Tenquille Lake – another alpine ride

After our last night at the Gun Creek Ranch with a hearty cowboy breakfast we were off to Tenquille Lake!

We start the drive back from Goldbridge towards Pemberton

Grouty Peak (2375m) from the Hurley Pass Road.


Tenquille lake is a nice alpine lake above the Pemberton Valley. There is a very rustic cabin there that doesn’t look like its used anymore. The setting can’t be more idyllic.

Here are some waypoints for this trip: 

1. Tenquille Trailhead at Hurley 1005m 0498536 5600585

2. Tenquille Trailhead – 4×4 parking 1263m 0499996 5598560

3. Mowich Creek 1439m 0500942 5598517

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4. Tenquille lake trailhead viewpoint on rock escarpment 1497m 0501336

5. Tenquille Lake alpine – downhill junction 1551m 0503341 5598001

6. Tenquille Lake – 1656m 0505020 5598189

7. Lilloet River Valley Hurley bridge 243m 0502310 5594512

For this ride we chose to leave a car parked where the Hurley Road crosses the Lillooet River and we drive the switchbacks that you don’t want to ride for fear of fast cornering cars and dust clogging your lungs! This makes for a mere 1000meter climb for the 1400 meter descent!

The views of the Pemberton Valley from the climb are beautiful! Here is the view to Overseer (2745m), Spidery Peak (2650m) and Pika Peak (2530m) down the Lillooet Valley


The peak with the twin summits on picture left is the Camels Back (1338m). The peak on picture right with the snowfield is Mt Morrisson (2358m)

We climb up a 4X4 road that a vehicle with good clearance could drive before the start of the single track hike-a-bike.


The last time we did this ride about 4 years ago we were plagued with Black Flies and Mosquitoes. This time we were only plagued with Mosquitos. You know, they are not that bad…

We get to a view point where we can stop and relax in the light breeze that keeps the mosquitoes away!

We continue on up and up. I’ve eaten a couple of mosquitos by this time so I have to take some precautions.

We then get into the sub alpine. Behind Lee is the Camel’s Back and Mt Morrison

A view of Copper Mound (2165m) from the sub-alpine looking back west down the Lillooet Valley.

We head down towards the cabin and the lake on rather eroded paths.

Then its time for lunch!

Here is Goat Peak (2470m) and Tenquille Mountain (2400m) from Tenquille Lake.

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Here is Sun God Mountain (2410m) from Tenquille Lake. You can approach the lake this way from a forest road from the D’arcy – Birkenhead corridor

Might be some good skiing here?


After we decided we no longer want to be mosquito lunch we head down! 1400 meters later we’re back at the car! No pictures of the descent. Suffice it to say it was more eroded and technical then the last time we rode here, probably due to the rain but still pretty damn fun!

Lee’s Polar Graph of this Ride.


The next day we rode the bike park and got in the A-line/Schleyer/Dirt Merchant Fix. The Bike park must be much more relaxing then this XC stuff!

 

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