Rossland, BC to Summerland, BC | 291km, 4195m
What better way to spend an early Father’s Day than a 3-day bike packing trip? My dad, Tim, Lauren, and I planned a trip to bike from Rossland to Summerland. Along the way, we planned to stay in Grand Forks and Rock Creek.
We kicked the trip off with some excitement. My dad’s first time flying with a bike led to classic bike damage - a broken derailleur hanger. We immediately went to the Revolution Bikes in town and they did not carry anything for gravel bikes. We called 3 other bike shops in the area which all did not have the necessary part. Revolution was awesome and made a new hanger for him. After, my dad said his bike worked better than it did before he flew to Canada.
Day 1 - Rossland to Grand Forks
Rain! Lots of it. We took a selfie and kicked off the day. On the first day we rode the Old Cascade Highway from Rossland, down to Sheep Creek, over to the Columbia and Western Rail Trail, and across into Grand Forks.
As soon as we made it to our hotel in Grand Forks. We knew we had nailed the location. We stayed across the street from a grocery store and were able to grab snacks for the next day. There was a sushi restaurant right next to the hotel. The Grand Forks Inn was even kind enough to let us use their private drier to dry our soaking clothes.
Lauren and Tim even got bonus sashimi!
- Total time: 7:45:58
- Moving time: 6:06:35
- Total ascent: 6199 ft (1889 m)
- Total descent: 8256 ft (2516 m)
- Total distance: 57.03 mi (91.78 km)
Day 2 - Grand Forks to Rock Creek
We had to take a selfie again! The second day took us along the Columbia and Western Rail Trail from Grand Forks, through some tunnels, down some cruisey rail grade, across farmland and into Greenwood for coffee and mexican food, and finally into Rock Creek.
I believe there was a sign somewhere along the route that mentioned that one section of this trail caused a lot of runaway trains and accidents because the rail grade was steeper than allowed. On average, train ways must be no more than 2.5%, and this section was about 4%.
The featured stop of the day was Deadwood Junction in Greenwood. We nailed the timing. The second we arrived for a coffee, rain started hammering. We had a nice lunch and watched the radar until the rain cleared.
Greenwood has a heck of a history. It became a mining hub when gold, silver and copper were discovered. A copper smelter opened soon after discovery which is why we see kilometers of slag along the outskirts of town. The copper glory days were short-lived due to prices plummeting after WWI. In the 1940s, the internment of Japanese Canadians in the name of “national security” began. Greenwood became BC’s first internment camp.
Greenwood is also known for the best tap water in the entire world. It came in first place at the Berkley Springs International Water Tasting annual competition in West Virginia.
Two head horse and two horses!
- Total time: 8:18:43
- Moving time: 4:54:51
- Total ascent: 1845 ft (562 m)
- Total descent: 1569 ft (478 m)
- Total distance: 48.02 mi (77.28 km)
Day 3 - Rock Creek to Summerland
We, of course, took a selfie. The third day started from our historic River View Log Cottages in Rock Creek. We pedaled along the Kettle Valley Rail Trail, past a campground pump track, to the very steep Conkle-Ripperto Forest Service Road. From there we climbed even higher (walked) up the decommissioned Kelly River Rd. and cruised to Okanagan Falls down a never-ending descent. In OK Falls we treated ourselves to some Tickleberry’s ice cream (black cherry, lime in da coconut, and about 100 other flavors). In a lethargic post-ice-cream haze, we cruised by Lake Skaha into Penticton and pedaled along Okanagan Lake straight to some wine tasting in Summerland.
This was also the day that finally took out Tim’s e-bike. After nearly three successful fully powered days - we cruised into a gas station about 15km from our destination to recharge the e-bike and ourselves.
We finished up at the Lunessence Winery in Summerland! What a treat.
- Total time: 11:49:47
- Moving time: 8:03:09
- Total ascent: 5723 ft (1744 m)
- Total descent: 6600 ft (2011 m)
- Total distance: 75.75 mi (121.91 km)