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3,219 ft
Distance
136 ft
Climb
-36 ft
Descent
00:07:06
Avg time
100 ft
Altitude change
3,014 ft
Altitude min
3,114 ft
Altitude max
3,014 ft
Altitude start
3,114 ft
Altitude end
3.1%
Grade
-9.3%
Grade max
20%
Grade min
2,162 ft
Distance climb
866 ft
Distance down
190 ft
Distance flat
00:07:06
Avg time
Bear Claw Lower Details
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Activities
- Mountain Bike
- E-Bike
- Hike
- Trail Running
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Riding AreaMoonrakers
Golden, British Columbia -
Difficulty Rating
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Local Popularity50 in Mountain Biking [+]
- 25 in E-Biking
- 50 in Trail Running
- 5 in Hiking
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Global Ranking
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Provincial Ranking#6,358 in Mountain Biking · British Columbia [+]
- #5,246 in E-Biking
- #8,937 in Trail Running
- #14,176 in Hiking
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Trail TypeSingletrack
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Bike TypeXC
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DirectionBoth Directions
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Climb DifficultyBlue
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Physical RatingModerate
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SeasonMay-Nov
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Dogs AllowedYes
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eBike Allowed
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TTFs on TrailBridge
Back in the day, Bear Claw used to be the main artery for getting into the Moonrakers from the southern end of the trail network. It is a long trail connecting from Sander Lake all the way to the Canyon, with several jump off points to other trails. Use Lower Bear Claw to climb up from Sander Lake to trails like Arrowhead, Better Than Boston, and Devil's Slide.
The lower part of Bear Claw climbs through forest, jumping onto the Tower Road trail for a brief section. Expect a continuous mild to moderate push up to the top, with a couple of short punchy sections.
Access Info
Originally accessed from the old Sander Lake trailhead, can now be accessed from the new Gudjonson trailhead in Nicholson if you don't want to ride up a steep, private road. Take Sternwheeler trail to 2% to Sander Lake.
Local Trail Association
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Please consider joining or donating to the local trail association to supportDonate to earn trail karma!
trail development & maintenance.
Traditionally Indigenous Territory
Recent Activity on Trail
Past Week
- 0 rides
6 Months
- 21 rides
- 10 miles avg distance
All
- 180 rides
- Last: Oct 7, 2026
Bear Claw Lower Trail Reports
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Trail Conditions
- Unknown
- Snow Groomed
- Snow Packed
- Snow Covered
- Snow Cover Partial
- Freeze/thaw Cycle
- Icy
- Prevalent Mud
- Wet
- Variable
- Ideal
- Dry
- Very Dry
Trail Flow (Ridden Direction)
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The colour categories are based on what percentage of users are riding a trail in its intended direction.
- > 96%
- > 90%
- > 80%
- > 70%
- > 50%
- < 50%
- bi-directional trail
- no data
Trail Last Used
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- < 1 week
- < 2 weeks
- < 1 month
- < 6 months
- > 6 months
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Trailforks scans activity logs to determine which trails are ridden the most in the last 9 months.
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BC Backroad Status
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Directions to bear-claw-lower trailhead
(51.247060, -116.951580)
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Routes with this trail
9 miles • 2,365 ft • 3 •
Welcome to Poker Ride Ride 2. This time we start and end in Nicholson and we ride cross country through...
★ 2.0 • 7 miles • 776 ft • 7 • Loop •
Easy little flow ride to Moonrakers.
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Nearby Trails
- Klahowya 23 ft
- Bear Claw Connector 518 ft
- Tomorrow We Ride 741 ft
- Better Than Boston 2,172 ft
- North Star 2,182 ft
- By canadaka
Trailforks & contributors - #3486 - 1,509 views
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