KVR Trail Edge B&B to Tulameen

Day 3 - June 19, 2012

Weather: Mix of sun and cloud with a westerly headwind, sunny later

Trail description: Rather than lug our bikes and gear half a kilometer up a steep 4x4 road, we elected to ride on the Princeton-Summerland Road for eight kilometers to the point where the KVR crosses it. The road still requires over 100 meters of elevation gain to climb out of the Hayes Creek valley and into the wide open range land between it and the neighbouring Allison Creek valley (unlike the road, the steep ascent-descent of the Allison Creek valley required the KVR to lessen the grade by using large curving switchbacks known as the Jura Loops). Much of the Jura Loops pass through private land with restrictions on motorized vehicles so the trail surface is intact, making it safer to take your eyes off your front wheel while you marvel at the distant views across open fields of grass and wildflowers. Near the bottom of the Jura Loops the trail re-enters the pine forest and the surface becomes earthy and soft. When you reach the Princeton Sawmill the trail turns to asphalt and you cross the Tulameen River on the beautiful new Bridge of Dreams, erected on the old KVR railway bridge piers. The trail through Princeton could use better signage. At Highway 3 a side trail dips down under the Similkameen River bridge but high water was covering the trail so we were forced to scramble across the highway. Further along the trail seems to dissappear into a large wooden sculpture that we ended up riding through. The tunnel at the west end of town is long―about a 1000 feet―but it's straight with a smooth floor and it has ceiling lights, although they are dim (perhaps solar-powered?). Beyond the tunnel the trail enters the narrow Tulameen River valley and returns to a soft gravel surface again. It also bottoms out in Princeton and begins an upward grade again although it's barely noticeable. The trail is rocky in places and there are a number of slides but it's all been cleared or circumvented including the use of a large 'sewer pipe' that you ride/walk through to pass under one of the worst slide areas. The Parr Tunnel is curved so there is no tell-tale light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel to guide you. On this day a cold headwind whistled through it. The valley widens out as you approach Coalmont and there are no more slide issues for the rest of the ride into Tulameen.

Special concerns: None.

Wildlife: Our only black bear sighting of the trip happened in open range country, coming down the Jura Loops.

Distance and elevation: Distance travelled was 50 kilometers from the KVR Trail Edge B&B to Tulameen. The elevation change for the day was: 1) a 108 meter hill on the Princeton-Summerland Road to get back up to the KVR, then 2) a drop of -265 meters on the KVR bottoming out in Princeton, then 3) a 143 meter uphill grade from Princeton to Tulameen.

Average speed and time on the trail: We left the KVR Trail Edge B&B at 9:10 AM and reached Tulameen at about 4:00 PM. This included many stops for pictures, one flat tire (ironically on the paved section of the KVR trail in Princeton), lunch by the Tulameen River and beer in the Coalmont Hotel, making our average speed a leisurely 7.4 k.p.h..

GPS tracking: We used a Garmin 910XT to record our distance and elevation changes and used the information to produce the elevation profile below.

We gather at the entrance to the KVR Trail Edge B&B on the Princeton-Summerland Road

After 8 kilometers on pavement (and a long uphill) we reach the spot where the KVR crosses the Princeton-Summerland Road

The start of the Jura Loops: large curving switchbacks that help the KVR negotiate the steep walls of Allison Creek valley

Spring wildflowers: Asters and Sticky Geraniums

The gang out front starts around the first of the Jura Loops

More flowers: Lupins, Phlox and Yarrow

It's a slow descent as we have to keep stopping to look at the scenery

At the bottom of the Jura Loops the KVR re-enters the pine forest

The trail becomes asphalt as we reach the Princeton Sawmill on the outskirts of town

The beautiful Bridge of Dreams carries the KVR over the Tulameen River. Next to it is the Highway 5 bridge

While Highway 3 climbs the hill on the west side of Princeton, this 324 meter long tunnel goes beneath it, and it has lights

Just past the tunnel we cross the Tulameen River again

The geology of the Tulameen River valley is spectacular. It's one of only two river valleys in the world where platinum is found in quantity

The KVR stays close to the river while the Coalmont Road is high above

When we stop for lunch Charlie heads for the river bank. I think he's looking for platinum

No platinum but some very pretty rocks

We approach the Parr Tunnel. I thought we'd lose the headwind once inside but it was actually stronger and colder in there

Another tunnel ahead, but it looks kind of strange...

...and it turns out to be just a big pipe used to deflect the slide. Clever

When you look back you can see how precarious the KVR is in this steep-walled valley

Another bridge takes us back over to the west side of the Tulameen. The trail is very rocky through here

Looking back as we re-group

Another bridge and it's back over to the east side of the river

Finally the valley widens out a bit as we approach Coalmont

Coalmont has a wry sense of humour

Pauline likes the part about a 'predominance of bachelors living here' but despite her best efforts, she couldn't find any

It was still early so we stopped for a beer at the Coalmont Hotel

Back on the trail, it's an easy 6.5 kilometers to Tulameen

We made it to Tulameen! Each room at the Otter Sleep Inn had a Post-it note on the door telling us to look under the mat for the key

The Trading Post in Tulameen does it all: sells gas, food, liquor and it's a restaurant (we prearranged our dinner with the owners so as not to overwhelm them with such a large group)

In the back room of the Trading Post, ready for dinner

After dinner we walk down to see Otter Lake

The KVR is visible on the right as it follows the eastern shore of Otter Lake

Next Page: Tulameen to Merritt