PickAxe Loop, top portion north Barry's Bay, clockwise or counter-clockwise direction?

D

Dunc

Active member
Looking for a report....
Have not run the very top portion of the pickaxe loop.
I understand it is a few Km's of a blown out snowmobile trail, Paugh Lake.
Anyone have a say on which way to run it is better? clockwise or counter-clockwise?

Thanks
 
There's a few vids and other info online that might be useful if you haven't seen them yet, one of which seems to have the rocky section included if that was the part you were hoping for info on:
 
Thanks for the search link!!
My assumption that something this small would not be indexed online has been correctted. I will search better next time.
Skipped that section before due to hearing guys talk about spending 1 hour walking bikes. This year it won't be skipped :)
 
My partner and I rode the Pickaxe loop last year on our Groms. I'm a decently experienced dirt biker and she's a complete noob. If you watch this video, we did the Paugh Lake section all up to the 16:13 mark. I did have to help her get her bike up one of the really rocky climbs close to the beginning. I was having a blast, but she fell in some sand and wasn't feeling up to keep going. Seeing as we had no idea what lay ahead, we hooked a right at that intersection and went back to the road.


 
shanekingsley said:
There's a few vids and other info online that might be useful if you haven't seen them yet, one of which seems to have the rocky section included if that was the part you were hoping for info on:
Click to expand...
Thanks, added that loop to my list to try.
 
Did the a couple of the easier lower sections last week, head up to do the whole thing in the next couple of week with a friend of mine.
So please post your experience, I'd love to hear how it goes before heading up.
Thanks for the links and video above everyone.

Did a video on one of the roads myself... ...just getting started with the channel.


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If you're looking for a slight adaptation of the pickaxe loop, you could try Barry Lake Trail/Arcol Rd from Calabogie down to Ompah. Last year it was somewhere between a gravel road and an atv/4x4 track. Easily manageable on a KLR or V-Strom. FYI, Arcol Rd requires a road access pass from North Frontenac Parklands. $12.50 for the day. No permit required if you have an OFTR membership.
 
KLR Junkie said:
If you're looking for a slight adaptation of the pickaxe loop, you could try Barry Lake Trail/Arcol Rd from Calabogie down to Ompah. Last year it was somewhere between a gravel road and an atv/4x4 track. Easily manageable on a KLR or V-Strom. FYI, Arcol Rd requires a road access pass from North Frontenac Parklands. $12.50 for the day. No permit required if you have an OFTR membership.
Click to expand...
Thanks, will do this on my next day-ride.
 
Robp said:
My partner and I rode the Pickaxe loop last year on our Groms. I'm a decently experienced dirt biker and she's a complete noob. If you watch this video, we did the Paugh Lake section all up to the 16:13 mark. I did have to help her get her bike up one of the really rocky climbs close to the beginning. I was having a blast, but she fell in some sand and wasn't feeling up to keep going. Seeing as we had no idea what lay ahead, we hooked a right at that intersection and went back to the road.


Click to expand...
Damn…I’d be doing that at 10-15kph. Always thought I’d enjoy that type of riding…turns out I dont!
 
KLR Junkie said:
If you're looking for a slight adaptation of the pickaxe loop, you could try Barry Lake Trail/Arcol Rd from Calabogie down to Ompah. Last year it was somewhere between a gravel road and an atv/4x4 track. Easily manageable on a KLR or V-Strom. FYI, Arcol Rd requires a road access pass from North Frontenac Parklands. $12.50 for the day. No permit required if you have an OFTR membership.
Click to expand...
I think I did Barry Lake trail today. I turned into Arcol and came out onto Tatty Hill Rd which brought me out to the 511 across from Calabogie Motorsports Park Rd. Where Arcol ended there was a road to the right that led to a Hydro line area (gravel road) where trucks dropping off boats were parked and to the right a short road that ended at a nice boat launch area. So I turned around and where my gps told me Barry Lake trail started was a rocky hill (not terrible but rocks large enough you had to pick a path that didn’t bottom you out) and a bit past that was a big water hole. I didn’t have the proper gear for that so I turned around and at the base of the “trail” went back down Arcol maybe a hundred meters and found another road going in the direction of Calabogie so I went down that. That’s the one that came out eventually on Barry Lake Trail and Tatty Hill. So don’t know if I turned off Arcol at the right spot but there’s nothing that shows on the gps as other trails where Arcol stops.
 
Dunc said:
Looking for a report....
Have not run the very top portion of the pickaxe loop.
I understand it is a few Km's of a blown out snowmobile trail, Paugh Lake.
Anyone have a say on which way to run it is better? clockwise or counter-clockwise?

Thanks
Click to expand...
I’ve did it 10 years ago on a 50 year old Triumph 250 scrambler. It’s not difficult as long as you have at dirt tires - I’d say at least 70/30. A capable rider would do the sections in the video that follows at 30+kmh on a big adv, 50+kmh on a smaller dual sport.
 
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