I did a 290 km trip yesterday that ties in with my Choiceland trip from last weekend. If you put the two together into one big loop it will be about 350 km with lots of two track bush roads, some grids, and not much pavement to tie it all together.
If anyone is interested some weekend let me know, it will be about a 7 hour trip, some pretty sandy parts but other than that nice riding and great scenery, a little fishing either Pike, Walleye, or trout several places. The esker is devastated by the storm last year but the road is all cleared now.
The route starts at my house 30 minuites north of Melfort, east through Fort ala Corne, north through the Torch River forest, up Harding road, over the Narrow Hills esker, south down 106 with a stretch of two track along the way, picking up a bush trail in Fort ala Corne just south of Snowden that comes out near the bridge at Wapiti, 5 miles of pavement back to the house.


This is the Torch River forest north of Love and Whitefox, there is a bush trail that follows the River and runs for about 6 miles, sandy trail but fun to ride



This is Harding road, a winding loggin road that runs from north of the Torch River to Narrow Hills



Jacobsen Lake about half way up the Harding Road, a good place for peacefull camping and Pike fishing



The start of the Esker trail (east side)



Falling Horse Lake at the east side of the esker trail



The boat launch at Falling Horse Lake



More of the esker trail


Those on last years Narrow Hills ride will remember the warmup shack at the top of the esker that used to be backdropped with large pines



A few photos at Mackie Lake









Looking out over Crabtree Lake, you could not see this lake at all from the Esker till after last summers storm



Takeoff at Lower Fishing Lake



There is a two track trail that parallels the 106 when you are going south from Lower Fishing to Smeaton, probably about 10 to 15 miles



A good days riding with great weather, scenery, and a few rainbows caught along the way

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I do these things not to escape life but so life does not escape me

Great ride and pics, Snobear. Too bad about that storm on the esker. I can't believe the difference!

I'd like to know where that 2-track is parallelling 106 - I might use it as a bypass for the TCAT instead of heading up 106 from the Harding Road to Lower Fishing Lake. The less slab the better!

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Chris

2017 Versys X
1991 Suzuki TS200R

That must have been an apocalyptic storm! Here's a pic of the shelter from my helmet cam from the ride in May 2011:

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2015 KTM 500 EXC
2008 KTM 990 Adventure S

Wow that picture really tells the story does'nt it.

Kiffer that stretch that runs beside 106 is actually south of Harding road not north to Lower Fishing

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I do these things not to escape life but so life does not escape me

Is the road up the esker open? I am heading up camping with my wife and truck and would like to go up there.

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The guy riding the red farkled up 08 KLR where ever the front wheel goes!

Yes the road is open all the way through. Probably only want to take your truck up to the warm up shack at Grace Lakes though as the rest of the way east is a lot rougher.

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I do these things not to escape life but so life does not escape me

Thanks for the update!

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The guy riding the red farkled up 08 KLR where ever the front wheel goes!