The annual Solstice Ride and Hike hosted by the Wells Gray Outdoors Club (WGOC) at the Candle Creek trail network was held on the evening of Friday, June 21.
The enjoyable evening event has been growing in popularity over the years, with well over 50 people taking part in this year’s event, said Jean Nelson of Clearwater.
“It was a great ride and many more hangers-on than the participants attending,” she noted. “The weather was perfect and the trails iwere n fine condition.”
WGOC member Aaron Cooperman, who is on the Trails Committee, said “We had such a great evening for the ride, with Backcountry Bowls from Clearwater providing the delicious food, live music, and Three Ranges Brewery from Valemount donating a keg of beer for the thirsty crowd. Wells Gray Outfitters was on hand with demo bikes for people to try out as well.
“Our members hosted group rides during the evening event, and it was a really fun time for everyone.”
Cooperman told the Clearwater Times that the Wells Gray Outdoors Club manages over 30 kilometres of groomed cross country ski trails in the winter, and more than 30 kilometres of multi-use mountain bike trails in the summer.
Nelson, a long-time member of the WGOC, said “Backcountry Bowls served up the finest vegan Nanaimo bars ever invented in my opinion! The evening was filled with music from a number of very talented local musicians from the valley. We ‘Clearwaterites’ are indeed blessed to live where the terrain and the people offer such opportunities. Anyone who didn’t join in has only one more year to wait for the next Solstice Ride and Hike.”
There are approximately 32 kilometres of mountain biking trails in the Candle Creek network, which offer a full range of riding options that can be tackled in either direction. The trails are marked for difficulty, with green indicating a family-friendly riding trail, blue indicating a more challenging ride, and black indicating the most difficult terrain.
To reach the trails, travel Highway 5 for about two kilometres past the Wells Gray Visitor Info Centre and turn left onto Candle Creek Road. Once on Candle Creek Road travel for another two kilometres, and turn right on Barber Road to find the trail network parking lot at the end.
The WGOC is a non-profit organization that provides opportunities for connecting people with outdoor recreation, and the group welcomes new members and sponsors. Memberships are available online at https://www.wellsgrayoutdoorsclub.ca/become-a-member.
