Marshall Lake: Bears, Broken Bridges, and Beyond...

I had a great ride today trying a little of everything.  First, I did the power lines to Rhododendon lake, where the Rhodo's are just starting to think about blooming.  It was a gorgeous day, and I made it in one hour exactly from my door to the lake.  When I got there, large trout were jumping everywhere.  Unlike Kidney and Boomerang, these were monsters with a decent bassy thump when the "kippered" down back onto the surface.  The lake was non stop with three or four simultaneous jumps, slaps and rings at any given time.  The fish were aggressively leaping and breaking the surface after a fresh hatch of black lacey flies with two long prongs trailing behind the abdomen, and they were everywhere.  So you can imagine, that it was the most singlehandedly frustrating experience to be at the lake for 1.5 hours and not have bite!  The fish were jumping within 40 feet of the shore, most around the typical location where I fish from, and despite some 14 inch monsters following my (many different) lures in, nary a bite I got.  I left the lake with the action still in full swing, shaking my head and wondering how such big fish can live in such a small lake.  Wise fish.

Rhododendrons just starting to crack some flame...Look like they'll be gorgeous soon...

It was hot enough that I was riding in a tee shirt and armour...Fabulous weather!

But this was just a side show for today's ride, and at about 2:30 I packed it in, knowing that I just wasn't going to get a kipper today and headed off for some more adventure.

I had decided to find what I thought was an unnamed lake on Google that is enroute to Mount Moriarti; although, I knew it wasn't Moriati Lake, which is further east.  So leaving Rhodo and heading north and not taking the route east leading back along the power lines, I made my way to the 155 - The Englishman River Main.  This is an easy ride with speeds of 70 and 80 easily maintained.  I saw one other rider all day, and he was on a 2 stroke KTM coming the other way on this stretch. Just prior to the last bridge on this main BEFORE turning right over the next bridge and crossing the Englishman, is Branch 146.  Take it.  It will take you on a nice circle route up to the lake.  The first part of the trail is very small, but easy, with the occasional bouldery section which, if taken slowly is a piece of cheese  cake.  You then take a right fork through a heavily wooded section where there are many alders down over the trail.  Eventually, you come to this...

Excuse the wide angle nature of these shots, they're taken with a GoPro, and both distort and, in video, reduce apparent speed...But I like the clarity compared to the iPhone...  This is an old abandoned bridge which is safe to walk on, and now, I know is also safe to ride over.  The bridge spans Moriarti Creek, a beautiful clear and fast flowing creek with some serious power.  A bit like Suzi Q!

Shortly after crossing the bridge, take right fork then 100m or so later, take the left.  This is where you start some serious elevation climbing.  Eventually, after traversing some good trails, steep grades and the occasional boulder strewn bounce fest, you start to notice snow and serious vistas.  In particular, on your left, you will notice a black hole-like cavity in the landscape.  This is Marshall Lake.  Basically, at every junction, as illustrated, you go right.

As we got higher (that's me and Suzi - amazing how inanimate objects can become very important when you're all alone in the alpine...) we crested the snow level, but it wasn't too bad and after a couple of patches made it easily.

The lake was placid and fishing would have been nigh-on impossible from the little opening I found.  However, once the snow has melted some more, there is great access on a road that circles the lake; there were some spots that looked deep and rocky on the other side.  The lake is gorgeous, but I imagine, being a snow-melt fed tarn and shaded by the large peaks around it, it's cold...  There was no sign of any fish rises yet...

Enroute down, I decided to take a different route that I saw just after the rotten bridge.  It was on this route, after noticing fresh bear scat since leaving the Englishman Main prior to my ascent, that I came face to face with a beautiful big blue/black bear.  It was huge and in prime condition.  He was absolutely terrified and ran like rhino trying to out run the bike, finally giving up, and ducking into the woods to my right.  I managed to use the handlebar remote to switch on my helmet cam and get a few shots, although I had to slow down to do this, and he got further ahead. 

After it raced into the woods, if you look carefully, you can see him looking up at me before he decides he's had enough and rapidly runs off...

Continuing down, there are some spectacular vistas, made a little less so by the wide angle on the Go Pro...

Finally you join the Englishman River Main only about 200m further west than you left it on a road that is steep but actually in better repair than the 146 you took up. 

Finally, here are two GE trails from my iPhone App.  The first one goes from Doumont to Rhodo via the power lines; then from Rhodo to Englishman River via 155F.  Then south west along the Englishman River Main to 146.  You can see the loop.  I took the furthest east trail up, crossed the bridge and headed south west.  Coming down, I branched left and took the furthest west trail down.  I saw the bear about a quarter of the way along that trail.

Below: the bridge is located where the east trail crosses the creek, just before the trinity of trails meet.

A great ride: the best yet for me this year.

Paul