Summary
Get your climbing in without going too far. OKRoutes is the Lake Country bikerat, and this is his/her/their “get smashed in 2½ hours training ride”.
Starting at Beasley Park in Lake Country, this ride covers challenging climbs, steep punches, fun descents, and great lakeside views… and you’ll never be more than a minute away from a handful of wineries, cafés, gas stations, and three different lakes to swim in.
Lake Country Cycle is close to the start location if you’re in need of a tire pump, a mechanic’s touch, or Stinger Gels. This route makes a challenging 100+km ride if you’re riding from Kelowna; starting from Vernon will make it a 120+km ride. The Rail Trail to-and-or-from Vernon makes for an excellent flat cool down and/or warm up, whereas up & over Predator Ridge makes this an epic day.
Points of Interest
- Lake Country Cycle @ 0km
- Pane Vino Pizza @ 9km
- Gatzke Farmers Market @ 9km
- Blind Tiger Vineyards @ 20km
- Okanagan Centre Safe Harbour @ 28km
- Lake Country Museum @ 29km
- Gray Monk Winery @ 30km
- Ex Nihilo Vineyards @ 32km & 35km (slightly off route)
- Arrowleaf Cellars @ 32km & 35km (slightly off route)
- Spion Kop @ 56km & 63km
Surfaces & Traffic
100% pavement with light traffic.
The pavement throughout the ride varies from brand new silky smooth stuff to some rough patchwork here & there.
Spring & fall season traffic is light, while the summer months are typically busier (especially after 11AM). There are lots of wineries in the area… so you should probably assume that all drivers are a couple glasses of wine deep. #fondoresponsibly
Refuelling
There are lots of options on the route, and you’re never too far away from a gas station for garbage:
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Woodsdale General Store @ 0km.
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Oyama Sunblush @ 4km. Requires a deviation off the route to stop here for baked goods.
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Oyama General Store @ 9km.
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Ok Patio Cafe @ 29km. The coffee is so-so (basically just a Breville espresso machine) but the seating is nice next to the park.
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Salty Caramel Kitchen @ 29½km. This fine establishment brews the best coffee on the route and is definitely worth the stop. All vegan baking and food options are available, while a small ice cream shop next door has all the sugary liquids needed to bring you back to life.
Key Segments
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Oyama Rd Climb @ 0km. 1.36km @ 8% climb. There are shorter version of this segment, but this one takes you right to the top. Fast times are ~5 minutes, but it’s a reasonable 8-9 minute grind if you’re still warming up.
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Middle Bench Rd North @ 4km. A nice rolling segment above Oyama Rd, the steep 400m section right in the middle is a test if you’re doing an effort on the whole segment.
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Robinson Rd Climb @ 17km. 0.4km @ 12% — yes, it’s steep.
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Okanagan Centre Descent @ 25km. 2½km @ -6%, fun, fast, and good views of Okanagan Lake. Look out for gravel and rocks at the hairpin corner, they fall on the road from the ridge above.
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Gray Monk Climb @ 30km. 1.75km @ 8½% up Camp Road and past Gray Monk winery.
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Easter Seals Climb @ 31km. 0.6km @ 7% climb that is an extension of the Gray Monk climb.
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Tyndall Rd South @ 35km. 3.2km rolling downhill segment, fast and fun.
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Gray Monk Descent @ 46km. 1.1km @ -8% descent with a few tight corners, you’ll have gone up this road just prior to descending it, but still be safe when cornering - especially on weekend afternoons as car-fulls of drunk bridesmaids cross over the centre line in their Honda CRVs.
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Okanagan Centre to Carrs Landing @ 48km. 1.25km @ 3.2% blast up from the beach. Fun segment especially if there is a tailwind.
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Raven Ridge Climb @ 56km. 2½km @ 6½% climb up to the west side Spion Kop hiking area trail head, and the Raven Ridge trail.
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Goldie Rd Climb @ 58½km. 1.3km @ 5½% climb up to Intrigue and O’Rourke wineries, don’t be fooled, the first half is much steeper (10%-16%)
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Lakehill Dr Climb @ 60km. 0.85km @ 8% climb up Lake Hill Dr, conserve your energy here if you’re aiming for the next segment.
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Climb up to Apex @ 61½km. 1½km @ 6% climb up to the east side Spion Kop hiking area trail head.
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Lakehill Sprint Climb @ 64½km. 0.3km @ 9.2% punch of a climb, this is the last effort of the route - pour out the bottles, ditch the snickers on the sidewalk, and hammer!
Enjoy!
And please be sure to…
- ride safely,
- let us know what you think about this route, and
- follow us on the grams & tag us along with
#okroute22
!