m
Estimated cycling time – 6 hours assuming 20 km/hr.
Continue reading “Lake Louise to Waterfowl Lake Out and Back”
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