Mountain biking in British Columbia
Encyclopedia
The North Shore
The North ShoreNorth Shore (Greater Vancouver)
"Vancouver's North Shore" is a term commonly used to refer to several areas adjacent to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada:*the District of West Vancouver;*the City of North Vancouver;*the District of North Vancouver; and...
suburbs of Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
are a world-renowned mecca for mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
. Situated on the steep terrain comprising the north shore of Burrard Inlet
Burrard Inlet
Burrard Inlet is a relatively shallow-sided coastal fjord in southwestern British Columbia, Canada. Formed during the last Ice Age, it separates the City of Vancouver and the rest of the low-lying Burrard Peninsula from the slopes of the North Shore Mountains, home to the communities of West...
, there are trails on many of the local mountains. These include Mt. Fromme, Cypress Mountain
Cypress Provincial Park
Cypress Provincial Park is a Provincial Park on the North Shore of Metro Vancouver, British Columbia. The park has two sections: a 21 km² southern section which is accessible by road, and a 9 km² northern section which is only accessible by hiking trails...
, and Mt. Seymour
Mount Seymour
Mount Seymour is a mountain located in Mount Seymour Provincial Park in the District of North Vancouver, British Columbia. It is a part of the North Shore Mountains, rising to the north from the shores of Burrard Inlet and Indian Arm to a summit of above the Indian River and Deep Cove neighbourhoods...
. While it is not considered part of the North Shore, Coquitlam's Eagle Mountain, and Burke Mountain offer riding that is similar, though access to the trails is typically more difficult.
The local mountains all are populated with mountain bike trails that are known for their extremely difficult and dangerous mountain terrain, and this unique style of trail building was born from the need to create a way to successfully ride this terrain. These trails contain numerous natural challenges like fallen logs, giant boulders to drop off
Drop Off
-Summary:The game was originally released in 1989 for the PC Engine under the title Drop Rock Hora Hora, and subsequently saw a stateside release in 1990 for the TurboGrafx-16 console. It was released on the Virtual Console in North America on July 30, 2007 and in Japan on August 28, 2007. It was...
, ravines to jump across etc. The area is home to many old-growth Red Cedar, which when dead and dried out, naturally splits into nearly straight planks. The abundance of these natural Cedar planks provided much of the material used to create the early ladders, bridges, and stunts that were required to negotiate the difficult terrain and fallen trees. Thus, most of the trails also contain man-made obstacles like skinny bridges, twisting "ladders" raised above the ground, and teeter-totters to ride on. This style of trail building and biking is sometimes referred to as "North Shore", describing trail systems that incorporate natural and man-made features of terrain. One of the most popular of these trails is CBC, which has recently been rebuilt and upgraded.
Trail riding on the North Shore has been the source of some controversy. Residents in neighbourhoods bordering on trail areas complain of bikers going across their lawns and other disturbances. On the North Shore's neighbouring mountains, the expansion of residential areas calls for the destruction of some trails on Eagle and Burke Mountain. An advocacy group called the North Shore Mountain Biking Association (NSMBA) seeks to help promote biking. They negotiate with property owners, organize volunteers to maintain the trails and hold races.
Whistler
The Whistler-BlackcombWhistler-Blackcomb
Whistler Blackcomb is a major ski resort located 125 km north of Vancouver, in British Columbia, Canada. By many measures it is the largest ski resort in North America; it is 50% larger than its nearest competitor in terms of size, has the greatest uphill lift capacity, and until 2009, had...
resort in Whistler, British Columbia
Whistler, British Columbia
Whistler is a Canadian resort town in the southern Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains in the province of British Columbia, Canada, approximately north of Vancouver...
is one of the best known places in the world for Mountain Biking. Both downhill and freeriding are popular there. The Fitzsimmons ski lift and Whistler Gondola are used on the bottom of Whistler Mountain. The Garbanzo lift is used in the middle. Biking opens around the end of April and is open through the summer. Numerous mountain biking events are held annually including Crankworx
Crankworx
Kokanee Crankworx is a week-long celebration of mountain biking held each summer at Whistler-Blackcomb in Whistler, British Columbia at Whistler Mountain Bike Park. In the six years since its inception Kokanee Crankworx has become one of Whistler’s biggest annual events.-Festival:A central aspect...
and the Joyride Huckfest.
Vancouver Island
Vancouver IslandVancouver Island
Vancouver Island is a large island in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several North American locations named after George Vancouver, the British Royal Navy officer who explored the Pacific Northwest coast of North America between 1791 and 1794...
, though not as well-known for mountain biking as the North Shore, boasts a growing number of trails. They are located near the communities of Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, Sooke
Sooke, British Columbia
Sooke is a district municipality situated on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Canada. About a 45 minute drive from the city of Victoria , Sooke is considered the westernmost of the Greater Victoria region's "Western Communities." It is situated to the north and west of the Sooke...
, Duncan
Duncan, British Columbia
Duncan is a city on southern Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.-History:The community is named after William Chalmers Duncan . He arrived in Victoria in May 1862, then in August of that year he was one of the party of a hundred settlers which Governor Douglas took to Cowichan Bay...
, Nanaimo, Port Alberni, the Comox Valley
Comox Valley
The Comox Valley is a region on the east coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada that includes the city of Courtenay, the town of Comox, the village of Cumberland, and the unincorporated settlements of Royston, Union Bay, Fanny Bay, Black Creek and Merville. The communities of Denman...
, Campbell River
Campbell River, British Columbia
Campbell River is a coastal city in British Columbia on the east coast of Vancouver Island at the south end of Discovery Passage, which lies along the important coastal Inside Passage shipping route...
, Cumberland
Cumberland, British Columbia
Cumberland is a town in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.-History:The village was originally named Union, British Columbia after the Union Coal Company, which was in turn named in honour of the 1871 union of British Columbia with Canada. The town was renamed after...
, and Mount Work (also known as "the Dump").