Bear Creek - FS 943

Bear Creek is an advanced and scenic single-track in the Wenatchee National Forest. The first 3.5 miles of the Bear Creek Trail, starting from the south, are fast and flowy through a flat forest floor, weaving around lots of trees. The trail goes over several small wooden bridges over small stream crossings, but the bridges are not in very good shape – some of them are damaged and missing some of the wood planks, making them somewhat sketchy. The trail parallels Forest Road 1911 for the first 3.5 miles, then crosses the road, providing a bail out after the easy portion of the trail before it gets much more difficult. There are several more streams and dry ravine crossings after crossing 1911 that do not have a bridge, and the trail is sometimes narrow right next to the stream. The second half of the trail has several very steep and loose climbs, and a few big rock and root obstacles and technical switchbacks. There are multiple blunt root ledges from big embedded root bands across the trail that have become dug out, and will require commitment and momentum to get up and over them. There is also a long sustained hill climb near the north end that is troughed, rutted, and very loose, with big rock faces that you have to ride up, and tight switchbacks. The entire trail is an ascent from south to north, gaining over 2,300 feet in 7.2 miles, but the last 2 miles are the steepest, with several switchbacks to get to the intersection with Blowout Mountain. There are several narrow spots with significant side-hill exposure as you keep climbing north as well, especially in the last mile on the north end.