Swiss Cloudraker + the Tour de France: what you won't have to do...

We are super excited that our July 17th Swiss Cloudraker all-mountain trip will be happening during this year's Tour de France. Lance is back for another pull and there's some hot new young guns on the start list so it'll be especially fiesty. Can you imagine watching the race go by and then railing a 6000-foot descent? And then checking out the circus after hours that follows the tour? It's about to happen...

Don't worry, you won't have to launch the peleton like Dave Watson did a few years ago.

Photo by Scott Markewitz.

more downhill fun from the Alps...

Downhill Mountain Biking in the Swiss Alps: part one from big mountain on Vimeo.

Regular Joe

Read about Joe's exploits on his Kona bike...here!



You can ride with the man himself this summer! He's guiding our new Supernatural DH trip in BC's Kootenay region and both Alpenrock DH trips in Switzerland. Choices...

vancouver

During the month of January in Vancouver an average of 131 mm or 5.18 inches of rain falls. Over a year, Vancouver gets an average of 1154 mm of rain. Not that bad really compared to the rainiest place in the world, Mawsynram, India with a staggering 11,872 mm of rain. What's the point you ask? Thanks to all this rain the forest in Vancouver gets real green and pretty and makes for beautiful mountain bike photographs like this one taken by our good friend and journalist Dave Smith, the founder of allmaple.com. Keep your eyes peeled in an upcoming Decline issue for Dave's story on DH'ing in Switzerland on our Alpenrock trip. Rock on.

Photographer Blake Jorgenson

Last summer we shot with pro photographer Blake Jorgenson in the Swiss Alps on a feature for Decline magazine that's coming out soon. Here's what Blake does in the wintertime...with our friends from Rossignol.


Team trips to Revy from rossignol on Vimeo.

Wade Simmons-Prepares for Mt. Kenya!

Big Mountain guide Wade Simmons soon will be doing battle against some of the world's best riders climbing up and shredding Mount Kenya. He has lived the life of easy street for far too long! Eating high on the horse at the Topanga Cafe and chillin on the couch after easy rides to the store on his Flatline for bon bons just won't cut it! It is time for him to get back to the basics! Here is his story to the top!

What does Wade get to do the day after he gets home from Africa? Go to Costa Rica to guide our epic Pura Vida DH trips!

Wade reached into his helmet and pulled out a winner...

On a grey and cool mid-January day in Vancouver, Wade poured over a fat pile entries of the first Dear Wade contest and chose his top 10. As he promised, he reached into his helmet and pulled out the winner…Pedro Brajal from Portugal. “A big thanks to all who entered,” said Wade with his signature big smile and unshaven mug, “I hope that Pedro is pumped to ride big bikes in Costa Rica because I am!” Pedro walks away with 9 days of riding with Wade on Big Mountain Bike Adventures’ Pura Vida DH trip, a Dakine Apex pack, a Bell full-face helmet, Oakley shades, the use of a 2009 Rocky Mountain Flatline DH rig and a full set-up from Sombrio clothing. Congratulations Pedro! The 9 runner-up entries get a Sombrio jersey and Big Mountain t-shirt.

Thanks to all who entered and we’ll see you next year! More information on our Pura Vida DH trip, click here.



costa rica contest winner from wadesimmons on Vimeo.

Eye candy from the land of candy, vegas

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's to a great year ahead filled with health and happiness, out of control laughter and long rides with friends and family.



*Big thanks to Christophe from Zurich for sending us this sweet card. Christophe joined us on a Cloudraker trip last summer.

Winter ripping on the North Shore!

Clients and friends Karaleen and Bryan sent us these sweet snowy photos of riding on Vancouver's North Shore recently. They've joined us in both Costa Rica and Switzerland in the past two years. Oh, and if you click on the link to Switzerland you'll see them railing it home to our base in the Swiss Valais! Thanks for the photos guys and we look forward to more rides together!!

It looks like Santa was good to them this year.

Christmas wish list according to VeloNews.com

Velo News' Jason Sumner know's what he wants for Christmas...to join Big Mountain in Switzerland this summer and watch Lance Armstrong and the Tour de France from his mountain bike on our July 17-25 Cloudraker trip. Read about it.

Happy Holidays!

From your friends at Big Mountain...here's to ripping into more than just wrapping paper this holiday season! Enjoy the holidays!

Dear Wade

Want to win a trip to Costa Rica with Wade Simmons? Click here for the deets.

Peru photos

Click here to view some great images from pro photographer Robin O'Neill from her recent trip to Peru with Big Mountain.

We've got some great trips in Peru in 2009, what are you waiting for? Click here.

2009 Spring Training Camp with Dre - dates and details launched!

We've just launched dates for a new Spring Training Camp with Andreas Hestler, one of North America’s most celebrated cross-country mountain bikers.
During the 8-day adventure participants will join former Olympian, 3-time winner of the Trans Rockies, celebrated coach and charismatic athlete Andreas Hestler on this private training camp and learn riding and training techniques to improve mountain bike skills.
Quote from Hestler: I believe that the difference between amateur cyclists and professionals is dedication and focus, says Hestler. During this training camp, we will have one unified goal, to gather miles and learn skills over a concentrated period of time. These skills can be applied to racing or everyday riding. Off the bike, Hestler will share his secrets about goal setting, nutrition, seasonal periodization, stage racing and more. For those training for a multi-day event or just looking to improve their skills and fitness, this is a great opportunity.
The location for the camp is one of North America’s mountain bike Mecas near Las Vegas, Nevada. Just beyond the strip lies an arid region with varied trails, spectacular scenery and world class riding. Riders will visit Bootleg Canyon, Blue Diamond, Hurricane, Thunder Mountain and even hike Zion National Park for a morning. Some of the trails in this area are like Moab on steroids,” says Hestler enthusiastically, slick rock that winds and undulates with plenty of cornering and singletrack to practice skills and fitness. We’re going to have fun.

Trip dates: March 28 to April 4, 2009
Cost: $2475 Canadian
For more info, email us at: info@ridebig.com or contact us.





Big thanks to pro photographer Colin Meagher for these photos.

Testimonial: Southern Africa Mountain Bike Safari

This is a quote from clients who just returned from our Rhythm of Africa trip. Thanks for the kind words!

"We had an amazing time. It was the total package: culture, scenery, animals and epic riding. Greg and the guides were amazing and everything went off with out a hitch. It was simply a unreal trip – like being inside a National Geographic episode.
Truly an epic adventure! Thanks so much for letting us experience it."
Scott and Patti, Alberta Canada





Check out some more of Scott and Patti's photos here.

Notes from the road...

Hey friends. I thought i'd share some photos and little anecdotes from travels in SE Asia. We're running a road bike trip with our sister company Cycleventures in Northern Thailand for the next 12 days. It's good to be here. Watch this space for more soon.


A strange looking Buddha statue that was about 20 feet tall. Very serious.


A random dude who was just begging for a photo. This is at a temple on a mountain near the city of Chiang Mai.

Happy Thanksgiving to our American friends and clients!

I know we've all heard way too much from Sarah Palin but we just could not resist. Have a great thanksgiving!

In the latest issue of Bike Magazine

Guide Joe Schwartz railing a tasty trail to Tasch in the Zermatt area on our Cloudraker Swiss mountain biking trip.

Moment in time

On this particular Swiss Cloudraker trip in 2007 the weather was challenging: cold, rainy and even snowy at times. OK, it sucked. As it happens though, our group came together like old friends, supported each other with good times and laughs and we made it through big days unscathed, albeit dirty. A good thing about the Swiss trails and rain is that the water drains well and is generally gravely which means good traction and little mud. Plus, it'll rain (or snow) but not for too long, well at least not for someone coming from Vancouver on the Wet Coast or Canada. I'm getting sidetracked here. So there we were. The day started off in fresh snow, the trail was called Goldielocks - a big loop, 50 km, 6-7 hours with challenging technical XC sections, a buffed section, a paved traverse/climb, hike a bike and a mother descent - 10,000 feet of downhill all in all. A super all-mountain day. Towards the end of the day we always stop at a viewpoint where the land eroded away to nothing. I was leading on this section and as i approached i heard scurrying in the forest, then rocks falling somewhere in the distance. I looked out into the mist and there was a chamois perched on a precarious rocky outcropping looking back at me. I pulled out my camera and go this shot just before the mist came in and the creature disappeared in the white.