Tiger Long Loop

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Pend Oreille County, WA, US

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Route Overview

Pend Oreille County, WA

Epic Backcountry Rides...and some easier and fun ones!

2 mi.

173 ft.

Great easy loop on a combination of single and double-track on some of the most popular cross-country skiing trails in area!

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Route Details

# Nearby Routes
This Route is part of the Little Pend Oreille River Chain of Lakes series of Routes, which includes:
* Tiger Long Loop (this Route)
* [Coyote Rock Loop](http://ridewithgps.com/ambassador_routes/648-coyote-rock-loop)
* [Lake Leo Long Loop](http://ridewithgps.com/ambassador_routes/555-lake-leo-long-loop)

# Route Vitals
* Discipline: **MTB or GG**
* Terrain: **Completely Unpaved**
* Best Time To Ride: **Spring To Fall**
* Difficulty - Effort:  **◯**
* Difficulty - Technical:  **◯**
* Significant Climbs:  **None**
* Extraordinary Risks: **None**
* Permits / Passes Required: **None**
	* Sno-Park Pass is required during the Winter, which can be purchased online [here](https://fortress.wa.gov/parks/ecomm/prod/Store/SNO/SnoChoice.aspx)
* Parking:  **@poi[Frater Lake Parking Lot](1577546)**
     
# Route Summary
Whether you are looking for an extended start or finish to a neighboring ride or are a beginner, you will get a kick out this short and diverse loop!  For those into night riding, this is a great section of trail to include in your adventures!

This Route covers part of the *"Frater Lake Sno-Park Groomed Trail System"*, which is popular with cross-country skiers in the winter.

There are no significant climbs on this Route and all uphills are on good terrain with moderate grades.

Additional information can be found on the Colville National Forest Website's [Frater Lake](http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/colville/recreation/recarea/?recid=72057&actid=29) and [Frater Lake Trailhead](http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/colville/recarea/?recid=67984) websites.

# On The Route Directions
Starting just North of the @poi[Parking Lot](1577546) at the Information Board, head West-Northwest along the obvious trail behind the @poi[Restroom](1577541).  Notable guidance past this point:
* Right at @poi[Coot Junction](1577611), heading North
* Right at @poi[Scudder Junction](1577544)
* Left at @poi[Short Loop Junction](1577542)

# Safety Issues
**There is no potable water available on the Route or near this area.  Surface water, if present is usually at very low flows and should never be relied upon.  Nearest reliable water is at the [Beaver Lodge Trading Post](http://www.beaverlodgeresort.org) followed by the town of Ione.  The [Tiger Store](http://scenicwa.com/listing/tiger-historical-center-and-museum.html) is open from May to September.**

Cattle are permitted to roam freely along the southwest corner of the route.  Although we have suddenly stumbled upon them at high speed and have never had a run-in, there is a first time for everything so please be alert!

It's okay to make some noise to let Mother Nature's Beasts know you are in the area!

# Aspects That Make This Route Great!
1. Frater Lake view of course!
2. Single track in the middle of nowhere with no one around!  Priceless!
3. 2 Wooden Bridges
4. @poi[Warming Hut](1577543)
5. @poi[Teepee Seed Orchard](1577545)

# How Best To Ride This Route
As with all of our Routes, they are best ridden as laid-out.  This said, it is possible to ride the Route in reverse and also take the @poi[Short Loop](1577542) option to shorten the ride.

# Notable Route Features
The points of interest here are ordered in how you would encounter them riding this Route.
## Frater Lake
Depending on the information source, Frater Lake is between 13 to 16+ acres in size and is the northern most lake in the Little Pend Oreille River Chain of Lakes.  This is also only lake in the chain that does not have perennial surface water to link it to the others.  The best view of the lake is from the South side near the start of this Route, but it can also be viewed along the western flank of the lake, which this Route @slice[parallels](d,297.2,521.84).

If you are a keen fisher, Frater Lake can be fished. As with most of the lakes in the area, Trout are the specialty here, in particular [Rainbow Trout]( http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/washington/Species/1246/) and [Westslope Cutthroat]( http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/washington/Species/2311/).  More details can be found [here](http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/washington/450/).

## Warming Hut
This cozy cabin was built by the Forestry Service and a Senior Citizen Supplement Employment Program crew.  Note that there has been a permanent little rodent resident in the Hut for a couple of winters now, which makes for good entertainment!

Note that there is a @poi[Wood Shed](1577860) just behind, or to the North, of the @poi[Warming Hut](1577543).

## Teepee Seed Orchard
At just about one (1) mile into this ride, you will come across the 24 acre @poi[Teepee Seed Orchard](1577545).  This Colville National Forest sponsored [Engelmann Spruce](http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=PIEN) and [Western White Pine](http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=pimo3) tree plantation was developed to generate seedlings for reforestation of parts of the Colville National Forest.

According to the [USDA's 2014 Native Plan Restoration Program Accomplishments](http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/Native_Plant_Materials/documents/npmreports/fy2014/PNWNativePlantRestorationAccomplishments2014.pdf), there are 1,650 or so trees in the plantation.

## Off The Beaten Path
* Frater Lake was apparently named after a trapper that was in the area.
* [Teepee Seed Orchard Weather Station](http://fam.nwcg.gov/roman/cgi-bin/meso_base.cgi?stn=TSOW1&time=GMT)

# More Resources
* Colville National Forest related alerts / closures can be found [here](http://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/colville/alerts-notices) as well as on the [Frater Lake Trail #150 / Lake Leo Trail #155 webpage](http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/colville/recreation/bicycling/recarea/?recid=67982&actid=24).
* [Northeast Washington Trails - Frater Lake](http://newashingtontrails.com/frater-lake/)

# Important Reminders
This Route is in a remote area.  Do not rely on passersby for assistance.  Please be prepared and self-sufficient.

# Photograph Credits
All photos were taken the evening of 2015-10-05 by [Polka Dot Brother #1](http://ridewithgps.com/users/387656).

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Tiger Long Loop

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