Editors Note: This post was originally published on my old website way back in 1999. The pictures are scans from old 35mm prints, downloaded from an older website and are not the best quality. It is the best I can do.
BCSF Rendezvous 99 (or Wells, NOT Likely!)
This was a ride to be remembered. Fourteen of us decided to ride back to the starting line of the BCSF Rendezvous 99 after it was officially over. Only thing was, nobody could remember the route!
Mother Nature didn’t help either. We got socked in with a two day blizzard of sorts. Our intended route was to go from Wells, BC back to Likely and then on to Horsefly, where we would spend one night. We would then have a short ride into Green Lake where our friends and vehicles awaited us.
The first day we tried to follow our tracks from the previous day. It was snowing and blowing so hard on Yanks Peak, that we lost our way as soon as we reached the alpine. Several hours were wasted digging out the three lead sleds from a huge tree well somewhere down the wrong slope.
We regrouped and followed the trail using GPS coordinates. This brought us to the bottom of a big hill called Flattop. After several hours of attempting with the big sleds (Yammi MM, Polaris 700RMK, and AC Powder Special) to get over the top and pack a trail down, we gave up and headed back to Wells.
The next day we figured we could ride around Yanks Peak on the Keithly Creek Logging Road. The going was great for the first few miles until we caught up to a big old bull moose. This soon turned into TWO moose on the trail, slowing us down considerably.
After 16km of following the moose, they finally turned off the trail. We started to make good time until we reached the pass leading to Likely. I rode ahead, breaking trail in waist deep powder. The road just kept climbing, and climbing. The snow got deeper and deeper. I finally stopped near the summit to wait for the others to catch up. Big mistake for me. It took me two hours to get unstuck, turned around, and going again. The snow here was over my chest.
I rode back down the road for a mile or so and came upon the rest of the gang, ALL STUCK in the deep snow. We spent the next hour getting everyone turned around and finally headed back towards Wells.
On the way back, it started snowing again, and by the time we were 10 miles or so from Wells, it had turned into a total whiteout. We could barely see the sled in front. I ran out of gas (from all the trail breaking that day) and we siphoned some from the other sleds to get me going again.
Just out of Wells, several more sleds ran dry (including mine, again). We made it to the gas station just as it was closing and managed to rescue everyone.
Back at the White Cap Inn again. Check out the snowbanks.
That night we decided to call it quits and called for the backup crew at Green Lake to come and pick us up. It was an adventure none of us will LIKELY not forget.
The entrance to the Wells Legion Hall. Did I mention the snowbanks?
