Fueling the engine with Andreas Hestler from BCBR

BIKE MAGAZINE: check us out the July issue!

So you think you're tough...

This week-end on my way back from a great ride on Lumpy's Epic in Pemberton i spotted two mountain bikes loaded to the brim. Low and behold, it's the French-Canadian couple Janick and Pierre whom i've read about. Are you ready? They've been cycling around the world since the early 90's on a 110,000+ kilometer adventure! How crazy is that? They were on their way to Alaska at the time, on a world volcano-tour. I was so pumped to meet them. Just as you'd imagine two people to be who travel on their bikes...they were super friendly and brimming with energy. Pierre's bike weighs in at a cool 100 lbs! You can read about them on Canada's Pedal Mag, click here.

Looking for trail with Simmons

It was a random week-day ride on Fromme on Vancouver's North Shore but for some reason we ended up hike-a-biking straight up the mountain with our bikes on our shoulders. Not that i have anything against that, i love a good hammering even a push, hike, grind while chomping at the bars. Wade and his neighbour Dave are trying to link a series of old singletrack and create a new singletrack climb up Fromme. The first 80% was pedallable, albeit with some heavy technical sections and ball busting cardio action, then it was bike on shoulder wandering through the dank forest. In the end we popped out on the road and hit a tasty old-school descent. Can't wait for more action.

Yukon

posted by Nathalie

I've spent the past week exploring Canada's rugged and remote Yukon Territory as a possible new destination for Big Mountain Bike Adventures.

Before this trip, my knowledge of the Yukon was admittedly quite limited. I've eaten a lot of Yukon Gold potatoes (which turns out are not actually grown in the Yukon), I knew that it's located somewhere between / around British Columbia, Alaska and the North Pole, that Jack London's "Call of the Wild" was set in this region, that the Klondike Gold Rush took place here in the nineteenth century, and that its capital is Whitehorse (well... ok... fine...I didn't really KNOW that for sure. But I had it narrowed down to probably either Whitehorse or Yellowknife. And even 10 time returning Jeopardy champions get stumped by Canadian geograpy).
But I had read a trip account by Big Mountain guide Andreas Hestler in Mountain Bike UK wherein he described the riding on Whitehorse's Grey Mountain as one of the "top 10 rides of his life". And I had spoken to Ray Warner, who lives in Whitehorse and joined Big Mountain on the Swiss Cloudraker trip last summer. Ray told me that the variety and amount of riding in the Yukon rivals the Alps. And I'm always up for an adventure and a chance to explore a new region so here I am.

Below is a brief summary of some of the new things about the Yukon that I've discovered so far:

31,608. Population of people in the entire Territory which, parenthetically, is larger than the state of California.

185,000. Population of caribou in the Territory (including the one in the "caribou casserole" that we ate for dinner last night).

26. degrees celcius (79 fahrenheit). Average daytime high this past week.

7. Number of fleece jackets and / or sweaters that remained in unpacked in my suitcase. Would have been helpful to have known the previous fact before packing for the trip

18 hours. 12 mins. 36 seconds - average amount of daily daylight during the month of May. Which is still not enough to explore the approximate 750 kilometres of singletrack accessible from the doorstep of our hotel. The second photo was taken at 11:45pm.

Yukon may have more abundant, diverse and unspoiled riding options than anywhere else in North America. Northern explorers, aboriginal fur traders, and Klondike Gold Rush prospectors created thousands of kilometres of trails and doubletrack. In addition to endless fast flowy singletrack and challenging technical trails, Yukon offers stunning panoramic views, pristine wilderness, unique terrain and landscapes, majestic peaks and glaciers, and some of the warmest most welcoming people imaginable (special thanks to our hosts and guides Elaine Maisonneuve and Ray Warner).

Big Mountain Bike Adventures will be offering a 10 day trip to this mountain bike vacation paradise next July 2009. Check back at www.ridebig.com later this summer for details. My advice for now - plan on packing some eyeshades/sleepmask. And tank tops.

Andrew Shandro's garage

I met up with Shandro yesterday at his pad tucked in the upper reaches of North Vancouver. We climbed from the door for about an hour and a half on technical singletrack, dirt road and some urban stuff too - then descended for about an hour. He was hard to keep up to on his all-mountain stallion, the new Trek Remedy 9. I am still buzzing from the ride. If you're into technical riding - rocks, roots, bridges and the like, the Shore is the place to ride. He's training for the Test of Metal event, a 67 km point to point race in Squamish on June 14. I think that i'll do this event next year, if i can get in that is - it sells out in hours. Check out Shandro's Summer Gravity Camp mountain bike camps. If you're looking to improve your riding, this this place! The quote of the day from Shandro, "Now that was a mountain bike ride" as he somewhat sarcastically referred to the technical climbs and descents of our ride.

Chihuahua

The troops are back from a successful spring adventure in Mexico with guides Ryan Sullivan, Arturo Gutierrez and Andreas Hestler at the helm. At the end of it all the guests went home with some great stories to tell, solid miles under their belts, a few words of Spanish and one hell of a fancy belt buckle. We'll be posting dates for the 2009 Spring Training jaunt with Andreas soon!

How to hit a booter

Chris Duncan at Bikeskills.com shows you some tips on hitting dirt jumps and table tops.

New World Disorder in Maroc

Our friends from Freeride Entertainment joined us in late March in Morocco. You can see a little sneak preview movie clip on Pinkbike.com.

Here's a cool photo of Frenchmen Fabien Barel hangin' on tight down a steep and eroded slope.

Check out their next film coming out in September for the film segment and more action from these guys.

Mattias Fredriksson

Hey my friend Swedish photographer Mattias Fredriksson just launched his new website, check it out.
Mattias takes unreal photos and is one of the hardest working ski and mountain bike photographers out there. The best part is that he is super fun to hang out with and really just likes to live it up!

April 20: Squamish BC

I officially broke the seal of the 2008 season last week-end with a blower ride in Squamish, BC. Squampton, as the locals call it, is a sleeper all-mountain mecca, a pedallable North Shore-esque playground but more of the singletrack kind. It's one of my favorite places to ride anywhere with technical and short power climbs where you have to creep forward on your seat, keep the pedals turning evenly and strongly, look ahead to pick the right line and try not to turn blue in the face. And the descents...an orchestration of finesse, balance, line choice and exaggerated body language while working both brakes and trying not to kill yourself. You know what i mean, good times! It's a true test of an all mountain bike. Speaking of that, I had the pleasure of riding with my riding buddies from Whistler, Pemberton and Squamish - 14 of us in total - whom 10 of were riding Ian Ritz' rowdy brainchild, the Chromag hardtail. Chromag Bikes was born in Whistler and tested on the local trails that demand tough and performance. Needless to say, the boys on the Chromags were pinning it!

Harookz kills it

Pro photographer Harookz joined Big Mountain this past January in Costa Rica...here are some samples of what's to come...

I love donuts

Did you know that Big Mountain guide extraordinare Joe Schwartz is a certified Canadian ACMG ski guide in the winter? Yep, it's true. He's a guiding madman spending his winters neck-deep in powder at snow-cat and heli skiing operations across BC. I had the pleasure of ski touring from Whistler mountain to neighbouring Fissle mountain and skiing the north face with Joe. What did he have to say about the whole thing? "I love donuts" he said, then skied away. Weird. But he's got a point, donuts sure are tasty.

JUST ANNOUNCED: Spring Training Camp with Andreas Hestler in Mexico's Copper Canyon

We're excited! We've teamed up with Andreas Hestler, one of North Americas most celebrated cross-country mountain bikers, on a spring training camp in Mexicos Copper Canyon region.
During the 7-day adventure participants will pedal with the 5-time Canadian National Champion and former Olympian, who will uncover his training and riding secrets.
This is an opportunity for endurance mountain bike competitors to prepare for the season. While the BC Bike Race from June 28 to July 4, 2008, will be the particular focus of this training camp, all epic, multi-day racers can benefit greatly from this training opportunity
"Spring training camps are one of the best ways to concentrate your efforts in that last push to start the season. All cyclists can benefit from experiencing a training camp that prepares you for your upcoming season. Like the pros, getting together to build base, discuss seasonal logistics and share knowledge, training camps should be worked into every ones program," says Hestler.
The riding in this region is perfect for training with an endless network of buffed singletrack in an arid Sedona Arizona-like landscape. While getting fit with Hestler, riders will explore a constantly changing landscape and jaw-dropping views that rival the Grand Canyon while cycling amongst the indigenous Tarahumara people, some of the most primitive in North America.
Further, Hestler will be joined by local guides and riding pioneers who have an intimate knowledge of the area and its people and who can truly unlock the magic of the region.

Trip dates: Saturday, May 3 to Friday, May 9, 2008
Cost: $1975 Canadian

To book, send us an email at info@ridebig.com or call us at 1.866.894.0220

Trail of the Year

Here is a trail that Bike Magazine voted as the trail of the year for 2007. It happens to be one of the trails on our classic BC Misty Mountain Hop all-mountain trip this upcoming September 12-21, 2008.

Enjoy.

Trail of the Year
By Mitchell Scott, Bike Magazine, Dec 2007

FROM LUNG-BUSTING SWITCHBACKS CLIMBS TO EXPOSED RIDEGLINE SINGLETRACK AND ENDLESS DESCENTS, THE 20-MILE-LONG SEVEN SUMMITS TRAILS OFFERS IT ALL. HERE’S A BLOW-BY-BLOW ACCOUNT OF THE SEVEN BEST PARTS OF OUR TRAIL OF THE YEAR.

Pleasure and pain. These are two of the most critical elements in a great ride, and not trail combines them better than the Seven Summits. The trail sacks riders with 4,500 feet of climbing and more than 7,000 feet of descending on some of the most rugged and beautiful terrain in North America.
Seven Summits lies just outside the mountain hamlet of Rossland, British Columbia, and the 20 miles of point-to-point singletrack crests – you guessed it – seven mountain summits as it weaves and dips along the scenic ridges of the Rossland Range.
Conceived in 1999 as a way to increase the regions summer tourism, the trail was finally carved into earth by the Kootenay Columbia Trails Society in the summer of 2004 at a cost of $1000,000. Although technically a multi-use trails the Seven Summits was built entirely by mountain bikers, and has the flow to prove it. With astounding views, a railer of a final descent, and numerous bails-out options for those not prepared to tackle the whole ride- which can take anywhere from six to eight hours – the certified IMBA Epic is attracting riders from around the world. It is a mountain bike success story of the highest order.
“The success of the trail has far exceeded our expectations,” says Kim Dean, director of the Kootenay Columbia Trails Society. “Businesses in town are definitely noticing an increase in mountain bike tourists to Rossland. It’s become the world-class amenity we originally envisioned.” But ultimately, it’s the ride – and that addictive combination of pleasure and pain – that keeps mountain bikers coming back for more.

[1] From a kiosk just off Highway 3B at the trails northern terminus, riders immediately dive into a 1.5-mile section of fresh singletrack completed this summer. For the next 5 miles, riders huff and puff through a pine and fit forest, grinding up technical switchbacks. After nearly 2000 feet, the trees thin, yielding stunning 360-degree views of Old Glory, the highest peak in the Rossland Range.

[2] From this prominent ridge top, the trail continues to climb. After 6.5 miles it reaches it’s highest point, 7230 feet. But the climbing is far from over. The next 1.5 miles are some of the most spectacular as the trail sweeps west of Mt. Plewman, overlooking the mighty Columbia River to the east. What follows is a short jaunt across one of the trails’s most expensive sections, a 200-yard-long stretch the crosses the steep east face of Unnecessary Peak and cost $8000 dollars to build. From there, riders can drop the Plewman trail if they wish, a 2,500-foot bomber descent back to the highway.

[3] For the next 5 miles the trail follows a broad ridgeline busting with alpine flowers. A long, fast, technical descent ends with a lengthy, steep, side-hill climb to a saddle between Mt. Kirkup and Grey Mountain before continuing up to the southwest shoulder of Grey. Now comes the first spoonful of pleasure, seven ripping switchbacks descending to Red Mountain Resort.

[4] Pain quickly returns. Twelve miles in, the granny gear comes calling as the trail climbs Red Mountain’s Lone Squaw ski run. Red Mountain’s mangers played a crucial role in developing the Seven Summits by helping the trails society work through its environmental-impact assessment, as well as allowing the trails to travel through the resort itself.

[5] After leaving the resort, the trail spirals up White Wolf Ridge, testing riders with 12 steep switchbacks. It continues through steep alpine ridges, working toward Record Notch, elevation 6,460 feet. From there, two rocky switchbacks lead to the seventh and final summit. At 15 miles in, it’s a good point to take a break, soak in the incredible views and fuel the furnace. There’s still a long way to go.

[6] Finally, a hard-earned, long-awaited descent. Tight switchbacks roar down the west side of Record Ridge, leading to a long traverse through open trees and clearings. Speed increases as the trail rips through vast meadows and drops back into forest. A few short, technical climbs remain, but the trail really begins to flow here. A few more switchbacks dive through grassy meadows guarded by old-growth pines before the trail transitions onto patches of bedrock – these are the smoothest sections of the entire ride. Twenty miles from the start, riders reach the finish line at Old Cascade Highway. But, for those who left some gas in the tank, there’s on final kicker.

[7] The Seven Summits conveniently ends where another Rossland classic, the Dewdney trail, begins. The 100-year-old route offers 3 miles of wide-open descending and has been adopted by Rosslands’s downhill set. It is perfect end to a day of pleasure and pain hammering over seven summits.

7000 feet

Just up the road from Whistler lies this big daunting wall of a mountain called Mount Currie and every few years the weather and conditions come together and we get a helicopter to drop us on the top of it. Well, this was one of those weekends and let me tell you it was over the top. The crew was all-time with PK, Smitty, Will, JD, Gray and myself and the snow was knee-deep to the valley floor 7000 feet from turn 1. Does it get any better?

Watch the line from PK's point of view...

The Dirt Merchant: Morocco

People often ask me what my favorite Big Mountain destination is. This is a tough question to answer as each place has it's features; ridiculous buffed singletrack (Switzerland), unforgettable sights and sounds (Southern Africa) or sweet tropical air (Costa Rica). These are just a few examples. One trip that does stand out in my mind is mountain biking in Morocco. It's one of the most memorable mountain bike trips I've ever been on. Why? Adventure: roll into remote Berber towns that are only accessable by 2-day walk and feel like you are living the pages of National Geographic. Great riding: the Atlas Mountains are true all-mountain with great climbs and equal descents. Morocco is a world like no other and the word on the street is that it's changing quickly and becoming Westernized at a fast pace. We are running a trip out of Marrakech next November, why don't you gather a few friends and join us?

The Dirt Merchant: Moroccan Mountain Biking Trip - Sunday, November 2 to Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Check out this video that we did a few years ago...

A few spots left: Copper Canyon MEX, March 1-9

Dreaming about somewhere hot and dry these days? Dreaming about riding your bike and getting a little head start on the riding season? Come to Copper Canyon Mexico with us from March 1-9. You will not be disappointed!

Not convinced? Read Mike Levy from Pinkbike.com's take on our trip there in November 2007.

Wintertime

Living in Vancouver is pretty cool if you're into riding your bike and skiing. A few weeks ago I went a on killer Shore ride with Andreas and Wade and three days later I was railing 2000-foot lines not far away on my skis. Talk about good times! The ride was ridiculously fun - we started at Wade's in Lynn Valley then traversed on linked trails over to Seymour and rode a tech XC/all-mountain loop. I was so pumped to be out! The skiing was a little more ridiculous as we hopped into a heli in downtown Van and flew up to a remote lodge and helied with our friends at TLH for three days. The skiing was incredible.

Adidas photo shoot in CR

As we speak Big Mountain is working in Costa Rica with Adidas freeride athletes Ben Boyco, Alex Reveles, Pierre Ferry, Niki Leitner and Richie Schley. The photographer on the scene is none other than Harookz from Vancouver.

Here's a little behind the scenes look at a big hipper that they build. Watch the mags for Adidas ads showing Costa Rica and Big Mountain.