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MCBRIDE, B.C.

Helping hands

McBride is truly a sledder-friendly community that “ponied up again to help”

By Wayne Hamm

It seems like yesterday when greenhorns to the mountains Mike Wynnyk and Pierre Blais asked me to go to McBride with them. In actuality it was three years ago. It was enjoyable to watch and see how comfortable Mike and Pierre were in the mountains now.

Day #1 Saturday: The Renshaw. This is the largest of three easily accessible riding areas close to town. Access is via Koeneman Road, just 1.7 kilometres east of town on the north side of the highway. Follow Koeneman Road as it snakes its way around to the stop sign. Turn left or west at the stop sign onto Mountain View Road. It is a short 10-kilometre drive westerly to the staging area and there is lots of room for parking. There are grooming fees in place and, as always, EL-JA Grooming had the trail nicely groomed. It is a 35-kilometre ride to the cabin and then a stone’s throw to the alpine.

Once in the alpine we started off in questionable weather conditions, so we headed to the trees. We rode through bottomless powder in the trees until our hearts were content. The sun came out and stayed for the day and these guys rode non-stop, barely pausing for a break. We reached an elevation of 7,200 feet above sea level at one point. We stopped for a photo by an Inukshuk that somebody had built at the top of one of the peaks. The views were absolutely breathtaking.

We burned all our fuel, including our spare gas, and ate all our food. We were exhausted and had a wonderful day in the Renshaw. We met the groomer on our way down and were treated to a smooth trail to the parking lot.

These guys were anxious to try another range. Lucille Mountain was on for Sunday. Little did we know, Lucille was to give us more than we bargained for!

Day #2 Sunday: Lucille Mountain. It is a short drive through the town of McBride and under the welcoming arch; turn left at the train station and just follow the road right to the parking lot. There are grooming fees in place at Lucille also. It had snowed overnight, it was sunny and the trail ride up was only 10 kilometres. Again EL-JA Grooming had the trail in top shape. Prior to heading into the alpine there is a nice cabin at the trailhead. Many leave their spare fuel here, but I personally take it with me. We rode hard and non-stop in virgin snow covering all the mountain ranges. There are some challenging climbs and, of course, we were always on the lookout for unstable/questionable snow.

Now it was time for Lucille to show us who was boss. (Is Lucille a woman? Ha ha!) Mike had just begun a climb in an area known as the butterfly. We guessed the hill to be at a 45-degree angle. No, not a slide, but a small stump under the snow gave us grief. Mike was perhaps 100 metres up this hill when he struck this small stump. One of the suspension rails, for whatever reason, went through the track and tore it. The rotating track bunched up and jammed against the front-drive axle and Mike went over the handlebars as if he had thrown out an anchor. Our day was done and what to do? I have used a helicopter before, and what other option was there? We were hoping to be able to tow that sled out.

Mike’s sled was left with Lucille for the night, and he and Pierre rode down two up. We stopped at the local sled shop, Spin Drift Power Sports, at 940 - Second Avenue. They lent us a plastic sled and some tools for the next day. They were concerned about our plans, though, and so were we. Mike left his phone number with those folks, just in case a miracle worker came along.

Well, a miracle worker by the name of Joe Rich rode past Mike’s disabled sled in the butterfly after we left. He checked the sled out and phoned Mike with an inexpensive solution. Joe runs Robson Valley Auto Service in McBride, which is kind of like CAA road service for the mountains.

Day #3 Monday: Sled Recovery Day. Joe met us the next day at the butterfly. He towed a skimmer with a track, suspension and a complete set of tools with him. It was a sight—the damaged track and suspension were removed and replaced by a functional track and suspension, in a matter of about three hours. These were loaner parts and were handily removed in Joe's shop when we got back to town. The old parts were taken down from Lucille in the skimmer. Incredible!

Conclusion

Days #1 and #2 were breathtaking and wonderful. Day #3 was not so bad either thanks to Joe, our unsung hero. The accommodations and the food were great and all the folks are very friendly. What a breath of fresh air from the hustle and bustle of the big city. McBride is a true sledder-friendly community. You must read the SnoRiders article about the community of McBride entitled Sledders Pony Up to Help. Sledders and the community worked tirelessly for eight days in December to rescue two abandoned horses in the Mount Renshaw area.

I am a long-time customer of Riverside Honda & Ski-Doo out of St. Albert and, as a result, I have been on many adventures. Thank you Riverside for helping to make this trip safe and enjoyable. What a great dealership!

Thank you McBride, you must be proud of your community.

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