Vernon ATV Club

2021 AGM – 6:30pm Friday December 3

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Location:         J-Ball Electronics, Unit 5, 4320 29th Street (see map below)
Doors Open:   6:00pm
AGM Starts:    6:30pm Sharp!

Thank you to all club members who answered our AGM survey! A large number of you are available this Friday evening, so we will be holding a hybrid meeting in-person and online via Zoom. 

Click here to register to attend in-person or online via Zoom

Those Attending In-Person:

  • Must show proof of full vaccination (two doses)
  • Remain seated except to go to the food area or use washroom facilities
  • Bring a chair for each person attending
  • Are invited to remain after the AGM to catch up with others in attendance

Those Attending via Zoom:

  • The meeting link will be shared with you by email
  • Identify yourself when joining the meeting so you can be admitted by the admin

Attendance in-person is limited to 35 people, priority will be given to Vernon ATV Club members to ensure we achieve a quorum for voting purposes. Non-members are invited but will not be able to vote.

Food and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided. Please advise if you have any special dietary needs and we will do our best to accommodate them.

Please register by 9:00pm Thursday, December 2, 2021.

Please contact the club by phone at 250-550-5290 or email info@vernonatvclub.ca if you have any questions.

J-Ball Electronics is located in the lane that runs from 43rd Avenue between Roko Service and Banner Recreation, north to where the lane joins 29th Street by the Canada Water Depot.

Click here for a Google Map

Pinaus Lake Ponder

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Ride Recap

Know the motor vehicle closures and where you can legally ride. We used Avenza Maps app to display the Whiterock Lake georeferenced closure map provided by the Ministry of Forests to ensure we did not enter the motor vehicle closure area.

11 quads and side x sides came out despite the weatherman’s warnings of a yucky day. The first destination was the top of Tuktakamin Mountain to enjoy the view but the mountaintop was shrouded in clouds and blowing snow.

After a few short minutes at 1775m atop ‘Tuk’ riders carefully worked their way down the slippery roads near the summit which were quickly replaced by some really fun roads and trails that were new to ride leader Allen.

A quick stop at the main rec site on Pinaus Lake before heading to Little Pinaus for lunch. A lone moose was browsing the far shoreline on Little Pinaus while we enjoyed our campfire lunch.

A great loop of the hillside south of Little Pinaus took riders on fun trails and up/down some challenging sections of trail where the hillside is slumping away. With the fun trail riding done it was time to head home. It was great to see some new faces and thank you ride leader Allen and tail gunner Claus for another fun day on the trails!

A friendly local rancher stopped as we were loading up to ensure we were staying out of the closure area. He also shared stories of the challenges of the summer fire season which included losing 15 head of cattle in the fires and having to pasture his cattle on his hay fields meaning the loss of 500+ bales that would normally come off the field.

10:00am start Saturday, November 6

1km Ingram Creek FSR (see map below!)

The Pinaus Lake area was closed during/after the Whiterock Lake Fire so we were pleasantly surprised when reviewing the motor vehicle closure maps that we could legally ride to Pinaus Lake. In addition to Pinaus Lake we will visit Tuktakamin Mountain a number of smaller lakes and be able to see the fire damaged areas.

IMPORTANT – Ingram Creek FSR is also called Pinaus Lake Road but some maps also call another road Pinaus Lake Road. WE ARE NOT MEETING AT THE MEAT PROCESSING PLANT!!!! If you are at the meat processing plant get back on the highway for 2.5kms toward Westwold then turn left onto Ingram Creek/Pinaus Lake road.

Join the Vernon Convoy
Leaving the Tim Horton’s on 58th Avenue in Vernon at 8:45am.

Staging
Drive 1km up Ingram Creek FSR, park and unload where the road widens.

Trail Difficulty
We will encounter intermediate level difficulty trails and speeds up to 60kmh on the FSR. A single tank of fuel will be sufficient.

What to Bring

  • It’s November in the mountains so come prepared for all conditions.
  • Food and drink for a day of riding.
  • Your standard ATV emergency kit.
  • A chainsaw or handsaw.

Lunch
We’ll have a fire at our lunch break to warm up or roast your lunch goodies.

Bathroom Breaks
We will stop at or pass by at least one recreation site during the ride.

Viewpoints and Breaks
We will stop at viewpoints plus a couple of short breaks for snacks and a longer lunch break.

Vernon ATV Club and events are open to everyone, we encourage new riders to come out for a couple of rides to meet club members, find new trails and get a sense of the club before joining.

Halloween Ride, Costume Contest & GPS Candy Hunt

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Ride Recap
We couldn’t have asked for a better day with perfect blue skies and smiling faces.

19 machines and 25 riders did the morning tour that started from 2km on Noble Canyon Road and wandered over toward Dixon Dam then back along the western road before stopping to take in the amazing view over the Coldstream valley and City of Vernon.

Next stop was lunch at The Ponds recreation site followed by the fashion show, awarding of prizes then a quick ride back down to 2km.

Ride Leader Steve was back for his first ride in several months, he took the riders looking for a bit more adventure on one of his favourite rides to Cactus Ridge where the group debated just sitting and enjoying the view and sun for a few hours.

After a few minutes riders were restless again so the group headed east to complete the loop around Bardolph Lake and home.

View and download the track for this ride on Polaris Ride Command.

9:30am start Sunday October 31 @ Noble Canyon Road

It’s a ride, a halloween costume contest and a GPS challenge to find the hidden candy all in one! Come as you are or come in costume, it will be a fun day on the mountain.

Please email info@vernonatvclub.ca by 5:00pm Saturday if you’re coming so we have enough food for everyone.

Starting a bit earlier with the 9:30am safety meeting followed by the costume catwalk then off on a ride to a secret location where you use your GPS to find the hidden candies.

Come back from your candy hunt for a BBQ lunch then we head back down and home with plenty of time to get ready for trick or treating with the kiddies.

Prizes for those participating in the costume contest and the GPS candy hunt.

From Vernon: 12.5km east from Aberdeen Road to Noble Canyon Road on Highway 6
Entering Lavington there is a PetroCanada station on the right, it’s 2.5kms from here to turning left onto Noble Canyon Road. We’re staging at 2km up Noble Canyon Road, just after crossing the bridge find a parking spot along the road.

There are outhouse facilities at the Ponds Recreation site where we’ll be stopping for lunch.

Trails are beginner to intermediate difficulty, if you’re a newer ride please talk to us before the ride so we can plan accordingly and pair you up with more experienced riders. Speeds may reach up to 60kmh on the Forest Service Road sections.

A single tank of fuel will be sufficient for the entire day.

Vernon ATV Club events are open to everyone, invite your friends and enjoy a fun day on the trails!

Howl at the Hunter’s Moon Night Ride

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Ride Recap

The forecast said the rain would ease off in the afternoon but the rain persisted through the night. That didn’t stop 10 machines and 15 riders from donning their wet weather gear to hit the trails.

Wet and dark so just this staging area photo!

Thanks to ride leader Allen for co-piloting in the side x side while his arm is healing, Allen knows the Mt Ida trails better than anyone which made for an awesome mix of FSR and tight and twisty trail.

From the Deep Creek Road staging the ride headed south on the FSR in challenging misty conditions with foggy goggles before ducking off on a newer cut block road which joins onto the trail to Silver Creek. A short break at Silver Creek then back on the trails past the lake, down the powerlines then back on the FSR to staging.

We discussed navigation tools and I promised to share the trail and discount links for GaiaGPS:

6:30pm start Friday October 22

Starting from the Deep Creek Road staging area at Mt Ida, the goal of this ride is to hit the trails to enjoy the recent full moon (Wednesday), take in the amazing views of the city of Salmon Arm and tell stories around the campfire.

The forecast currently is calling for rain Friday night so come prepared for all conditions.

Night riding adds an element of difficulty so you need to be sure your lights are working and be confident in your abilities to tackle this ride. The trails aren’t that difficult but things sneak up on you in the dark.

There are a couple of outhouse facilities at Mt Ida, we’re not sure if we’ll be passing them so come equipped to do your business in the bushes.

The ride will be 2-4 hours and a single tank of fuel will be sufficient.

If you have any questions contact the club at info@vernonatvclub.ca

Saturday & Monday Thanksgiving Rides

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Ride Recap

Two fun rides on the Thanksgiving long weekend.
The Saturday ride visiting the Trinity Ricardo trail network north of Silver Star Provincial Park. After slogging through a tight trail tangled with blowdown and alder, the ride stopped at the Vernon Snowmobile Association Armstrong Cabin for lunch. After lunch the ride continued to the park boundary then back along the snowmobile trails to the Slide Trail with the ginormous rock overhanging the trail (check Vernon ATV Trail Riders group for photos).

The Monday ride’s mission was to summit Terrace Mountain then wander the area trails. After riding through increasingly larger road deactivations the group finally was at the base of Terrace Mountain, a quick squirt up the switchbacks took the group to the top for a spectacular 360 degree view. Fortunately the sun poked through a few times and the wind stayed down enough to remain atop Terrace Mountain to enjoy the view before descending to continue the ride to explore area FSR and old logging roads.

10:00am Start Saturday for Trinity Ricardo Ride

Trinity Ricardo is a trail network to the north of Silver Star Provincial Park accessed from Trinity Road in the summer and used as snowmobile trails from within the park in the winter.

A convoy will be leaving the Tim Hortons on 58th Avenue across from Walmart Vernon at 8:30am, the next stop is the Enderby Chamber of Commerce at 700 Railway Street. Leaving the Enderby Chamber of Commerce at 9:15am for the gravel pit staging area on Durnin Road. The preride safety meeting will start at 10:00am. Map to meeting locations and staging.

Trinity Ricard reaches 1800m elevation so we may encounter cold, wet and even snowy conditions so come prepared for all conditions.

A single tank of fuel will be more than enough for this ride, trail difficulty will range from beginner to intermediate with speeds reaching up to 50kmh on FSR.

We will be stopping at the Vernon Snowmobile Association Armstrong cabin that has an outhouse.

Pack a lunch, this will be a leisurely ride with a few stops and opportunities to enjoy the views along the way. The ride should be wrapped up by 4:00pm.

10:00am Start Monday for Westside Road Ride

NOTE: Thank you to the BC Wildfire service for discussing our request to access the Whiterock Lake fire closure area. Our request has been declined so we are moving this ride a little further south to Terrace Mountain which is outside the fire closure area.

Our usual convoy leaves the Tim Horton’son 58th Avenue across from Walmart Vernon at 8:30am for Terrace Mountain Road on the Westside. We will wait at the bottom of Terrace Mountain Road (just past the LaCasa Resort development) until 9:15am then will drive up until we find a suitable area to park and unload safely along the road, the preride safety meeting starts at 10:00am. Map of meeting location to Terrace Mountain Road.

Ride speed with reach up to 50kmh on Forest Service Roads, ride difficulty will be beginner to intermediate with assistance should we encounter difficult obstacles. We may pass recreation sites with outhouse facilities so plan accordingly.

Come prepared for all weather, bring a lunch and your camera as there are lots of vantages and viewpoints along the ride.

Bring extra fuel as we’d like to explore a loop so we’re not riding the same roads/trails on the way out and back. The plan is to be back at the staging area by 5:00pm.

Fly Hills – Save Your Photos Day Ride

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10:00am start Sunday September 26

Check the maps below for directions, the Salmon Arm Snowblazers parking lot isn’t easy to find so study the map or join the convoy leaving Tim Horton’s on 58th Street Vernon at 8:30am.

This is going to be a slightly faster ride with speeds up to 80kmh on open Forest Service Roads and a pace of 30-50kmh on trails. If you’re not able to maintain 30-50kmh on trails please check back for future rides to attend.

The Fly Hills has an amazing variety of trails and numerous viewpoints.

When
Join the convoy leaving Tim Hortons on 58th Street Vernon at 8:30am. We are aiming to have our pre-ride safety meeting and being ready to ride at 10:00am.

Where
The Salmon Arm Snowblazers trail system staging area we’re using is west of Salmon Arm. Please review the map below or join the convoy leaving Vernon at 8:30am.

Trail Difficulty Rating
Intermediate level and above riders will enjoy this ride which combines a mix of Forest Service Road, old logging/skid trails and snowmobile trails.

Ride Speed
Speeds will reach up to 80kmh on open Forest Service Roads and will be at a sustained 30-50kmh on trail sections. Please skip this ride if you can’t do this speed, there will be more leisurely rides in the coming weeks.

Trailside Bathrooms
We are riding past a few recreation sites and snowmobile cabins for those needing an outhouse.

Viewpoints and Breaks
There will be a few breaks to take in the views, for snacks and a longer lunch break with a campfire so bring something to toast over the fire.

What to Bring

  • Food and drink for a day riding
  • Clothes for all weather conditions, we ride in all conditions!
  • Your standard ATV emergency supplies
  • A chainsaw or handsaw, we haven’t ridden here all summer so there may be trees down.
  • A single tank of fuel will be adequate for the entire ride.

Vernon ATV Club and events are open to everyone, we encourage new riders to come out for a couple of rides to meet club members, find new trails and get a sense of the club before joining.

Great First Ride Back!

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Mara Mountain Lookout is always a great ride, 19 machines came out for the first ride back after the extended self-enforced shutdown during the extreme fire danger risk this summer.

The weather didn’t look great but the dark clouds held onto their contents and the temperature was warm enough for an extended stay atop the windy lookout.

After a quick safety meeting and discussion about the importance of staying on the trail in the alpine the group climbed to the 2,240m (7,350′) elevation at the old fire lookout. Thanks to David and Alex for placing the PLEASE STAY ON TRAIL signs to help spread the message of the importance of staying on the trail in the alpine.

What’s Next, Where to Ride?

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Our ride leaders are either busy or recovering from injuries for the next weekend or two so there probably won’t be any organized club rides so head over to the Vernon ATV Trail Riders Facebook Group. The group is a great way to ask questions, share photos and meet up with other riders looking to head out on the trails.

Try these rides

Create a free account on GaiaGPS to download the GPX files (or a discount on Gaia GPS Premium for extra features) for these rides, load the files on your GPS then get out there.

The Epic 250 isn’t for everyone but it isn’t as long as it sounds. Starting from King Eddy staging with 20 litres (or more) of extra fuel, we did it in just under 10 hours with several stops and a maximum speed of around 60kmh.

Skimikin Lake (parking lot before entering the campground) northwest of Salmon Arm is the staging area for this fun ride that accesses a vast trail network of forest service roads and snowmobile trails.

Mt Ida is northwest of Enderby on Deep Creek Road and has an amazing network of trails with views of Salmon Arm and Shuswap lake and diverse trails from rainforest cedars to Okanagan dryland fir/pine forest and everything in between.

Trinity Ricardo Trail Network is a hidden gem that takes riders up to the Silver Star Park Boundary (no ATVs in the park!). Tolko is logging in this area so weekday riding is not advised and watch as they may be logging on weekends with winter on the way.

Mara Mountain Ride – Sunday September 5

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Mara Mountain let the voting for the first ride back of fall. Other rides were close so watch for those areas in coming weeks.

There are multiple meeting points and a new staging area so read on.

  1. Departing Tim Horton’s on 58th Avenue across from Walmart at 8:45am
  2. Departing the Enderby Chamber of Commerce at 700 Railway Street at 9:30am
  3. Departing Beattie Road staging at 10:30am

Directions & map to Beattie Road staging (written directions below)

NOTE FOR WIDE SIDE X SIDES
If you ride a wider side x side you may need to do some trail trimming to fit the first section of trail. By starting on Beattie Road we cut out the first section of road riding and replace it with great trail but it is grown in some spots so if you’re 64″ plus bring a chainsaw.

RIDING OFF THE TRAIL
There is zero tolerance for off trail riding on this ride. The area has seen an increase in off trail riders and is on the BC Government’s radar which means it is in danger of closure. The ride rules will be explained at the pre-ride meeting.

Trail Difficulty Rating – Intermediate
The lower portions of the ride are on FSR, as we climb into the alpine the trail becomes much rougher due to exposed rocks. There is one point on the trail where there is a short rock ledge which most people climb over easily, there will be spotters in place to assist less experienced riders should they need assistance.

Come Prepared for All Conditions
The Vernon ATV Club rides go ahead regardless of conditions so come ready for sun, wind, rain and at this elevation it may even snow. If it’s nasty and cold we likely won’t go up to the lookout and will explore the trails at the north end of Mabel Lake.

Detailed Driving Directions
A convoy leaves the Vernon Tim Hortons on 58th Avenue opposite Walmart at 8:45am heading to Enderby.

Leaving the Enderby Chamber of Commerce on 700 Railway Avenue at 9:30am we head east on Enderby Mabel Lake Road for 34 kms where we turn right onto Beattie Road then continue another 3km to where it becomes a Forest Service Road where we can park.

Everyone is welcome, the Vernon ATV Club encourages quad and side x side riders to attend up to 3 rides to meet other riders, find new trails and get a sense of what the club is all about. We’re sure you’ll like the club and want to join!

GPS Training

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6:00pm Saturday, July 14 – Lane behind Banner Recreation

Most riders have parked their machines until these dry forest conditions pass so why not improve your GPS navigation skills with all the extra time on your hands?

*** RSVP for the training course by noon Saturday July 17 by emailing info@vernonatvclub.ca. ***

If we don’t get enough interest we won’t run the course so email if you want to attend!

What to bring:

  1. lawn chair
  2. GPS (or GPS App on your smart phone)
  3. Laptop and USB cable for your GPS if you use a Garmin GPS

We’ll meet for a couple of hours in the lane behind Banner Recreation that runs from Roko Electric to Canada Water Depot.

No ATV required, this is a classroom course. See the map for course location.