Seven Summits

[Jerry-Rig]

http://www.nsmb.com/trail_tales/7summits.php

Great article and pics Lee! I used to live 30 minutes from Rossland and was there almost every weekend (summer/winter). I sure miss the Kootenay's reading the article. I'd sure like to do an epic... its been a long time.

[cam@nsmb.com]

Wow you are fast Jerry. I just finished everything up moments ago.

Thanks Lee! Long live long rides.

[Jerry-Rig]

Wow you are fast Jerry.


thats what all the girls say....

[sheffy]

Cool article...................looks like a sweet old school epic:fu:

[DaveM]

We had some fantasies of doing Trout's poker run this year but as it turns out we were all talk.

We did ride the first part up to Plewman on our DH bikes before heading down and on to Oasis though, nice epic and the views are fantastic. We actually hiked up to Old Glory a couple of years before that, it's just amazing scenery up there.

[the Master Plan Dan]

Lee is nuts... I am going with that!

That is amazing and truely an inspiration for those of us whom want to get into doing that kind of stuff!

Amazing Lee!

Oh and excellent article!

[enduramil]

Lee is nuts... I am going with that!

That is amazing and truely an inspiration for those of us whom want to get into doing that kind of stuff!

Amazing Lee!

Oh and excellent article!

Let me guess. Lee claimed this was a moderatly challenging ride.

[LeeLau]

It's tough. Long, technical, no water; you're out there and better have your act together.

But 15kms of alpine ridgeline? I can't think of anywhere else with that kind of rideable length.

Get out there are ride the Poker Ride on the 7 Summits this August 26th. Do it now!

http://www.leelau.net/2006/sevensummits070806/sevensummitsgraph.jpg

[LeeLau]

It looks like this in winter! http://www.leelau.net/2005/rossland/plewman/plewman.htm

http://www.leelau.net/2005/rossland/plewman/oldglory.jpg

http://www.leelau.net/2005/rossland/elgood/elgoodaaron03.jpg

[the Master Plan Dan]

Lee... stop man... I get to look at the Fraser River from my window!

:lol:

Is there any place in BC that you haven't been yet?

[trout]

Nice photos and a great article Lee. Hard to believe that a small interior town could be so progressive in their trail policies, most of the folks that built that trail were paid crews that rode their bikes to work everyday.

Poker ride is tommorrow, I expect to see some of you next year. We had a sushi station last year at the midway feed station and this year the folks from The Grind are doing a BBQ with tuna and lamb satays. Sorry, no ham sammiches.

[Knnn]

I just wish I had the balls to do a trip like that.

[charliep]

Thanks Lee

That brings some great memories from when I rode this trail last summer. We did the same route, and like you we marvelled at the views, diversity of ecosystems (alpine, sub-alpine, wet forest, dry forest and grassland) and stellar trails. Rossland sure does have it together.
My girlfiriend stopped in Rossland, but I completed the loop riding up to collect the car at Nancy Greene Summit. On the 15 km road climb above Rossland at the end of the day I was looking at my altimeter watching for it to click up to the summit height. Alas there is a flat / downhill bit just before the top and seemed to take forever to reach that 1500m height! In all it was about 9 or 10 hours (including stops).

Charlie Palmer, Vancouver

[Rat]

I really wanted to make it this year


have fun Trout.

[dawnchairy]

Great article Lee! I just rode it this summer. I was going to leave the car at Nancy Greene like charliep, but I just couldn't face the climb at the end and I'd left my big bike (for safety's sake) at Revolution so I parked the car behind the shop. What an incredible ride! I can't believe that your heart rate, monitor shows so much downhill. I felt like someone had removed it all and hid it in their basement. The pictures are great too, and since I didn't have a camera with me when I rode the trail I'm going to download yours... I hope you don't mind.

[mattj]

Would love to head out there for tomorrow's ride but it's just not in the cards... That was a great couple of days of riding in Rossland for sure. Thanks Trout and Davet. Hey Trout did you end up going to Nelson for the shuttle up to Upper Hitman? We didn't want to check out so early from our nice hotel so we ended up just riding Rossland trails again.


-m

[LeeLau]

dawnchairy. Not at all - bigger sized pics at this link

http://www.leelau.net/2006/sevensummits070806/sevensummits070806.htm

[Bryce]

thats rad. I had to shorten my ride last year due to light but I am so going back this fall when its nice and cool

[shirk]

Noice write up Lee.

Yet another spot for me to add to my list of must rides.

[Couch_Surfer]

Wow - well that's now on the list of road trips for next year. Sweet stuff Lee.

[Pathogen]

Absolutely incredible pictures! Very scenic place.

[LeeLau]

charlie - that's awesome. I'm glad you registered to tell me that. 15 km and 500 km would probably eat up 1 hour I suppose? Next time you do that would you consider doing the ride right from town at the start of the day.

I figured 4 hours for the singletrack itself if you punched it.

Another 4 hours if you hiked to every summit.

Then leave 1 hour to bike back to Rossland.

I think its totally doable as a 10 hour loop if you include hike to every summit.

trout, would it be a problem if I did that with the Poker ride ie - complete loop and hike every summit? My concern is carrying enough water. If I had the support tables then at least i could leave water with some of the people at the tables.

I'd like to leave this to next year when I come back to do the other alpine goodness that I was talking about with you.

[trout]

Mattj - I didn't make it to Nelson the next day, I was really bagged from our ride and my shoulder was sore. Was a pleasure to ride with you and your wife.

dawnchairy - I remember you, I was the doubter that didn't think you could do the round trip and make it back to the shop by 5:30 (it was 11ish when he left). Well done!

Lee - Sounds good to me, next year for sure. The fastest rider last year was a fellow from Nelson who did it as training for the trans-rockies race. He did it in just over 3 hours with hanging out at each card station, playing mini golf and eating sushi.

[ConnorMacleod]

Hey lee awesome write up, i just got home from rossland, i did the seven summits trail but i took my old mom and she broke her chain after all the uphill once the trail got good and we had to bail down plewmans..... but im going back up to finish it......

[rusty sandwich]

The more big epic riding I do the more I am hooked...its like I have gone full circle!!!!! After hittin the freeride scene in for the last 7-8 years...it is so refreshing to be back doing some pedeling and some BIG distance!!!! Im lovin it!!!!!!!!

[dawnchairy]

Thanks Trout! I really appreciated you guys letting me stash my other bike at your store for the day. According to my watch I left the store around noon and took an hour (and a few gallons of sweat) for the highway climb, four hours for the trail and half an hour back to town. My watch was found at a public pool's L and F Boutique and doesn't have a computer interface, but it does have a picture of Pikachu on it and I can tell you my pulse was often fast. The trip was a little rushed, especially towards the end. I do have to go back and climb some of the summits, like Old Glory. The views must be fantastic. I busted my chain in about the same place as Connor Macleod's mom, before the max elevation sign, but I had a chainbreaker so I was okay. I flatted as well, but like a good boy scout I was prepared.

[enduramil]

It's tough. Long, technical, no water; you're out there and better have your act together.

But 15kms of alpine ridgeline? I can't think of anywhere else with that kind of rideable length.

Get out there are ride the Poker Ride on the 7 Summits this August 26th. Do it now!

http://www.leelau.net/2006/sevensummits070806/sevensummitsgraph.jpg


Sure, you paying air fare?

[Danksi]

Good read and great pics...

Lee - what 'watch' do you have, to get all that sweet trail data?

[enduramil]

charlie - that's awesome. I'm glad you registered to tell me that. 15 km and 500 km would probably eat up 1 hour I suppose? Next time you do that would you consider doing the ride right from town at the start of the day.

I figured 4 hours for the singletrack itself if you punched it.

Another 4 hours if you hiked to every summit.

Then leave 1 hour to bike back to Rossland.

I think its totally doable as a 10 hour loop if you include hike to every summit.

trout, would it be a problem if I did that with the Poker ride ie - complete loop and hike every summit? My concern is carrying enough water. If I had the support tables then at least i could leave water with some of the people at the tables.

I'd like to leave this to next year when I come back to do the other alpine goodness that I was talking about with you.

Only Lee would casually post this up like it was a normal everyday ride.

So when does NSMB sell a Lee Lau poster to motivate us all?

[LeeLau]

Danks - its a Polar HRM.

[Bozo]

Yo,

Sounds like we rode the trail during the same heat wave.
Your words and pics pretty much sum up the ride ... sweeeet !

The Seven Summits trail is very well signed however at the beginning of the Dewdney don't go by too fast or you'll miss turnoff like I did.
The sign was on the ground.
Additionally at the bottom of the Dewdney the large Dewdney Trail sign was on the ground behind some trees.

I would like to congratulate the trail maintenance crew for a fine job.

TMR.