First tracks with a local quadding club

I’ve never wanted to join an ATV club or even ride with a club. I’m a bit of a lone wolf, you see, choosing solitude over big gatherings. But a ride with the Kootenay Rockies ATV Club (KRATV) in May 2014 opened my eyes to the benefits that being a club member can bring.

For as long as I can recall, ATVing has been a popular pastime around Cranbrook, B.C. We didn’t have a club here, though, until the KRATV was formed in 2012. And it was long overdue. By the end of its first season, more than 100 members had signed up.

Organized rides take place every Wednesday and on the weekends, too. Tim Hortons in the parking lot of the Tamarack Centre shopping mall is the usual meeting place, so that’s where my husband, Monte, and I met the group for our first-ever ATV club ride.

Doug Williamson, president of the KRATV, was already there waiting for us. After shaking hands and getting to know some of the other riders, we set off for the Wildhorse area east of Cranbrook.

Sunshine and scenery

Our prayers the night before for nice weather had apparently worked. Sunny skies were overhead and the promise that it would warm up from a nippy 3 C held sway.

Two kilometres up the Wildhorse Forest Service Road, we unloaded the quads. Everyone had their helmet on and was ready to ride within a matter of minutes.

So off we went, 17 machines in total.

The road we followed is a well-worn four-by-four road. It starts at the valley bottom and slowly winds its way up a bald-faced mountain to an elevation of about 5,500 feet. A quad trail off the main road led us to the top, where we stopped for a while to enjoy a view of the Steeples range and Fisher Peak, the highest mountain in the area. No matter how many times I see these mountains, I still feel that sense of awe and appreciation for the beauty of the B.C. backcountry.

After taking a few pictures, we headed back down and continued following the main road around the mountain and down the other side. It brought us to another deeply rutted road, where a storm from the night before had left big mud puddles along the way. Monte and I couldn’t resist, and immediately engaged in a battle to splash each other.

The hooliganism stopped, though, after my ever-loving husband drenched me from head to toe.

The secret's out

Now I’ve ridden this area a lot and I thought I knew it by heart, but when our leader pulled off the main road to follow a skinny trail through the trees, my interest was piqued.

Right away, there was a steep incline, and we tackled it, one at a time. Williamson had hopped off his quad and was standing watch to make sure each rider made it up OK. Safety is important to these guys, and it was nice to know that if something went wrong, they would be there to help.

The trail led us to large ravine that split the forest in two. I hadn't even known it existed. But neither had Williamson, even though he too has ridden the area many times.

Finding hidden gems like this one is always a treat, but I’m sure that whoever had decided to take us to this spot didn’t intend for its whereabouts to be revealed to 38,000 readers. I’m a little worried this might have been the first and last time I’m invited to ride with the club.

That’s just how it is around here though. People in the East Kootenay are pretty protective about their riding areas. But we’ll share them, as long as you are a respectful rider who keeps to existing trails and picks up after themselves—some friendly advice.

Now, back to the ride.

Positive vibes

We wound our way down from the ravine through the trees, following a trail that brought us to the Lakit Lake road. From there, we looped around Lakit Lake and retraced our tracks for a few kilometres before turning off the main road once again to follow a trail around another mountain.

Eventually, we ended up on the Wildhorse Forest Service Road and then at Fisherville.

These days, there’s not much left to see, but Fisherville was at one time home to an estimated 5,000 gold miners. The town actually played an important role in our region’s history, and the site is worth visiting.

By 4 p.m., we were back at the trucks.

Everyone left as quickly as they had arrived, but I was able to thank Williamson for letting us join the ride and for putting up with my trigger-happy camera hands.

It was a good ride and one that I hope to repeat. Not only did I find new-to-me trails, but I met others who share my passion for the outdoors.

Being part of an ATV club, though, goes beyond the fun factor. Now, more than ever, ATVers need to have a strong, unified voice. One person won’t always be heard, but 10 just might, and 100, well, that’s even better.