Finding freshly built singletrack can be a challenge at the best of times. When you start late into the evening and it’s still springtime, it’s near impossible! The only saving grace is I have an impeccable sense of direction and have spent many days hiking the area we are in.

Beautiful view but getting dark quick...

We decided to check out a few new trails called Iron Horse, Goat’s Head and Dustwitch. Located on Forbidden plateau, these trails add to the XC / All mountain offerings available. The ever busy Ryder has been doing a great job adding to the network of trails in the area with such trails as Cabin Fever, Gecko, Slither, Catnip and more.

A bit of rock and fresh dirt in a former soft spot

Fall becomes a great time of year to give back for the many fabulous days of riding through the summer. Time to put the trails to bed, work in a few new lines and fix a few bridges. It’s trail work time.

Over the last couple of months we have had the unfortunate vantage of seeing great trails lost to the saw blade head of a feller buncher.

While there is sadness in losing a favorite trail, we can rebuild and in the long run forestry will take a back seat to other sustainable uses of our natural greenspaces.

So come join us, grab a shovel, some gloves and give thanks!

Tales of the fall

Each Labour Day weekend, this network is home to the Campbell River 50k challenge, with each loop consisting of over 25km’s of singletrack. To put it simply, if you’re looking for endless singletrack for your xc rig, this is a top location on Vancouver Island.

Snowden Demo Forest

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The many views of The kootenays

As resource industries fade and regions need to find other forms of economic stimulus, tourism has become a strong component of revitalization. From historic tours to recreation sites, rails to trails, summer chairlift operations and bike parks, many communities are diversifying.

Our recent trip to the Kootenays showed these changes in spades. We often saw views of quiet sawmills, mining sites, equipment and empty buildings. We also saw many tourists, people enjoying outdoor recreation and great heritage and tourism related sites.

The Kootenays have been so enthralled by the opportunity for mountain biking that they have created a great guide and websites for your travel planning.

Here’s a list of resources available to you for your travel planning

• Kootenay Rockies Mountain Biking Website – Tourism BC website with an overview of trails
• Kootenay Rockies Mountain Bike Vacations Booklet – available in hard copy and online
• Kootenay Rockies Website – Overall regional website for accommodation and tourism info
• Kootenay Rockies mobile site – formatted for mobile phones and devices.

Trail maps are available for the following areas

• Revelstoke – pick up at local bike shops $7
• Golden – free trail map at bike shops and tourism locations
• Invermere – no published maps
• Fernie – maps available at local shops
• Nelson – guidebook at bike shops and outdoor stores $15
• Rossland – map at local bike shops $9
• Christina Lake – map at Wild Ways
• Cranbrook – free community forest map at Tourism office
• Kimberley – nature park map at hotels and tourism offices $5

There are also many tour guide companies who work in the Kootenay region. Call local shops for info on who offers tours in their area.

Well not really, but upon our arrival home we checked out the interweb to find that the Pinkbike Crew had embarked on a trip called “Hurtin’ for Vert”

They honestly had way more mileage on the bikes and some awesome photographers along with them. So I thought I’d hook up some links to their articles so you can see just how great mountain biking in the Kootenay’s of BC really is!

“Looking back at our trip, it truly was amazing that 12 plus riders could ride for 4 days on the terrain that we did and not suffer one major mechanical, besides flat tires (and we had our fair share of those). To all of us, it says that the technology has gotten to where it needs to be in order for us to truly enjoy the All Mountain ride. Mid travel bikes rule! Another technological thing to note was that Adjustable Seat Posts were on more than half the bikes on this trip, with Crankbros. leading the charge for popularity. Ah I do love bikes and the bits that make them extra fun! Below are some hard details that Smoke put together based on his GPS readings from the 4 days – yep Hurtin’ for Vert!

Total Distance Ridden = 121 km
Total Elevation Gained by Bike = 10 000′
Total Elevation Lost by Bike = 27 600′
Total Hours Slept = not enough
Total Pilsners Drunk = way too many (Reg says your body will adjust to it, just need to consume more of it, more often, hmm not too sure)
Total Richie Schley Putdowns for not Coming out = nowhere near enough”

Photos and Links

Check all Margus’ pics here.
Check all Tyler’s pics here.
Check all Dave’s pics here.
Check all Smoke’s pics here.

Check out the Hurtin for Vert Riders here.
Check here if you missed Part 1
Check here if you missed Part 2
Check here if you missed Part 3
Check here if you missed Part 4

The Queen's City

Not really what we wanted to hear, but somewhat what we expected after driving into town. Nelson BC is located at the tip of Kootenay Lake and is flanked on both sides by steep hills and mountains. The streets remind one of the view in San Francisco, but the upper reaches of the streets merge into more forest rather than the sky above. Historically termed the “Queen’s City” Nelson is blessed with many very beautiful heritage buildings and homes, grand oak trees and great views. What it doesn’t boast is easy fireroad climbs to cross country trails. Bring your DH bike!

So first project was to get some food before the one small section of XC riding that was offered to us. Even on these steep hillsides, rail grades and logging roads crisscross the land. Our ride was to take in part of Mountain Station. Just at the southeast corner of town.

Roots Rocks Rhythm

The one thing that Nelson does have is one of the most complete guide books for trails you will find anywhere. The book costs $15 but will give you all the information on the various riding locations around Nelson. From Powerslave, 49er, Baldface and many more.

What is not really easy to discern is how these trails compare to other regions of BC or for that matter the rest of the world.

The Nelson Cycling Club offers this preview of the areas and technical challenges.

“Here, deep in the Selkirk Mountains, the trails flow over a huge granite base. Spruce and fir stands thrive up high, while trails in the valleys cross through cedar, hemlock, and ponderosa pine forests. The heavily incised drainages provide the ultimate zone for Nelson’s trails to evolve. Due to the harsh topography of the area, riding is almost completely a downhill/freeride affair. Long travel forks and disc brakes on hardtails and full squish bikes are normal gear here. Riders get decked out in body armour and full-face helmets to survive the nastiness. But don’t be alarmed – every area possesses easier ways down. There are some fun cross country routes, but most people who come to ride get the biggest smiles from riding the downhill trails. Chocked full of steeps, roots, rock slabs, bridges, and airs, the singletrack here is the epitome of trail riding in the woods.

Trail Difficulties

(G) Beginner to Intermediate – Mostly mellow, fast downhills with the odd steep bit and some cross-country riding.

(B) Intermediate to Advanced – Good technical singletrack, with the some steeps and stunts too.

(BLK) Advanced to Expert – Long steeps, high bridges, gnarly rock rolls and big airs.

The Riding Areas

Nelson has many riding areas up for offer. The Mountain Station trails are closest to town, starting in the uphill neighbourhood and funneling down to the old BNR rail bed. The North Shore of Kootenay Lake’s West Arm is home to sweet single track and long, steep slickrock. Across the lake (on the Nelson side) trails in the Svaboda area pass through the West Arm Wilderness Park. Giveout Creek / Blewett is home to long vert, with a trail network that drops from the ridge line to the river.”

some flowing xc trails

As you can see, we might have been under serviced by our XC steeds and next time – armour, full face helmets and dh bikes will accompany our travels to this part of the province!

So we did our best to check out a few shorter trails in Nelson and headed up from the parking lot at the top of town. No warm up is permitted as the trail of course climbs right out of the gate. We headed up past the reservoir and met up with a crew of flat pedaled, dh huffing, armoured riders who were on their way up top. They looked at our bikes, but learning we were from the island knew we’d be fine. After 30 minutes of climbing they directed us onto Espresso which was a fun flowing and smooth trail.

Colin on 9 point

Along the trail we ran by a few other trails including Legalize it and kept running into interesting rock circles.

9 Point was our destination and it was as if the trail continued to become steeper as it worked it’s way to the rail line which perimeters the lower portion of this parklike area.

As a great example of what you find in Nelson, the trail was dotted with slabs of granite mixed with a few roots and some fallen trees ramped up to create some small to medium (1-2ft) drops. It is very similar to trails on Vancouver’s North Shore.

Had I been on my trusty DH bike and sporting a bit more padding the trail would have flowed beautifully, but for this day the Rockhopper and it’s 4 inch travel fork was overwhelmed and we slowly but safely worked our way down the trail.

We finished up our ride with a spin back on the rail line and then headed to town for a great meal. A few hours later we were off to our next stop and are already planning the next trip.

Two things that Nelson has in spades, great dh riding and great food!

Notables

• Signage was good but definitely grab a copy of the “Roots Rocks Rhythm” trail guide from the bike shops in town.
• Dining options in Nelson are very good
• Bring your DH bike trails here go up and then straight down!
• Camping available at Kootenay Creek Campground and the Nelson Municipal campground, although staying at one of the hotels or bike friendly locations in town might be preferred.

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Nelson is located on the West Arm of Kootenay Lake. The nearest major airport is 40km away in Castlegar.

Driving times:

• Vancouver to Nelson approx 8 hrs
• Revelstoke to Nelson approx 4:30 hrs
• Calgary to Nelson approx 7:30 hrs
• Nelson to Fernie approx 4 hrs
• Nelson to Rossland approx 1:15 hrs

Don’t miss

• Great local eateries
• Heritage buildings
• Oson Negro Coffee
• Nelson Brewing beer
• Ainsworth Hot Springs

Contact Info

• The Sacred Ride
• Gericks Cycles

The log may still be there but the heart of the trail has faded

While travelling southeastern BC last week, some of our local trails fell under the siege of a feller buncher and excavator. The lower sections of Cumberland trails including Soggy Biscuit, Matts, Space Nugget, Black Hole, Entrails and Shaker are all affected by the next phase of logging in Cumberland.

Many people have learned how to ride on these lower Cumberland Trails, and it’s unfortunate that so many have to be affected by the timber harvesting. For some of you these have been included in Island Cup / BC Bike Race / MOMAR races and most likely remember them as your favorite sections.

“the amazing singletrack trail network for which the finish area of Cumberland is renowned! Trails like Bucket ‘o Blood, Soggy Biscuit and Space Nugget were a huge hit with riders and made for a great finish to a tough tough day.”

BC Bike Race 2007 Day 3 Report

Trails can be rebuilt, but there is something different about riding through recent clearings than the nice coolness that occurs in a mature forest.

To make sure you can do your part – www.cumberlandforest.com

Canyon Creek Trail

“Whoa! Time to put the seat right down!” I yelled to Teresa as we crested the hill and looked out over the Canyon Creek gully. I might not normally be afraid of heights, but this trail really surprises you!

Golden was our second point on our Kootenay Road Trip. An open invite from some great friends was begging for use. Timing was perfect as our arrival to town coincided with a torrential downpour! We were rolling through town, and stopped at the local bookstore in search of some guide books, but alas they were out of stock. Just after crossing the downtown bridge, we spied a group of bikes sitting out in front of a heritage building so we pulled up to investigate. Derailed Cycles is a fairly new store in Golden, but by far is the most original building in town.

Derailed Cycles

The facade of the siding still shows it’s origins as a harness and rucksack maker’s establishment. Inside we found owner Jon Simpson trying on some leg armour and ready to pack up for a few days of mental / physical recharging in Whistler.  After a few minutes we were armed with maps and a the info on a great XC loop that should take us about 4 hours. Golden has embraced mountain biking whole-heartedly with Tourism Golden and the Golden Cycling Club producing great trail maps of the three primary riding areas; Moonraker, Mount Seven and Kicking Horse Resort. Maps are free and available at the tourism centers and the bike shops in town.

Tired and damp from our tent sleep last night, we headed to our friends for hot showers and a warm place to dry out.  Dave and Julie soon treated us to a fabulous dinner at the White Tooth Grill and for the rest of the evening we relaxed at home over beers and the tastiest mojitos this side of the 49th parallel. Teresa iced up her ankle with the Breg Polar Care in an attempt to help keep it happy for the long ride tomorrow.

What a difference sleeping in a dry bed makes! We slept right through the morning and lazily headed out to the trails in the early afternoon. The breeze and lack of rain the rest of the night must have been a help as the trails showed only minor puddles and were even dusty in some areas!

Moonraker Trails

The Canyon Creek trail was our target for today, so we headed south to the Sander Lake Campground trailhead of the Moonraker Trails.

“The Moonraker trail system is a superb mix of intermediate singletracks and old roads. 50 km of trails offer interesting ride in cedar and fir forests with good views of the valley, as well as meadows, beaver ponds and streams.

The system has lots of technical sections, but also many intermediate and some easy sections.  Some singletracks have lots of roots.

Canyon Creek trail is connected to Moonraker trail system and offers challenging uphill and spectacular downhill along the canyon’s rim. The trail is definitely not for those with a fear of heights.”

Tourism Golden Website

The Canyon Creek Trail is about 15 km long and starts with a nice 4km trail up an old rail grade. The road steepens a bit over the next 6km, but then it’s almost all downhill after that. The canyon part of the trail comes just as you crest a small hill and the trail veers to the left. In your view is a single tree and then nothing for a few hundred meters! Talk about a way to freak out anyone afraid of heights. Canyon Creek has scoured it’s way through clay and rock to create this stunning viewpoint.

Canyon Creek Trail viewpoint

Great switchbacks and some more viewpoints give you plenty of places to stop and enjoy the view. Just after you cross a deep ditch with a small creek, you need to make sure you turn left to connect to the trails back to the parking lot as the canyon trail will continue steeply to the bottom of the hill leaving a solid climb back to your car.

Moonraker Trails

While we had been suggested to give 4 hrs for the ride, our total time was 2:45 even with a number of stops for photos and snacks. We had crossed paths with another group of local riders who had linked up the Canyon Creek trail with a few others for an even more singletrack experience. One could easily spend a couple of days riding this area alone.

If you’re more gravity inclined (we only brought xc bikes this trip) both Mount Seven and Kicking Horse Resort will give you plenty of vertical miles of trail to enjoy.

Notables

• Signage was very good but definitely grab a free local trail map from the bike shops or tourism info centre .
• Dining options in Golden are very good
• Golden has 3 riding areas to explore
• Bring your DH bike
• Campgrounds available at Moonraker (Sander Lake) and Mount Seven (Golden Municipal) trails

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Golden is located on the Columbia River halfway between Revelstoke and Banff on the Trans Canada Highway.

Driving times:

• Vancouver to Golden approx 8 hrs
• Revelstoke to Golden approx 2 hrs
• Golden to Banff approx 2 hrs
• Golden to Calgary approx 3 hrs
• Golden to Fernie approx 3:45 hrs
• Golden to Nelson approx 5:45 hrs
• Golden to Rossland approx 5:45 hrs

Don’t miss

• Great local eateries
• Dining on Kicking Horse Resort for a stunning view
• Yoho National Park – Emerald Lake

Contact Info

• Derailed – 250-837-4044
• Golden Tourism