Hey all! It's been awhile....I hope that summer's been great for all of you. We're in Switzerland for the summer and riding lots. It's been unreal. Our trips are getting better each year as we discover new variations of trails, meet new local riders to ride with and tighten up the logistics. The weather went from heat wave to snow in the high alpine in early August. Yes, snow. In August. Alas, we still had a blast riding in the tough weather. That's the beauty of mountain biking and mountain bikers...we all love a good adventure! Now the weather is better and we have been filming with Ride Guide TV for the past 10 days in Zermatt and the Verbier area. The footage that we captured is UNREAL. The crew consisted of Joe, Pete, Evan Schwartz from Nelson BC, Paulo Valle from Costa Rica, Nathalie Grether from Whistler, Jonny Cohen from Cape Town South Africa, Gary Cameron from London and Al Pittar, a UK rider based in Zermatt. All-star crew! Ride Guide is doing a full episode on Big Mountain Bike Adventures in Switzerland that will air in mid-October. Stay tuned here and we'll let you know when the show will air. On August 25th we start Alpenrock, a new DH trip with Wade and Joe. Psyched! Stay tuned...happy riding out there. Chris.

The following post is an archive of our old "fresh news" section, which eventually evolved to become this very blog...

May. 7, 2006
OK, so this isn't really fresh news...but you have to read Mitch Scott's Bike Magazine story on our Cloudraker trip from 2004. If you are thinking of coming to Switzerland this summer, read this.

April. 13, 2006
The Collective's ROAM has just been premiered at Sea Otter! This is a must-see film. See the Morocco segment that was guided by Big Mountain: Vanderham and Hunter in action! Also read the latest Decline Magazine and feature story on the filming of ROAM in Morocco. Written by Chris Winter.

Mar. 31, 2006
Our winter Costa Rica trips were a ripping success! Big descents, epic culture, dancing, cold beers and the beach. Thanks to all who came down to the tropics with Big Mountain! Here is a group shot from our Feb trip, riding Cerro de la Meute and proof that Simmons is
human after all.

Mar. 1, 2006
It's official: join Wade Simmons in Switzerland this summer! Yep, ride with the man. Dubbed Alpenrock I, this DH trip is based in the bustling, sunny college town of Brig and surrounded by massive peaks. Let's ride!

Feb. 21, 2006
Check out the March issue of Bike Magazine and Big Mountain's full page ad on page 116. Yeehaw!

Feb. 6, 2006
We guided our friends from The Collective in October 2005. Check it out here.

Jan. 27, 2006
Snow's falling here in BC...might as well go heli skiing ,Big Mountain style! Big Mountain guide Chris Eby knows how to lay them over at Snow Water op in the Kootenays...and again as Eric Berger shoots his photo. Happy winter friends!

Jan. 9, 2006
Happy New Year! Here's to epic flowing singletrack and great times in 2006: cheers! We've launched our line-up for this summer's Switzerland trips and it is looking insanely fun! More Cloudrakers, a new Zermatt-based all-mountain trip and 2 new DH trips!!! Let's ride! Check out our new Swiss images that are sure to inspire you.

Dec. 2, 2005Check out the latest Bike Magazine: p.56+57 exposes a beautiful story and photo taken from Ilja Herb on our 2004 Morocco trip while while p.15 is a photo of Big Mountain founder Chris Winter on an exposed line in BC's Chilcotins, by Mattias
Fredriksson.

Dec. 1, 2005
Wade Simmons will be guiding our Feb.17-28, 2006 Costa Rica Pura Vida shuttled DH trip. It's official! Learn and ride with the master of mountain biking. Join Wade and local Paulo Valle on this trip of a lifetime. We still have spaces on both Costa Rica dates, come riding!

Nov. 8, 2005
We are currently working on an EPIC line-up of trips in Switzerland 2006: more unreal all-mountain bliss and watch for new big bike DH trips...coming here,very soon!

Oct. 27, 2005
Big Mountain is just back from...Botswana, South Africa and Morocco...3 weeks in Africa! A little recon in the south (epic! stay tuned) and some over-the-top filming action in Maroc with The Collective. "Best zone ever," said Thomas Vanderham. Check Matt Hunter and AndrewShandro riding their mountain bicycles...

Sept. 13, 2005
We are home from Switzerland...what a truly unreal summer of riding. Thanks to all of those who joined us!! Here are a few images to enjoy: photo 1, photo 2, photo 3, photo 4. Interested in coming to Europe next summer? We'll have our 2006 trip details online by mid-November. Can't wait that long? Our February and March Costa Rica DH trips are filling up...this trip is another worldclass adventure. Let's ride!.

July 20, 2005
Big Mountain is in Switzerland at the moment on a recon mission with Francois Panchard and the Crazy Canuck Freeride Challenge. The troupe this year consists of 8 Swiss rippers and 3 Canucks and 1 American and the terrain that we've ridden in the first 3 days is unreal. Check it out: photo 1, photo 2, photo 3.

July 8, 2005
Award-winning mountain bike filmakers The Collective will be joining Big Mountain in Morocco this October. Athletes Andrew Shandro and Matt Hunter will be joined by an army of cameras including pro still photographer Sterling Lorence. Keep you eyes peeled for epic images to hit the stands in 2006..

June 11, 2005
Morocco this fall, please note: the Oct 14-23 trip is FULL and we moved the second trip date to Oct 23-Nov 6. We still have room on this adventure...join us on a ride you'll never forget! See pic.

June 2, 2005
Just announced, all 05 Swiss participants will receive a free Dakine APEX pack! This pack is the bomb for our Swiss adventures: grab your tooth
brush, flip flops, armor, helmet, tuque and strap in for another 8000-foot descent!
Also, check out the latest Decline mag which features The Good Life...the story of Big Mountain's Costa Rica Pura Vida trip. Be prepared to salivate!

May 4, 2005
Thinking of joining us in Switzerland this summer? If so, you should act fast as all of our trips are nearly sold out. Call us soon! You could also consider joining us in beautiful Morocco this October for a truly unreal singletrack adventure...that you'll never forget!

April 2, 2005
The phone rang today and Michelle from Bike Magazine was on the other end, "We're calling to inform you that the MTB Films' Swiss segment of Chad Onyschuk and Chris Winter has been nominated for Best Singletrack segment at the 2005 Video Awards." Wow, very cool, I thought. Especially considering that Chad and I had just guided 30 straight days and we were thoroughly punched while filming. In the end Dave Watson and Andrew Shandro won from their South Chilcotins segment in The Collective. Well deserved! Huge props to Big Red Ted of MTB Films and his amazing talent behind the camera.

March 20, 2005
Just confirmed: Nelson BC based pro rider Joe Schwartz will be guiding for Big Mountain on the Swiss Alps trips. Joe has been featured in the Kranked and New World Disorder films and is well-published rider: he rips on his bike! He brings a wealth of expertise to Big Mountain: he is a certified ski guide, a coach for the Whistler Bike Park's Summer Gravity Camps, a pro mechanic and he has traveled all over the globe filming with his bike. "My favorite type of riding," says Joe, "is long epics involving good friends, buff trails, beautiful scenery." That said, Joe will be right at home guiding in the Alps...