Curtis McHale

by

Curtis McHale

Elk Mountain Ride

If you’ve got limited time then ride hills or do intervals. If you’re weak climber ride hills. Well I’m both so I try to ride hills lots (well often but not as often as I’d like). I also live far enough out in the Fraser Valley of BC that I’ve either got flat or mountains. I’ve got no rolling hills to sprint up and down.

Today I did one of my favourite shorter hill rides. Elk Mountain is about a 40km round trip from my door with 583 meters of climbing. Not a bad little hill. Probably the most punishing part is that when you’re 2/3rds of the distance to the top you’ve only gain half the elevation. Yeah that last bit it steep.

The challenge of this hill isn’t it’s only draw though, it’s dang beautiful. On the way up you get to struggle slowly past beautiful vistas of snow capped peaks and then fly past them on the way down. Today I decided to stop and take a few pictures. The fog is from the iPhone case (need to find one that doesn’t do that in the back pocket), it was clear coolish morning.

Second last house from the top of the climb with an awesome view in to the Chilliwack River Valley
After running away the horses came to visit. One got a bit frisky with the seat and it was really really wet from being loved.
About 1/2 way back down on a different route from the one up. Many more views like this can be had.

Oh and here is the ride profile from Strava.