York with a Fork - School of Rock Whistling PostCross the pipeline, turn right (east) along the...
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York with a Fork - School of Rock – Whistling Post Last updated: 2013.05.31 Caution: This is an unofficial trail - ride at your own risk. Inspect all man-made technical features before riding. UROC assumes no responsibility for maintaining this trail. Type: Downhill singletrack accessed by climbing old mine and logging roads Tech. Difficulty: Intermediate except for steep rock faces, log bridges, and rock ledges which can be bypassed Distance: 19.4 km loop, 7.3 km on singletrack; 12.1 km on old mine roads and OHV trails. Duration: 2.0 to 2.5 hours to complete loop starting in Coleman. Land Agency: Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development (AESRD) and private land Start/Finish: Coleman at 81 St. and railway tracks Directions: See map for locations referenced by [xx] in the directions. There are no direction or location signs on the singletrack trail. JP45 to JP49 refer to designated junction points on the Castle Special Management Area map and small orange signs on the OHV trails. Cross the railway tracks [1] in Coleman at 81 St., turn west, cross the bridge over Nez Perce Creek and go around a gate into the old Coleman Collieries. Head west 0.9 km along the Crowsnest River to a wooden [Bridge]. This section of trail is part of the Community Trail. Cross the [Bridge] and turn left up an old mine road, or, alternately, a singletrack along the south side of the Crowsnest River. Stop and check the end of the Whistling Post trail immediately east of an old conveyor near the bridge. Decide if and how you will ride the Expert level drop at the end of this trail. If you are not sure how you should ride this drop, plan on riding or walking around it. Do not attempt under windy conditions since getting blown off line could cause a bad crash. Continue 0.65 km east to the York Creek Road. Head right (south) up York Creek Rd. After crossing a [Cattle Guard] turn right on the pipeline to follow OHV trails and some single track before rejoining the York Creek Rd. At [18], turn left (south) on the second OHV trail you pass, just before the pipeline climbs a steep rocky hill. Continue south and keep right on a short singletrack at [17]. When the singletrack meets an OHV trail in a recent cutblock, keep left until you meet the York Creek Rd. at [14]. Option: Skip York with a Fork and turn right, cross the cutblock to [16], and climb the OHV trail to [15] to reach the top of School of Rock. Follow the York Creek Road past [JP47]. Cross the yellow bridge at [JP46] and continue ~1.1 km on the main road as it switchbacks uphill past a connector from York with a Fork singletrack at [13] and on to [JP45]. Keep left at [JP45] and ride ~1.7 km up through the abandoned York Creek Mine past [10]. Cross a small creek at a berm on the road near water-filled pits in the old mine. After climbing a further ~250 m past the creek and berm, or ~1.7 km from [JP45], turn sharply left (north) at [11] on to singletrack which climbs gently along the ridge east of the old mine before descending. There are multiple braided trails on the descent. The best route is usually the singletrack that follows the least steep route. The trail enters a clearing, turns right (east) and crosses a cutline. After a series of switchbacks there is an exit option that connects across a small creek to the York Creek Rd. at the switchback [13]. The trail continues northwest with a bit of climbing and follows a ridge south of York Creek, then descends past some huge rocks to the OHV trail and bridge over York Creek at [JP49]. Climb west up the OHV trail from [JP49] to [JP47] on the York Creek Road.
Transcript of York with a Fork - School of Rock Whistling PostCross the pipeline, turn right (east) along the...
York with a Fork - School of Rock – Whistling Post
Last updated: 2013.05.31
Caution: This is an unofficial trail - ride at your own risk. Inspect all man-made technical features before riding. UROC assumes no responsibility for maintaining this trail.
Type: Downhill singletrack accessed by climbing old mine and logging roads
Tech. Difficulty: Intermediate except for steep rock faces, log bridges, and rock ledges which can be bypassed
Distance: 19.4 km loop, 7.3 km on singletrack; 12.1 km on old mine roads and OHV trails.
Duration: 2.0 to 2.5 hours to complete loop starting in Coleman.
Land Agency: Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development (AESRD) and private land
Start/Finish: Coleman at 81 St. and railway tracks
Directions: See map for locations referenced by [xx] in the directions. There are no direction or location signs on the
singletrack trail. JP45 to JP49 refer to designated junction points on the Castle Special Management Area map and
small orange signs on the OHV trails.
Cross the railway tracks [1] in Coleman at 81 St., turn west, cross the bridge over Nez Perce Creek and go
around a gate into the old Coleman Collieries. Head west 0.9 km along the Crowsnest River to a wooden
[Bridge]. This section of trail is part of the Community Trail.
Cross the [Bridge] and turn left up an old mine road, or, alternately, a singletrack along the south side of the
Crowsnest River. Stop and check the end of the Whistling Post trail immediately east of an old conveyor near
the bridge. Decide if and how you will ride the Expert level drop at the end of this trail. If you are not sure how
you should ride this drop, plan on riding or walking around it. Do not attempt under windy conditions since
getting blown off line could cause a bad crash. Continue 0.65 km east to the York Creek Road.
Head right (south) up York Creek Rd. After crossing a [Cattle Guard] turn right on the pipeline to follow OHV
trails and some single track before rejoining the York Creek Rd. At [18], turn left (south) on the second OHV
trail you pass, just before the pipeline climbs a steep rocky hill.
Continue south and keep right on a short singletrack at [17]. When the singletrack meets an OHV trail in a
recent cutblock, keep left until you meet the York Creek Rd. at [14]. Option: Skip York with a Fork and turn
right, cross the cutblock to [16], and climb the OHV trail to [15] to reach the top of School of Rock.
Follow the York Creek Road past [JP47]. Cross the yellow bridge at [JP46] and continue ~1.1 km on the main
road as it switchbacks uphill past a connector from York with a Fork singletrack at [13] and on to [JP45].
Keep left at [JP45] and ride ~1.7 km up through the abandoned York Creek Mine past [10]. Cross a small creek
at a berm on the road near water-filled pits in the old mine.
After climbing a further ~250 m past the creek and berm, or ~1.7 km from [JP45], turn sharply left (north) at
[11] on to singletrack which climbs gently along the ridge east of the old mine before descending.
There are multiple braided trails on the descent. The best route is usually the singletrack that follows the least
steep route.
The trail enters a clearing, turns right (east) and crosses a cutline.
After a series of switchbacks there is an exit option that connects across a small creek to the York Creek Rd. at
the switchback [13].
The trail continues northwest with a bit of climbing and follows a ridge south of York Creek, then descends
past some huge rocks to the OHV trail and bridge over York Creek at [JP49].
Climb west up the OHV trail from [JP49] to [JP47] on the York Creek Road.
York with a Fork - School of Rock – Whistling Post
Last updated: 2013.05.31
If continuing to School of Rock, turn left (south). Alternatively, Upper School of Rock can be skipped by
descending the York Creek Rd. back to [14] and crossing the cutblock to [16], then continuing down lower
School of Rock and Whistling Post
For upper School of Rock, stay on York Creek Rd. for about 350 m, then turn right (west) at the cutblock [21]
before the road descends to the bridge [JP46]. Follow the logging trail up through the cutblock, heading for
the second ridge west of the road. When the logging track ends, a steep rough singletrack continues up
through the cutblock, cutting into the forest for part of the climb. Just after re-entering the forest beyond the
cutblock and before descending on an OHV trail, turn sharply right (east) on singletrack at [15].
The singletrack trail loops through the cutblock around the south end of a ridge past a good viewpoint looking
at east past the ridge that York with a Fork is on, and then climbs slightly to the trail high point on a rocky
ridge. Descend north from here on single track along the west flank of the ridge.
The trail crosses some wooden technical trail features. Most have ride-arounds. Check the features before
riding and bypass if you have any doubts about their construction or ridability. There are several optional lines
around or over various rock features as the trail continues down to the cutblock at [40]. Below the cut block
there are multiple singletracks through the forest, but all lead down to the pipeline. The middle route is the
easiest.
Cross the pipeline, turn right (east) along the fence and cross the fence at a gate and sign indicating private
property (bicycles allowed). A steel post here whistles in the wind, giving the trail its name. The next 1.0 km
section of singletrack crosses a grassy coal tailings slope and then passes an abandoned brick building known
as the Kenworth Shop. Below the building watch for three technical drops including the one you examined on
the way up. Bypass them if you are not confident in their ridability. Keep the wheels on the ground if it is
windy.
Return to the starting point over the wooden bridge and along the trail north of the river.
Download GPS file: Crowsnest Area .GPX files (Trail_GPS.zip)
York with a Fork - School of Rock – Whistling Post
Last updated: 2013.05.31
School of Rock – lower end of ridge
School of Rock – alternate line descending a rock face – main route stays on top of ridge
York with a Fork - School of Rock – Whistling Post
Last updated: 2013.05.31
Legend
Vertical profile for entire loop
road unpaved road (by GPS) unpaved road (base map) off-highway vehicle trail biking/hiking trail
