Big Mountain working with Anthill Films

We're excited to announce that Big Mountain Adventures is working with Anthill Films (formerly The Collective) on their next film dubbed Strength in Numbers to be released in Spring 2012.  Our role is to help the crew with logistics, guiding, planning, locations, contacts and more on their international shoots. Read more on pinkbike.com.

Why do we ride?

Ride Alpenrock DH and get Chromag.

Dubbed by some as the ultimate downhill mountain bike trip on the planet, Big Mountain Adventures’ Swiss Alpenrock DH trip is a 9-day romp in the Alp’s highest peaks. From Verbier’s fast lifts and big descents, to barely-known backcountry blowout drops to the Rhone Valley, to fast and flowy Crans Montana and Zermatt’s mind-boggling lift network and ridiculous views and trails, this small-group DH holiday delivers on all fronts.

This year Big Mountain has teamed up with Whistler-based Chromag to offer all participants a Lynx DTsaddle and Fubar OSX bars. That’s right, you’ll bomb the Alps on Chromag, the quiet leader in innovative bike components for mountain bikers worldwide.

At the helm of Alpenrock in 2011 is Whistler-based guide Stephen Matthews who will be joined by global mountain bike explorer Seb Kemp. “Mountain biking is all about journey, adventure and exploration.” says Kemp, “Big Mountain has always been at the forefront of sharing the world with mountain bikers. To be given the opportunity to share these experiences with others is a privilege that I don't take lightly. What excites me is the golden moments on and off the trail: ripping down unfamiliar singletrack, stopping to take in the view and experiencing the details of other peoples lives and culture.”

Join Matthews and Kemp on Alpenrock 2011: August 12-20 and August 20-28.

Land cost is $2695.00 USD.

Joining in Geneva, Switzerland.

For more info on Alpenrock DH, CLICK HERE.

 

Arrivederci Italia: that's a wrap.

 

I love the people that you meet through mountain biking. May I introduce Louise Paulin. Have you met her or heard of her? It's possible, it's a small world. Born in the south of Sweden, lived in Chamonix for years and now lives full-time in the mountains above Finale with her daughter and husband. She's super cool and chill and rrrrr-rips on a bike.

I like this photo. It's not perfect, but then what is? A portrait of 'ol uncle Roost. Have you seen him lately?

 

You can't tell in the photo but it just stopped raining. Still, it's the beach and those are big bikes and that's a palm tree on the left and that there on the right is the Mediterranean. It cleared up and the sun did come out minutes after this was taken. I'm pretty sure that these bikes where stoked to feel sand under their tires and just be chillin' on the beach after a week of blissfull punishment.

 

After ride beers, you know the ones. They really do taste better. Scientific studies have shown that the taste of beer is enhanced post-ride because of a very special chemical is released after you get off your bike and sit down and take that first sip. OK, that's bullshit. This was simply a particularly good post-ride beers sessions. I think Stephen Matthews was recalling a ripping section of trails in this photo.

 

The last ride of our trip ended at an old church overlooking this sweet cove that was truly idyllic. After a swim it was time to pack up the bikes for the flights home tomorrow. Thanks to all who made this an amazing downhill mountain bike holiday. Want to join Big Mountain in Italy this fall or next year? Get in touch.

Italian charge...Day 4 & 5 on the Ligurian coast

 You've never heard of Calizzano. It's a small town pretty much in the middle of nowhere and the riding is unreal. Seriously. The dirt is tacky, the terrain is a natural playground of half-pipes and wall rides and berms and the slope angle is just right where you can ride long sections off the brakes. Calizzano, you are beautiful, we'll be back one day to rail your sweet dirt.

 

 Sometimes a good day becomes a great day just because of lunch. We rolled into this remote «agritourismo» restaurant to a little slice of heaven on earth. A cute local girl greeted us upon arrival and served up a multi-course meal in a restored barn. Then came the espressos. Then came rose proseco in the sun and some random archery session. Here, Evan Schwartz feeds donkeys dandilions. Ah, the good life.

We're here with photographer Dan Barham, born in Manchester now living in North Vancouver. Barham is dedicated to his craft and his images translate - he's good at what he does. Here's a little behind the scenes action, Stephen Matthews roosting and Barham shooting. This is one of about seven takes of this berm being ridden. Don't tell anyone.

 

 Hmmm, cafe. There's something about the coffee in Italy that blows ours out of the water. 

This is Schwartz and Matthews riding another great trail Europe's biggest beach forest. Coming from the West Coast of British Columbia, the land of coniferous trees, it's a treat to travel through a deciduous forest at high-speeds on bikes.

Tails from the trail: Day 2 & 3 in Italia

This is a place that i will return to. This town is called Triora and it's tucked way up a remote valley just a few clicks from the French border. Check out that view! It's pretty rare to be in Europe and see no evidence of mankind in any vista. We only just scratched the surface of the riding too. 

 Facebook. Twitter. Whatever. These ladies don't give two cents. Evan Schwartz taking a moment in the sun while daily life in rural Italy rolls along at it's own pace.

Triora is supposed to be one of the last places where witches were burnt in all of Europe. Crazy. I swear we could smell flesh burning when we rolled in.
 

Eating is like religion in Italy. This was lunch: five courses later and a bottle of the local red. Journalist Dave Smith and I ended up napping in the sun for a good hour afterwards. Then we went riding. When's the last time you napped in the sun after a bottle of wine and a big meal? Me too. It was nice.

If you could smell this photo it'd be a combination of sage and jasmine and sea salt and pine. There's something about the air around the Mediterranean that's intoxicating and dreamy.

Stephen Matthews, Evan Schwartz and photographer Dan Barham, deep thoughts. Or maybe not. Chilling on a jump waiting for the evening sun to do it's thing.

Schwartzy straight air into the blue.

Day 1, Exploring San Remo on Italy's Ligurian Coast.

The prospect of exploring a new region on the Italian coast was just too hard to refuse. Springtime in Italy; big mountain shuttles; the Mediterranean; great cuisine; super coffee and epic wine; it's on. I'm here with a tight and solid crew from B.C.: photographer Dan Barham, journalist Dave Smith and riders Stephen Matthews and Evan Schwartz. The goal of our trip is simple, to explore the region with the potential of launching a new downhill trip for Big Mountain Adventures in 2012. Tough job, I know. But someone's got to do it.

  We arrived into Nice, France yesterday to 15 celcius, grey bird weather and a little damp, not what we expected in this part of the world. We were met by Manuel, an Italian guide who assured us that this was a good thing as the trails needed some moisture. We hopped in his van and climbed along the coastline with views of mountains and Meditarranean and a perfect vista of Monaco where real estate costs $40,000 per square meter and where Bono and Elton John come to hang and epic roads are driven by Lamborginis and bought with new Russian rubbles. Just beyond Monaco lies San Remo, the first stop on our journey. 

  Today we logged seven big laps high above San Remo. The driving here is crazy with super narrow roads that wind up and down the mountain side and quick, assertive drivers. Our shutttle driver is the ultimate multi-tasker, his phone would blast Euro-techno as it's ring while he'd proceed to answer with a colourful «pronto», hands flailing in all directions and then talk a million miles a minute while honking around corners with the tunes pumping in the van and even a little TV going on the dash while each mirrow seemed mere centimeters from rock walls at any given time.

 

  The trails are fast and sandy with rocky sections and some super eroded sections too to keep you on your toes. The kind of ruts where you point your front wheel and let off the brakes and aim for the berm at the bottom, if there is one at all. We all stayed on our bikes today which is a good sign for the rest of the trip. The riding here is definitely fun.

 

  We had lunch today at a mountain restaurant who's owner was a former rally car driver and runs a team. These are all rally plaques behind Evan. We all had pesto pasta again, because it's so amazing here. And a few espressos to wash it all down of course. And then hit the trails again for the afternoon.

 

  I like this photo. It sums up our day nicely.

Canada represent. Matthew's and Schwartz' Devinci Wilsons ready for action, high in the clouds.

  For any of you who've driven this coastline you probaly remember the crazy autostrada highway that's tunnel then bridge, consecutively, for over an hour straight. I've driven it a bunch of times, t's been nice to see what lies beyond this highway and meet the locals. Our hosts have been amazing, driving us all day with nothing but big smiles and helping us whenever possible.

BM selected "The 20 Best New Trips."

We're honored that our new Sea to Sky mountain bike trip has been chosen as one of "the 20 Best New Trips of 2011" by Canada's Explore Magazine. "Bike BC's Secret Trails" On the eight day Sea to Sky trip from Big Mountain Bike Adventures, riders will discover awesome singletrack trail along the B.C. coast that only the locals know about. Riding locations include Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton, the Sunshine Coast and Vancouver's North Shore. There is also an optional extension in the Chilcotins. July 23-30, 2011."
Thank you Explore Magazine. We were among some truly amazing company in the top 20 - from stand-up paddleboarding down the Nahanni River to remote hiking adventures in the Torngat Mountains and more impressive adventures. For more information on our amazing mountain bike trip in our backyard (we're based in Whistler btw...), CLICK HERE and come join us this summer!

New New Zealand video

A few weeks ago was our amazing New Zealand mountain bike holiday, Silver Fern. What a mountain bike trip! Wondering when we'll have our 2012 dates ready? Soon. Within a few weeks. Here's a little peek of what transpired..sit back, put it on full screen, and enjoy the ride.

Canadian Loonie buys $1.04 USD

Attention Canucks: according to the Bank of Canada one Loonie buys $1.04 USD today. This is the strongest Loonie seen since November 2007.
Hmmmm...let me think for a second...Big Mountain's trips are in USD...that means that with my Loonie im actually getting a discount! Canucks: if there was ever a time to book a mountain bike trip with us, it's today!

Ahhh, the trusty Loonie soars again....

Ancient Stone Forest in latest Bike Magazine.

Peru. Peru. Peru. Is it just me or has there been a lot of play about mountain biking in Peru lately? I've been saying this all along...the place is heaven for mountain biking. The latest Bike Magazine just published a two-pager taken from photographer Chris Christie from our Unforgettable Andes trip. Want to be in the picture? We've got Peru trips coming up next month, in June and September. CLICK HERE for info on our all-mountain trip and CLICK HERE for info on our new DH trips. Viva Peru!

Our group chillin' in the Ancient Stone Forest before a MASSIVE descent.

Mountain biking and barbeque...

Just down the road from Big Mountain Adventure's headquarters in Whistler BC lies a little known mecca for mountain biking with a peculiar name, Squamish. When i say mecca, i mean it is one of the best places to ride in Canada, if not #1. Next time you're on your way to Whistler, don't just drive through but pull over and get your bike off the roof. Turns out they're about to develop a National Mountain Bike Training facility there. Read about it in Canada's Pedal Magazine. Congratulations Squamish!

The lush and inviting Squamish Valley. Riddled with singletrack...

Want to ride Squamish with local guides? Either join us on our Sea to Sky trip July 23-30 this year, or get in touch and we can set you up with a guide to show you around.

"Images burnt into my mind," Derek Frankowski

"One of the best parts of being a photographer is being invited to document fun and interesting things. The idea of traveling to document huge descents and culture, in a place that has thousands of years of history, was an exciting one. In 2005 I was fortunate to go to Peru as a photographer for a Bike Magazine feature....CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY.

Two flavours one can expect in Peru.

Big Mountain Adventures is running some amazing trips in Peru this year....
Inca DH, June 3-12. click here.
Unforgettable Andes all-mountain trips, May 6-15 & Sept 30 - Oct 9. click here.

Etched in my mind.

I've had the pleasure of participating on many epic global adventures on mountain bikes and skis with great people over the years. What a blast. One trip that truly sticks out is mountain biking in Peru. Culture. Crazy fun mountain biking. Real adventure. I'm afraid to go back because my first trip was so freaking amazing.

Price reduced for South Africa & Botswana

Price reduced? Yes! This trip is a trip of a lifetime. Have you dreamed of an African safari? What about on a mountain bike? Groups of four to six per departure, leaving every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month out of Johannesburg. Click here for the details.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

"If this is a once-and-a-lifetime trip, I need more lifetimes."

Looking for an entertaining and refreshing story on a truly adventurous ride? Pick up a copy of the latest Bike Magazine and sit back after a ride with a cold beer of your choice and read away. "Trip of a Lifetime....cheating death in the Chilcotins" by Kristin Butcher, a hilarious and ripping rider who was a blast to hang out with on this trip that we hosted last summer. Enjoy.

New Morocco dates

"We begin this adventure in Marrakech, the stunning 1000 year-old ochre-colored city with a vibrant street life, a funky old Medina and chaos of cultures with a European flavour. Then it’s off to the highest mountain range in North Africa, the Atlas and their rugged, prehistoric, flat-topped peaks laced with dirt roads and trails still used by the nomadic Berbers. For eight days we’ll ride on singletrack, over passes that link small villages, at night we’ll sip mint tea and stare up at the blanket of stars in the desert sky." New 2001 dates: September 23 to October 2. Click here for all the details on this fantastic XC holiday.

A remote Berber town only accessable by trail.

Tunnel vision

That unique feeling when you walk through the door of your house after being away on a great mountain bike holiday. Not just any holiday, but one where you were challenged at times, screamed out loud with elation at times, met interesting people that you'd never otherwise meet and stared out at awe-inspiring vistas. You open that door...and you realize that your perspective has changed; taking an afternoon to cook a great meal for friends is a priority, driving in traffic is really not that big a deal, your love and appreciation for your family is at another level and sitting at a coffee shop and reading the paper on a Sunday afternoon is something that you make time for. I love that about travel.

Rotorua: a little me-time in the forest

Just a few hours ago I was rolling my bike through the lushes greenest most beauty forest in Rotorua New Zealand on trails called Bunny Jugs, The Tickler and Te Ara Puna...chasing friends down these pump-track-esque singletrack descents sprinkled with root hits and berms and jumps. Truly seriously fun. And then i stopped, which one rarely does when riding these types of a-grade trails chasing friends...and I saw this fern lit up like only a fern can be. Hey there little fern. Click. Then i stomped on my pedals and howled to the forest and rode away...

NZ, people along the way...

I find with all trips that when you get home, unpack your bike, clean your clothes, rest up and the dust settles and you have time to reflect...that your best memories always come back to the people whom you met and the people that you got to know. This trip is no exception. Actually, it is exceptional - the people of New Zealand are downright top notch on all fronts. Thank you for the unreal hospitality...we look forward to coming back.

Glen from Napier. Guide extraordinaire. Dude.

Some of our crew, post ride lounging in hot springs on a summer afternoon.

Gary, our host at his farm in rural NZ. He was pumped and made a tasty pavlova.

North Island blisssssssssss....

Seriously fun. In a nutshell, this is New Zealand's North Island. We've all tossed around the words buffed, railing, bermed, rediculous, ripping...when describing trails. I'd have to say that this place is the true home to all of these over-used collections of letters. I'd like to write more but time is of the essence here as we ride day after day on our way north to Auckland and a one-way flight back to wintertime and reality. So, i'm going to keep this short, and as sweet as possible. Today is day nine in a row of pedalling, we're in Rotovegas now, one of the hot spots for NZ mountain biking. Tomorrow....we ride more...I'll be back soon with more news from the trails of this riding mecca.

One of the dreamiest shuttles. Ever. The ride rocked too.

Breakfast on the pier, great way to start the day.

Post ride dip in a refreshing lake.

Minties all around: greeting from windy Welly

Sorry that it’s been a few days since my last post. My plan was to upload a photo or two and some stories daily from the front lines on our Silver Fern trip but we’ve been on the move lately and internet has not been available. What a trip we’re having. Man. You those days where you feel like you’ve packed in two day’s worth of fun and memories? Well, we’ve been packing in what feels like a week’s worth each day here in New Zealand. Seriously. The riding in New Zealand is UNREAL. We’re now in Wellington, the capital, which is located on the southern tip of the North Island. Gone are the big grassy wide-open mountains mountains of the Southern Alps and now we’re riding in dense tropical forest with sweet sounds of songbirds and palm trees and ferns as big as cars. We just wrapped up day two here in Welly and I’d have to say that this place has to be one of the best out-of-the-door riding cities that I’ve ever ridden in. Hat’s off to Wellington, thank you so very much for letting us ride your sweet trails…we’ll be back.

OK, how much fun does this look like?

Hmmmmm Minties....

Scott, about to drop in on Welly...

Photographer Dan Milner in Morocco

"If you look a little further than the quick-fix buzz of our purpose-built trails you’ll find a world littered with new riding experiences. With a little know-how and a taste for riding something other than berms and pump-bumps, you can combine bike and adventure for an experience you’ll remember for the rest of your days. Now more accessible than ever, riding in wild places is easier than you might think. Armed with a bulging Camelbak, Dan Milner sets off to Morocco to see how easily such plans come together."
READ THE FULL STORY ON PINKBIKE.COM.

Alexandra, Clyde and Ohau.

Our great adventure continues in the land of the long cloud...as we move north the landscape morphs. As i write this im gazing out over teal green Lake Ohau and the surrounding peaks. We're near where Lord of the Rings was filmed, you can imagine how unreal this place looks. More to come....

Super fun riding in Alexandra. We didn't want to leave...

Robbie with Lake Ohau in the distance.

Riding Sticky Trees & helicopters in Wanaka

Have you heard of Wanaka before? It's in the south island of New Zealand; an absolutely beautiful town on the shores of a big blue lake surrounded by jagged peaks and grassy rolling hills. The locals are kind and layed way way back and the atmosphere is so cool that you just want to bottle it up and take it home to share with all your friends. Today we rode a killer playground just out of town called Sticky Trees, a web of berms and little jumps a la pump track meets mini-dh zone. Then it was time to get high and we boarded a helicopter to a blustery peak for a very fun 5000-foot descent, NZ's highest heli drop. The ride ended very conveniently at a quaint pub with very tasty beers. What a day.

I found this mushroom in the Sticky Trees.

Mountain biker's nirvana.

Heli + Bikes= Fun.