Lee Lau's Chilcotin Epic

[cam@nsmb.com]

More to make you jealous of Lee's adventures.

Chilcotin Wanderings (http://www.nsmb.com/trail_tales/chilcotin_12_06.php)

[synchro]

that is one ride i am absolutely set on doing next year

[trail worker]

It's been around 3 or 4 years since I rode in the Chilcotins, another trip will have to be in order this year...thanks for the reminder Lee!

[Jerry-Rig]

great article and pictures Lee !

Cam, NSMB Team trip to the Chilcoltins next summer ?

[slang]

lee lau, this picture is fantastic

http://www.leelau.net/2006/chilcotinsept2006/windypass140906/08windypass.jpg

[Nelson]

*Steals pictures and publishes then in magazine full of people with funny accents and bad teeth...*

:shhh:

[Jerry-Rig]

http://www.poster.net/austin-powers/austin-powers-cocktail-glass-4900072.jpg

[the Master Plan Dan]

Lee... please I beg of you... stop! How am I to explain the drool marks on my computer?

Love to the picture of Diplock looking puzzled and Sharon laughing!

[cam@nsmb.com]

great article and pictures Lee !

Cam, NSMB Team trip to the Chilcoltins next summer ?

Now you're talking!

Let's do it Freetard style. I hear Lee recommends that. ;)

[Luudwig]

Great article and pics.
Reminded me of our trip covering the Relay Creek to Grave Yard Creek to Big Creek to Lorna Lake Camp to Elbow Pass to Spruce lake loop... 2 days, long hours in the saddle, much hike a bike, route finding challenges and all weather conditions imaginable...great fun though.

[apeshape]

That is one hell of an adventure Lee. You should totally write a book that covers one year of your touring adventures in BC. You spend more time wandering the wilderness than Sasquatch so you should be able to fill a book cover to cover.

[LeeLau]

lee lau, this picture is fantastic

http://www.leelau.net/2006/chilcotinsept2006/windypass140906/08windypass.jpg

David - coming from a photographer of your calibre - thanks!!

[LeeLau]

Now you're talking!

Let's do it Freetard style. I hear Lee recommends that. ;)

You can arrange anywhere from 3 to 7 day trips guys. It's totally cush. Very different then my usual method of sleeping in ditches.

[LeeLau]

Great article and pics.
Reminded me of our trip covering the Relay Creek to Grave Yard Creek to Big Creek to Lorna Lake Camp to Elbow Pass to Spruce lake loop... 2 days, long hours in the saddle, much hike a bike, route finding challenges and all weather conditions imaginable...great fun though.

That;s a big day - so satisfying though to navigate such big terrain. Apparently you can get Spruce Lake Wilderness Adventures to drop stuff off for you at predetermined caches if you are doing something bigger

Did you see this before? http://www.leelau.net/2006/taseko0706/tasekolorna280706/tasekolorna.htm

Posted in NSMB too - http://bb.nsmb.com/showthread.php?t=82560

[TylerDurden]

Another great pictorial and writeup Lee ! You're building awareness that will undoubtely help in the battle to keep this area "as is".

[enduramil]

Nice trip and pic's Lee.

[trail worker]

I'm not sure if this is koshur or not, but heres a few pics from my trip up there to fuel the stoke to ride:
http://photos.nsmb.com/files/2/0/0/8/8/meadows.jpg

http://photos.nsmb.com/files/2/0/0/8/8/windypass.jpg

http://photos.nsmb.com/files/2/0/0/8/8/windypass1.jpg

http://photos.nsmb.com/files/2/0/0/8/8/windypass2.jpg

http://photos.nsmb.com/files/2/0/0/8/8/openheartpeak.jpg

[LeeLau]

post them up julian - I love Taylor's pictures too from his ride.

[Knnn]

WOW!

Shit I have got to get a life .........

[patrolskid]

lee , sorry i haven't read through the whole story , but will when i have some time . . . . .


just got to the part about " neither guide had ridden the route , or were equipped with map or compass " ( paraphrase ) and felt the need to reply .


those aren't guides . . . . . those are guys who may or may not be getting paid to be there , may or may have not ridden the intended route , probably have had their flight, shuttle , or gear drop covered , and aside from knowing the owner of the company , are probably going to be just as effective ( or not ) as anyone else on the trip if the poop hits the spinner . . . .

i'm all for " professional " guiding / outfitters , but i expect to be getting something in return : basically peace of mind that the guide knows every god damned square inch of the territory , where the hazards are , where the pick up points are , and is equipped to get my ass out of a jam , should we be led into one .

several years ago , during the hot fire season , we were compelled to hire a guide for a fly-in to one of the lakes . when plan A failed , we had to settle for a plan B , which is one of the standard mainstay routes in the area . the " guide " was toting probably the lightest pack in the group , was positively amazed when i pulled out and rigged a small tarp for shelter from a rain shower and i'm sure didn't have any first aid kit with him , never mind a satellite phone or other means of communication . questions about distances , ride times , climb verticals were met with vague answers , indicating familiarity with the trail , but not intimate knowledge , which is what i would expect of someone who is being paid to guide first timers in unfamiliar terrain .

for adventures like you are undertaking the guide should instill faith in the group he is leading . when you arrive at an intersection / junction , the guide says " this is the way we go ! " with confidence , and maybe pulls out a map , compass , and / or GPS to familiarize all the team with the lay of the land , directions , distances , etc .





for a one-eyed lawyer , you sure are seeing a lot of this world :lol: , thanks for sharing . . . .

[Uncle Duke]

lee is the man.

[Taylor_P]

MMMMMMMM

http://www.nsmb.com/images/trail_tales/chilcotin/22guncreekbetterweather.jpg

makes me wanan go back, ill post some of mine in a second

[Taylor_P]

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b38/t_purcell/IMG_2107.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b38/t_purcell/IMG_2109.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b38/t_purcell/IMG_2147.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b38/t_purcell/IMG_2143.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b38/t_purcell/IMG_2194.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b38/t_purcell/IMG_2183.jpg

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b38/t_purcell/IMG_2166.jpg

[enduramil]

Lee, What's your work address? I want to send you the bill for 2 new keyboards.

[LeeLau]

skid - I hear ya. I made the mistake of thinking they were ACMG equivalent but i wont make that same mistake again, I dont want to be too hard on them and if they were in their usual area Im sure they'd be awesome. FOr most people who've never been there before the guided trips would work out grea. I suspect that my group and my goals put them outside their comfort level. Anyhow the point of the article wasnt to dig at them but to share the stoke and perhaps enhance some awareness of the Chilcotins as one of the magical places in this province

[cheryl@nsmb.com]

Beautiful story and photos. Breathtaking.

[CraigH]

Thanks for the fix Lee!

It brings back great memories of our trip with SLWA back in Sept. 2005 (http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=130605). We hit snow too, but not to the same extent you guys did.

I'm surprised that you guys had different guides than we did, ours were named Len & Marty. Both live in Gold Bridge and had extensive experience doing multi-day self supported trips way back in to the Chilcotins. They seemed to have enough navigation gear (and spare parts) with them to actually fulfill their position as guides, although our trip wasn't as "out there" as yours.

We'll have to get back up there next year.

[patrolskid]

lee : mission accomplished . . . . .


with respect to the guiding , i'd really like to see professional outfitters and guides flourish in that area particularly . it is so good , i think people would be willing to pay for the services of a good guide / outfitter to show them the best trails appropriate to their skill and fitness level .

[Smoke]

lee : mission accomplished . . . . .


with respect to the guiding , i'd really like to see professional outfitters and guides flourish in that area particularly . it is so good , i think people would be willing to pay for the services of a good guide / outfitter to show them the best trails appropriate to their skill and fitness level .

I know this guy....(de)

http://www.bushpilotbiking.com/gallery/albums/wpw-20061125/aug-30_05.jpg

[Joe Dick]

those aren't guides . . . . . those are guys who may or may not be getting paid to be there , may or may have not ridden the intended route , probably have had their flight, shuttle , or gear drop covered , and aside from knowing the owner of the company , are probably going to be just as effective ( or not ) as anyone else on the trip if the poop hits the spinner . . . .

i'm all for " professional " guiding / outfitters , but i expect to be getting something in return : basically peace of mind that the guide knows every god damned square inch of the territory , where the hazards are , where the pick up points are , and is equipped to get my ass out of a jam , should we be led into one .

several years ago , during the hot fire season , we were compelled to hire a guide for a fly-in to one of the lakes . when plan A failed , we had to settle for a plan B , which is one of the standard mainstay routes in the area . the " guide " was toting probably the lightest pack in the group , was positively amazed when i pulled out and rigged a small tarp for shelter from a rain shower and i'm sure didn't have any first aid kit with him , never mind a satellite phone or other means of communication . questions about distances , ride times , climb verticals were met with vague answers , indicating familiarity with the trail , but not intimate knowledge , which is what i would expect of someone who is being paid to guide first timers in unfamiliar terrain .

for adventures like you are undertaking the guide should instill faith in the group he is leading . when you arrive at an intersection / junction , the guide says " this is the way we go ! " with confidence , and maybe pulls out a map , compass , and / or GPS to familiarize all the team with the lay of the land , directions , distances , etc .


I've read most guiding related threads with much intrest. but this realy caught my attention. I've been "working" with www.haiweitrails.com for the last few years. mostly setting up treks, hiking with thier main guide. I was shocked at first how little qualifications most local guides have. My self I've guided a few moutain bike trips in my "home" terf of Zhongdian, Yunnan. and in the future plan to do much more.

with the exsposure of back country mountain biking, I totaly agree that a guide should know the area they are guiding like it is thier back yard. and while I don't yet have the experiance of some one like smoke, I think being able to deal when shit hits the fan is equaly improtant. there is much more to this of course but I'll end the thread jack.

heres some chill-co action from some years back.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v64/adbostock/goldbridge/outthere1.jpg

guess who?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v64/adbostock/goldbridge/nedattayler.jpg

[CraigH]

Bump, just 'cuz I needed a fix.