Crowsnest Pass, Alberta
A terrific trip
Team RidersWest visits the Crowsnest Pass
Expectations are high when you are planning a trip to an award-winning ATVing destination, such as the Crowsnest Pass, Alberta. After this area won top honours in RidersWest’s first annual ATV Rider’s Choice Awards last spring, my colleague, Tanya Laing, and riding partner Teri Higgs, decided to see what the hype was all about. Upon contacting Dennis Beasley, vice-president of the Crowsnest Pass Quad Squad, a ride was set for July 18, 2008.
New Friends: (L to R) Harold Kind, Dennis Beasley, Tanya Laing, Kirsten Armleder and Don Harrison pose for a picture by the Quad Squad Office. —photo by Pat Lundy
Mountains Of Joy: With lush valleys and rugged mountain peaks, the scenery in the Lynx Creek/Carbondale area is spectacular.—photo by Tanya Laing
On the day of our trip, we arrived at the Quad Squad office in Coleman around 10:30 a.m. and were introduced to Patricia Lundy, who is a co-ordinator for the club, and our guides: Harold Kind, club treasurer, Don Harrison, a director, and our fearless leader Dennis Beasley. From there, we hauled to the Carbondale/Lynx Creek riding area. The club had just finished working on a family/novice trail there and we were eager to see the final product.
In addition to maintaining the trails, one of the group’s main objectives is bridging creeks. It’s an ongoing program and Dennis explained to us how they study the traffic flow in each riding area to determine which creeks need bridges the most. Then comes the task of either building a bridge or purchasing one from an engineer and installing it. When this happens, there are dozens of volunteers who show up to work hard and get the job done.
Our day, however, didn’t call for any heavy lifting or strenuous labour. We were free to enjoy the fresh air, blue sky and beautiful mountain scenery. As we headed along the trail, Dennis stopped to point out natural features and different trails that branched off the main route. He also explained the signage system; all of the trails are marked with way points so riders know exactly where they are by following a trail map, which is available at the Quad Squad office. For out-of-towners, the chances of getting lost in the Pass are very slim.
Eventually, we arrived at an open area called the Ball Diamond where several campers were set up—and almost every campsite had a couple of quads or dirt bikes in it. Obviously, this is a hot recreation spot but Dennis said most of the ATVing areas in the Pass are just as popular.
After riding the club’s newly completed circuit trail, we returned to a shelter that was built by the snowmobile club. Here, we had lunch and discussed the club’s rising membership and upcoming bridge projects. Before we went back to the trucks, Dennis took us down another trail to see an old bridge that the club plans to replace in the future. It’s obvious the Quad Squad is doing an excellent job of making sure ATVers and others stay safe and help to preserve the environment for future use.
RidersWest thanks Dennis, Harold, Don and Pat for hosting us, and the rest of the club for their dedication to the sport and commitment to trail enhancement. I’m sure a few hours of riding in the Lynx Creek/Carbondale area was only a taste of what the Crowsnest Pass has to offer—we’d love to go back and explore more of this award-winning destination.