As I was climbing the Screamer on my way to Hummingbird Plume, I heard heavy breathing behind me. It’s a very steep trail and I was going much too slow to outrun a bear, so with trepidation I turned around to look.
This friendly dog appeared from nowhere on the Screamer
I was relieved to see a friendly and curious dog a few metres behind me. I waited a few minutes, thinking it belonged to a hiker, but no one ever showed up. I expect it belonged to a worker at Nakiska which is only a few metres away from the trail I was on. When I resumed my bike ride, the dog disappeared into the forest in the direction of Nakiska.
I thoroughly enjoy Skogan Pass whether biking or skiing
This was one of those extraordinary days where everything was perfect. The weather, the trail conditions, the fall colours, the spectacular scenery, and a trail where I didn’t have to dismount, not even once! Seeing the dog was also a pleasant surprise.
The only thing better than this is when I can ski up to Hummingbird Plume!
Hummingbird Plume lookout
The trails I took to reach Hummingbird Plume were Stoney, Hay Meadow, Ruthie’s, Skogan Pass, and Sunburst. I added a little variety on the way back and took High Level.
All these trails are wonderful for sissy mountain bikers like me. They’re wide, rock-free, and root-free. The only thing that might stand in the way of a novice biker is the relentless climbing. It’s 420 metres of net elevation over 6.3K distance. Very steep, but if I can make it to the top without dismounting, it can’t be that difficult!
