20. The Flume
23. Stunted Growth
24. Sudden Exposure
40. Cherry Poppins
Considered a jewel in the KCTS trail network, the Flume is a double black diamond ride that for many years has challenged locals and out of town folk alike.
Elevation change: 550m
Length: 5.5km
Biking: Expert
Trailhead:
(E) Malde Pass. Set odometer at Km0.0 at Start Point at Columbia Ave. Washington St. intersection. West on Columbia Ave. 1 block, left down Spokane St., right down LeRoi Ave. 2 blocks, left down Davis St. 4 blocks, left down Victoria Ave. 1 block, angle up right then shortly left down Union Ave. ˝ block, right onto Spokane St. (Km 1.0), continue along south to Gelesz-Drakes Roads junction (Km 2.3), left on Gelesz Road about 200m to (F) Railgrade (left) & Drakes (right) Trailheads (2.5 km; -90m). Continue on Gelesz Road which becomes the Malde Creek Forest Service Road with gravel surface. From (F), at about 1.5 km further pass the Tiger Main logging road branching to the left, and 2.5 km pass the Birch Main logging road branching to the left. At about 3 km from (F) arrive at (E) Malde Pass (approx. 5.5 km; - 100m & +250m) with Whiskey Trailhead (left) and Flume Trailhead (further along on the right).
Trail:
When you think free-riding and Rossland, you should be thinking ‘The Flume’. The 5.5km trail descends 550m to the Patterson Valley below. The trail is most often completed as a “shuttle ride” with a vehicle taking bikes and riders up Malde Creek FSR (Trail Head “E”), and a retrieval vehicle parked at King George Park in Patterson.
The 1 km climb that starts the Flume begins from the right hand side of Malde Creek FSR just a couple hundred metres beyond the Pass. Beginning up an old skidder road and then hanging right after a couple hundred metres the climb tops out at an elevation of 1320m on top of Tamarack Mountain where you have a 360 degree panorama of our little corner of the Kootenays. In peak summer season, the climb is scattered with huckleberries and raspberries, a good reason to hop off your bike, take a rest, and enjoy some of nature’s little flavor explosions!
The Flume’s descent begins with some rocky technical sections that demand that rider’s be on their game right from the get go! What follows is a flowy, often technical descent that incorporates log rides, hucks, and lots of technical steeps and rocky sections that will thrill and challenge even the most advanced riders. The Flume is also home to the optional “Johnny Rocks”, a rock to natural transition huck that tops out at just under 10 feet, and is the biggest air in the KCTS network of trails. Look for it on your right about a kilometer and half into the descent, just before the first log ride. Much of the trail winds through older growth cedar stands which means a beautiful open forest canopy and a multitude of low to the ground log rides for riders of all skill levels to play on.
Over the past few years The Flume has seen a few changes as local timber companies have attempted to beat the pine and fir beetle to the punch. Recently a few sections of the trail have been logged and this has lead to new sections being built, including a significant and exciting new bottom section in the summer of 2006. The lower section of the Flume now crosses two access roads and you will know you have reached the end of the trail when you reach the third access road.
At the bottom of the Flume, follow the access road to the left and coast 1.8 km along Barley Road until you reach the parking area at King George Park.
Expert mountain biking trail.
Elevation change: 490m
Length: 2.7km
From the Railgrade, a climb of 4.5 km and +400m elevation gain is required to reach the trailhead. The return via the Gas Line Road at the bottom is a further 5km.
Biking: Expert
Trailhead:
Follow roads to Railgrade or toward (E) Malde Pass:
Set odometer at Km 0.0 at Start Point at Columbia Ave. Washington St. intersection. West on Columbia Ave. 1 block, left down Spokane St., right down LeRoi Ave. 2 blocks, left down Davis St. 4 blocks, left down Victoria Ave. 1 block, angle up right then shortly left down Union Ave. ˝ block, right onto Spokane St. (Km 1.0), continue along south to Gelesz-Drakes Roads junction (Km 2.3), left on Gelesz Road about 200m to (F) Railgrade (left) 2.5 km; -90m).
Then:
Down onto Railgrade Trail and along it toward Warfield and up onto the Gas Line Road to the bottom of Branch 3000 logging road (also known as “007”) at about 2.5 km. Climb this to sign-posted crossing of Tiger Main logging road;
Or:
Continue on Gelesz Road which becomes the Malde Creek Forest Service Road with gravel surface. From (F), at about 1.5 km turn left onto the Tiger Main logging road branching to the left. Follow this approximately 3 km to the sign-posted crossing of Branch 3000 (“007”) logging road.
Climb up Branch 3000 (“007”) logging road from the Tiger Main crossing.
Pass the top gate to the sign-posted Stunted Growth Trail trailhead.
Trail:
Follows a ridge dropping north off Lake Mountain. A long, technical descent with multiple steep sections and constructed features.
Expert mountain biking trail.
Elevation change: 330m
Length: 1.5km
Biking: Expert
Trailhead:
(C) Mining School Trailhead (2.1 km; +50m & -60m) from downtown:
E. on Columbia Ave 3 blk, L. up Monte Christo St 4 blk, R. down 4th Ave 2 blk, L. on Georgia St keep to R. shortly onto gravel road and along about 1.0 km to end. Kiosk. Limited parking about ˝ km from end.
Trail:
If there is one word to describe this double black diamond trail, it would have to be “Classic.”
Sudden Exposure begins at the Mining School plateau, where a cluster of the KCTS trails begin (and few that aren’t part of the society too!). This is a rocky technical descent. Sudden Exposure is a fully expert trail of the “old school” variety. Home of the legendary “Swet” Drop named after former Rossland local Dave Swetland, it is humbling to remember when you approach this trail that it was established well before 7” travel bikes were the norm. The multiple rock faces, demanding steeps are a testament to the skill and vision of early free ride mountain bikers in Rossland.
Approximately 200m into the trail after the first few rock steeps the rider runs into the “T”. To stay on Sudden Exposure the rider turns right and continues on. There are a few more trail crossings along the way, but keeping to the more direct fall line will keep you aiming in the right direction. At approximately 950m into the trail Sudden Exposure and Spring Cleaning meet. To stay on Sudden the rider remains left. Just a few hundred metres more and you have reached Highway 3B.
{Caution: Do not inadvertently ride out onto the pavement – very busy highway with fast traffic and poor visibility at this crossing point!}.
After crossing the highway the rider meets up with the lower section of Sudden Exposure. This section includes the Tire Eater, a wood decked rock huck to a flat transition that soaks up a tonne of travel if you are so inclined. At 1660m the Sudden Exposure trail meets up with the Wagon Road. From here the rider either turns right and begins the climb up to Rossland, or turns left and descends 1.6km on the Wagon Road & Railgrade to Warfield where you can catch the bus or make use of a shuttle vehicle.
Expert downhill - freeride mountain biking trail.
Elevation change: - 280m
Length: 2.4km
Biking: Expert
Trailhead:
Follow the roads toward (E) Malde Pass:
Set odometer at Km 0.0 at Start Point at Columbia Ave. Washington St. intersection. West on Columbia Ave. 1 block, left down Spokane St., right down LeRoi Ave. 2 blocks, left down Davis St. 4 blocks, left down Victoria Ave. 1 block, angle up right then shortly left down Union Ave. ˝ block, right onto Spokane St. (Km 1.0), continue along south to Gelesz-Drakes Roads junction (Km 2.3), left on Gelesz Road about 200m to (F) Railgrade (left) & Drakes (right) Trailheads (2.5 km; -90m). Continue on Gelesz Road which becomes the Malde Creek Forest Service Road with gravel surface. From (F), at about 1.5 km further pass the Tiger Main logging road branching to the left, and 2.5 km pass the Birch Main logging road branching to the left. At about 3 km from (F) arrive at (E) Malde Pass (approx. 5.5 km; - 100m & +250m) with Whiskey Trailhead (left) and Flume Trailhead (further along on the right).
To reach the Cherry Poppins Trailhead take the Birch Main logging road left (east) off the Malde Creek Forest Service Roadabout 0.5 km before (E) Malde Pass. The Whiskey Trail crosses the Birch Main logging road, and approximately 1 km further along the road from this crossing find the trailhead sign for the Cherry Poppins Trail.
Trail:
Follows Cherry Ridge off Baldy Mountain.
Technical descent with challenging elevated bridges and jumps (watch out for the Cherry Bomb). Crosses Tiger main Road at ˝ way mark, and continues down to Branch 3000 Road, just above the Gas Line Road. Newly constructed trail in 2006, not on current map.