7 Summits Challenge Draws Adventurers from all Over B.C.

The second annual 7 Summits Bike and Hike Challenge in the mountains around Wells and Barkerville is set for September 14.

Riders,
runners and hikers will start at Barkerville and spend the entire day
getting to Wells, after travelling over seven mountains in seven stages
and climbing over 7,000 vertical feet.

Last year's event was epic says event coordinator Dave Jorgenson in his press release about the event.

The fastest time for this wild ride and hike challenge was 11 hours and
involved encounters with rain, snow, sunshine and for some, grizzly
bears.

Riders streamed up the main street of Barkerville and cranked their way to Groundhog Lake at Mount Agnes.

A
short circular hike took them over the summit of Agnes, through a
snowstorm to Bald, and back through an alpine valley to return to their
bikes.

After a steep, and slippery descent down
the Agnes road, riders peeled off across the Lowhee Ditch road to pop
out on Cow Mountain, just above Wells.

Here they
hiked to the summit of Cow before descending to Wells and speeding into
the Bear's Paw Cafe to fuel up on soup and bread, before heading out
into a steady drizzle on their way to Mount Murray.

Dropping
their bikes at the Yellowhawk trailhead, the riders who hadn't
succumbed to the elements, made the long ascent to the summit of
Murray, while their bikes were rinsed off, and moved to the base of
Slide Mountain.

Dense fog, driving horizontal snow
storms, and roaming grizzly bears all made for a challenging crossing
from the summit of Murray to the summit of Slide, but the deed was
done, hikers streamed off the summit of slide and the final biking leg
was begun.

It is the stuff of legends, and the day
ended with sunshine and laughter, and a great meal at the Bear's Paw to
cap it all off.

Everyone arrived back safely and
the legend of the event has spread with participants now signing up for
this year's run from across the province.

Participants planning to be there September 14 include bikers, hikers, and ultra-marathon runners.

This
year's challenge begins on the Friday night, September 12, with a
concert at the Bear's Paw Cafe by the three piece band Wildfire Trio.
Admission is by donation.

The Seven Summits Hike and Bike Challenge entry fee is $30 and includes cool swag, but not meals.

All
profit from the event goes to support the Friends of Barkerville, whose
hard work has helped to preserve most of the historic trails on which
the ride takes place.

For more information,
pictures, maps and registration forms visit
www.whitegold.ca/biking.html or email 7summitschallenge@gmail.com