No Winter Maintenance Bikepacking Route
Returning for 2023 is the NWM weekend bike rally on Jun3/4. See the document pdf below for more details and sign up at the bottom of this webpage.
| nwmride2023.pdf |
The No Winter Maintenance Challenge is an off-road cycling route is southwestern Ontario that was designed to allow riders to explore some of the region’s best long forgotten roads that are not part of the BT 700 route (there are few sections of overlap). Riders can expect a mix of glorious gravel roads, rowdy unmaintained paths and plenty of challenging inclines.
By the Numbers
Distance: 275 Kilometres
Total Ascent: 3,700 metres
Unpaved/Paved: 85%/15%
Route Detour: The bridge on Side Rd 6 at the 111km mark of the route is being reconstructed starting July 2022 and may not be passable for several weeks. The detour is to take 10th line north at the 110km mark to Side Rd 9 and take this west (turn left) to meet up with the route at Duncan (The Blue Mountains Clearview Townline rd).
Route Notes
The No Winter Maintenance (NWM) route can be consider an intermediate to advanced route and best tackled by riders with experience cycling on rougher terrain. You can expect to rocks, roots and puddles. There are also three notable single tract sections that are mostly fast and flowy. This not a smooth sail on rail trail, but instead something to consider as a hilly adventure ride with a chance for the occasional periods of hike-a-bike. It can also be viewed as a training ground for more lofty bikepacking trips such as the BT 700 or Log Driver's Waltz.
For most riders, the trip length will be 1 to 3 days. Certainly, a single day push will be a serious challenge. The route starts and finishes in the city of Orangeville, but riders can jump in and out wherever suits them best. There are also ways to modify the route length to make it shorter (or longer!). See below for a shorter version of the NWM.
Both drop-bar gravel bikes and mountain bikes can be used on the NWM route. There is plenty of saucy terrain on this route so those using 700 wheels should make sure to ride 38cc tires or larger. 650b and 29-inch wheels with 1.9-2.5 inch tires are a very good choice. And because there are no shortage of testy inclines, a wide range of gears is also encouraged.
Cycling Tips put together this excellent grading system based on riding surfaces and it can be said that the No Winter Maintenance route wanders predominantly between Grade 2 and Grade 4, with a few good sections of Grade 5 tossed in to spice things up. Here is some additional information about the route difficulty.
There are plenty of opportunities for stealth camping along the route. Riders can also review this route file for the BT 700 to find accommodation/camping options on or near this route.
This is the file you can download for navigation: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/35514342
It can also be downloaded using the Ride with GPS mobile app which will display any Points of Interest when on route.
Please DO NOT use old route files floating around Ride with GPS from other riders or files you may have downloaded a long time ago. The links here are the current route you should be using.
FREE Off-line Navigation with your phone: If you become a BT 700 Bikepacking Club Member (no cost) you'll be able to download the route using the Ride with GPS app and access it's navigational features including voice prompts. Normally, this is only available for Premium Account subscribers. All you will need is a free Ride with GPS account.
Anyone with a free or paid Ride with GPS account who clicks this link will be added to the club and automatically approved. Just click View in the Route Library and it will open up a route file that can be downloaded. Here is some more info about the benefits of being a club member.
Note: In the route file maps on this page you'll see a "send to device" tab on the top. Clicking this while using your mobile device will let you directly upload the route to the Ride with GPS app on your mobile device. More info on this process here.
Here is an excellent tutorial on how to use routes using Ride with GPS and other navigation devices: https://ridewithgps.com/journal/7347-customize-your-bikepacking-com-adventure
I would be amiss if I did not thank my riding and life partner Tabi Ferguson for her work in discovering many of these little known gems along the route.
Supported Tours: Riders who wish to travel lighter on the NWM rout can now take advantage of supported tours offered by Ghost Gravel. Click here for details.
For a 3-Day adventure, consider 2 ride days with a water activity from Eagle Max Adventures sandwiched in between. You can ride to Bowering Lodge on day one where they offer indoor and camping accommodation. On day two go kayaking or stand-up paddle boarding on some beautiful waterways. For day three, ride back to the start point.
No Winter Maintenance Challenge Lite
No ready to tackle the whole route. Here are a couple of pared down versions of the route - one focuses on the upper portion of the route and one focuses on the lower half of the loop.
Lite Version 1: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/35597437
Lite Version 2: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36168106
By the Numbers
Distance: 275 Kilometres
Total Ascent: 3,700 metres
Unpaved/Paved: 85%/15%
Route Detour: The bridge on Side Rd 6 at the 111km mark of the route is being reconstructed starting July 2022 and may not be passable for several weeks. The detour is to take 10th line north at the 110km mark to Side Rd 9 and take this west (turn left) to meet up with the route at Duncan (The Blue Mountains Clearview Townline rd).
Route Notes
The No Winter Maintenance (NWM) route can be consider an intermediate to advanced route and best tackled by riders with experience cycling on rougher terrain. You can expect to rocks, roots and puddles. There are also three notable single tract sections that are mostly fast and flowy. This not a smooth sail on rail trail, but instead something to consider as a hilly adventure ride with a chance for the occasional periods of hike-a-bike. It can also be viewed as a training ground for more lofty bikepacking trips such as the BT 700 or Log Driver's Waltz.
For most riders, the trip length will be 1 to 3 days. Certainly, a single day push will be a serious challenge. The route starts and finishes in the city of Orangeville, but riders can jump in and out wherever suits them best. There are also ways to modify the route length to make it shorter (or longer!). See below for a shorter version of the NWM.
Both drop-bar gravel bikes and mountain bikes can be used on the NWM route. There is plenty of saucy terrain on this route so those using 700 wheels should make sure to ride 38cc tires or larger. 650b and 29-inch wheels with 1.9-2.5 inch tires are a very good choice. And because there are no shortage of testy inclines, a wide range of gears is also encouraged.
Cycling Tips put together this excellent grading system based on riding surfaces and it can be said that the No Winter Maintenance route wanders predominantly between Grade 2 and Grade 4, with a few good sections of Grade 5 tossed in to spice things up. Here is some additional information about the route difficulty.
There are plenty of opportunities for stealth camping along the route. Riders can also review this route file for the BT 700 to find accommodation/camping options on or near this route.
This is the file you can download for navigation: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/35514342
It can also be downloaded using the Ride with GPS mobile app which will display any Points of Interest when on route.
Please DO NOT use old route files floating around Ride with GPS from other riders or files you may have downloaded a long time ago. The links here are the current route you should be using.
FREE Off-line Navigation with your phone: If you become a BT 700 Bikepacking Club Member (no cost) you'll be able to download the route using the Ride with GPS app and access it's navigational features including voice prompts. Normally, this is only available for Premium Account subscribers. All you will need is a free Ride with GPS account.
Anyone with a free or paid Ride with GPS account who clicks this link will be added to the club and automatically approved. Just click View in the Route Library and it will open up a route file that can be downloaded. Here is some more info about the benefits of being a club member.
Note: In the route file maps on this page you'll see a "send to device" tab on the top. Clicking this while using your mobile device will let you directly upload the route to the Ride with GPS app on your mobile device. More info on this process here.
Here is an excellent tutorial on how to use routes using Ride with GPS and other navigation devices: https://ridewithgps.com/journal/7347-customize-your-bikepacking-com-adventure
I would be amiss if I did not thank my riding and life partner Tabi Ferguson for her work in discovering many of these little known gems along the route.
Supported Tours: Riders who wish to travel lighter on the NWM rout can now take advantage of supported tours offered by Ghost Gravel. Click here for details.
For a 3-Day adventure, consider 2 ride days with a water activity from Eagle Max Adventures sandwiched in between. You can ride to Bowering Lodge on day one where they offer indoor and camping accommodation. On day two go kayaking or stand-up paddle boarding on some beautiful waterways. For day three, ride back to the start point.
No Winter Maintenance Challenge Lite
No ready to tackle the whole route. Here are a couple of pared down versions of the route - one focuses on the upper portion of the route and one focuses on the lower half of the loop.
Lite Version 1: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/35597437
Lite Version 2: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/36168106
If you have any additional questions about this route feel free to use the contact form to get in touch.
It must be stressed that the route is entirely unsupported and unsanctioned with no insurance provided. All riders are responsible for their own well-being on the No Winter Maintenance route and ride at their own risk. The route developer takes no responsibility for personal injury, damage to personal property or any other circumstance that might happen to individual riders cycling the No Winter Maintenance route. There is no guarantee of route conditions at any given time and the route developer takes no responsibility for disrupted route conditions. You are entirely responsible for your own safety and decisions that are made including accommodation and necessary detours. It is advised to study the route map and make note of your supply options as well as some possible detours. If you are not comfortable riding a section of the route take any necessary alternatives. Planning and due diligence is imperative as is riding within your means. People "racing" the route do so at their own risk.
It must be stressed that the route is entirely unsupported and unsanctioned with no insurance provided. All riders are responsible for their own well-being on the No Winter Maintenance route and ride at their own risk. The route developer takes no responsibility for personal injury, damage to personal property or any other circumstance that might happen to individual riders cycling the No Winter Maintenance route. There is no guarantee of route conditions at any given time and the route developer takes no responsibility for disrupted route conditions. You are entirely responsible for your own safety and decisions that are made including accommodation and necessary detours. It is advised to study the route map and make note of your supply options as well as some possible detours. If you are not comfortable riding a section of the route take any necessary alternatives. Planning and due diligence is imperative as is riding within your means. People "racing" the route do so at their own risk.
