Thursday, December 22, 2011

Another Look from Beautiful Blackjack Ridge

I went up Blackjack Ridge again today.  I've been wanting to tryout the longer trail that travels along the length of the ridge because it looks like the views would be pretty spectacular from up there.

Here's today's route:

Entered trails from Weigles Road entrance (left to right).  (Click to enlarge).
 

It was really bloody cold out there today.  I met snow near the top of the ridge and chickened out from completing the route as intended, stopping instead to take panoramic photos SW from the ridge.  My original plan had been to go beyond the longer purple line above by about 1.5km.  That would have taken me to the best viewpoint on the ridge.  I really want to check out the rest of the route when the snow melts, although I have a feeling it's going to be white for a while up there.

Snow!!  Pretty nasty in places too.  Perfect for slowing the riding down a tad.  There was just enough gravel here and there to avoid the ice patches.

As high as I got today.  (End of the purple line on route map).
  
SW facing, 180 Panoramic from the ridge (Magenta line on route)
 
Overlooking Blackjack Lake... Facing SW.  (Magenta trail on the route).
 
180 degree panoramic image (low res) made from a video I took.  (Magenta trail on the route).
Same trail
With all this snow around, I had to get a couple of shots of Round Lake frozen over, so I flew over in that direction before the sun got too low.

Round Lake frozen over.  Hard as rock... I bounced several fairly large rocks across it.

Terrific ride!

Saw two large 4x4 trucks coming through the tank traps on the way out.  Very impressive.  How they got those things through there is anyone's guess.

Oops, almost forgot the 3D anaglyph shots for the dorks with the red/cyan glasses!  Here's two:

Looking SW from Blackjack Ridge.  (Needs red/cyan 3D glasses).

Looking SW from Blackjack Ridge.  (Needs red/cyan 3D glasses).

3 comments:

  1. Thanks Andy. Very interesting to look at and I used my 'funny glasses' for the first time on your last 2 photos! Merry Christmas to you both.

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  2. Awesome ride! If I ever venture that far north, I'll look you up. I've been wanting to head up to Canada to ride the KVR for a while ... maybe in the next couple of years.

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  3. It would be great to head out for a ride if you ever headed up this way Terry.

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