Kooy Rail Trail Adventure'25

This morning we woke up and packed up the tent and car and left the car at the Campground while we did our ride today. The owner of the Skands Campground was so nice and allowed us to stay parked for the day. We rode straight across the highway just up from our Campground to Fife Rd. and climbed the steep switchbacks for 2 km to Fife Station. It was a tough way to start the day 🥵 At Fife Station we chatted with 2 cyclists who stayed the night in Fife Station. The man had started his travels in Patagonia and once in Canada is cycling to Vancouver. He met his travel companion in the Rockies. She is from Germany and had cycled the Sunshine Coast and North Island. We may see them tomorrow as we head back towards Greenwood from Midway. Today we saw the Fife, Baker, Lafferty, Coryell, Gladstone, Paulson and Santa Rosa Stations along our ride to Paulson Summit. We had various historical signboards to read (welcome breaks on the 26 km steady climb), and spotted many railway and mining remnants ( rail spikes, rail cars, aquaduct, rail tracks, original station buildings, bases for the old water towers, tunnel). This area has an interesting history and we are seeing such a beautiful and new perspective of the Kootenay's. We saw wild turkeys , chipmunks, several deer and a buck today. We saw more cyclists today, 2 men on four-wheelers, 3 men on motorcycles and 2 forestry trucks parked. We had one short tunnel just before we rode under the blue bridge near Paulson Summit. This is the bridge West out of Christina Lake before Nancy Green Summit on route to Castlegar by car. The air was much cooler today, a very typical Fall day. It was quite cold in the shade and beautiful in the sun, but we needed layers with the cool breeze. We enjoyed the picnic tables at our break spot and at Paulson Summit where we basked in the sun while enjoying lunch. The ride back was cold, but quick on the downhill run. It still requires pedaling, but much easier on the legs!! Our hands and wrists get tired and a bit numb with the vibrating
From the dashboards and rocks. We went 5 km further past our start point at Fife to Santa Rosa Station. It provided views of Crowsnest hwy. and the town of Christina Lake. Once back down on Crowsnest hwy. We could see the sections we just rode way above the hwy. The trestles have been filled in with walls but while on the trail we figured they may have marked those areas with false railings so you know that's where they were. The views of Christina Lake were beautiful and we couldn't believe how far above Crowsnest hwy we were at times. The trail is not without its dangers with lots of potential falling rock areas, sharp rocks to ride over, and the focus needed on the downhills. Upon our return to the car after 57 km, we drove to get dinner, then on to Greenwood to charge the car and pick up a hot drink and dessert before driving to our new campsite in Midway. We set up, played some Phase ten, then called it a night. Another fantastic day.Read more