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Where to ride in Western Canada?

25K views 29 replies 16 participants last post by  EmmaPie 
#1 · (Edited)
Useful information

- What kind of trails do you want to ride?
- How much time you have?
- What time of the year?
- Riding ability level

A collection of links. Work in progress. Anyone feel free to add more stuff

GENERAL QUESTIONS

Saskatoon to BC - http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/trip-saskatoon-bc-786380.html

Riding camping in SW BC - http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/riding-camping-sw-bc-641115.html

Raddest rides in BC - http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/raddest-rides-bc-summer-2012-a-761713.html

Overwhelmed by BC Options - http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/overwhelmed-bc-options-720263.html

Advice on Planning mtb trip to BC - http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/advice-planning-mtb-trip-bc-672662.html

"7 summits, wakefield trail whats next?" Kootenays generally - http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/7-summits-wakefield-trail-whats-next-617991.html

Calgary to Vancouver xc singletrack - by zinger-uk -http://forums.mtbr.com/passion/canadian-xc-singletrack-passion-picture-heavy-495839.html

New Denver - http://forums.mtbr.com/western-cana...trail-h-idaho-wakefield-silverton-440601.html

XC trails around Squamish and Pemberton - http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/what-best-xc-trails-pemberton-squarmish-450491.html

Western Canada Traverse http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/b-c-traverse-2-weeks-zones-792347.html#post9366027

Zinger-UK's ride reports

Sharon and Lee ride reports via searchable database

Kootenays photo trip http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/kootenay-trip-09-photo-heavy-558923.html

Yet another trip planning thread - 2 weeks,

Easier Whistler, Squamish, Pemberton trails for post back surgery rider

Chilcotins

NSMB Chilcotin Wanderings - horseback supported 4 days

Self-supported 3 day trip point to point

3 nice day trips from a central location at Gun Lake

What type of bike? http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/what-bike-chillcotins-xc-am-786856.html

Central North BC - http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/central-bc-trip-report-your-next-bc-vacation-658956.html

50mile xc races - http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/50-ish-mile-xc-races-bc-673060.html

VANCOUVER ISLAND

Guidebook review http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/review-mountain-bike-vancouver-island-map-book-757708.html

Comox Valley - Comox Valley - From seams of coal to seams of singletrack - Pinkbike

Victoria Nanaimo - http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/riding-around-victoria-nanaimo-719630.html

VI trails - http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/vancouver-island-trails-season-684463.html

VANCOUVER and area

See sig for guidebook. Not spam - seriously the only guidebook around. and thread - http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/locals-guide-north-shore-rides-710726.html

gutsploder.com

Mid March ride options - http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/vancouver-business-trip-mid-march-768837.html

Winter ride options - http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/winter-business-trip-vancouver-bc-759046.html

Seymour shuttles - http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/shuttle-mount-seymour-urgent-723527.html

Vancouver experience - http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/vancouver-experience-687886.html

2hr xc rides - http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/2hr-xc-ride-rec-vancouver-629410.html

General ideas - Vancouver visit

SQUAMISH

Selection of trails http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/coming-bc-779263.html

Must do rides - http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/input-must-do-list-5-days-whistler-730069.html

Three ride selections

Special selection just for WHISTLER

XC trails guide

Comfortably Numb - http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/comfortably-numb-out-back-vs-young-lust-loop-790278.html

1st trip to Whistler - http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/1st-trip-whistler-travelling-my-own-772920.html

Planning Whistler trip - http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/help-me-plan-my-whistler-trip-749922.html

30km XC rides - http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/can-someone-recommend-30km-xc-ride-whistler-736925.html

Must do list http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/input-must-do-list-5-days-whistler-730069.html

Where to stay - http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/whistler-where-stay-options-642055.html

Ontario boy xc riding Whistler - http://forums.mtbr.com/eastern-canada/ontario-boys-journey-whistler-729924.html

Generally what to expect - http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/whistler-lift-service-what-expect-general-631706.html

More what trails to ride in the Downhill/Freeride forum - impossible to keep up so didn't index

PEMBERTON

Must do rides - http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/input-must-do-list-5-days-whistler-730069.html

Ride report - http://forums.mtbr.com/western-canada/ride-report-permberton-bc-738914.html
 
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#7 ·
Not that Edmonton is THE destination for riding, but I think that the Edmonton threads are pretty usefeul and a good area to investigate for anybody coming to E-town. There's an Edmonton thread usually on the first page on the western forum for anybody that is interested.
 
#17 ·
Not much in here for the flatlands, so here goes.
Drumheller has some pretty sweet terrain for downhill, you just have to make your own trails
The Waskahegan Trail (Edmonton-Camrose-Miquelon Lake) has some pretty good biking
Waskahegan Trail Association
Most river valleys in Central Alberta are pretty fun to ride, and if you can get landowner permission, a well-packed, dry cattle track makes for some amazingly fast singletrack.
 
#22 ·
#24 ·
You can do Squamish/Whistler/Pembie all from one base, Pemberton is a 1/2 hour or so from Whistler, Whistler is 45 minutes from Squamish. Gold Bridge is actually a fair bit of travel time from Pemberton. The SC 5010 should manage all the blue intermediate trails but could be a bit light for sections of black diamond trails. Not sure what your baseline reference for trail technicality is, but blue trails in BC can be like red or black diamond trails in many other trail systems. Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton offer longer trail loops than you'll find on the North Shore, the North Shore mountains involve a lot of pedal assist shuttling for fairly short and technical descents (rinse and repeat), so you'd see lots of the same uphill stretches for a variety of downhill trails.
 
#25 ·
Thanks! The riding in Gold Bridge looks stunning. Would it be worth it to choose a central base point for most riding from Squamish to Pemberton, and then make a day trip/overnight for a big epic in Gold Bridge/Chilicotins? Or would riding in Pemberton satisfy some backcountry/alpine aspirations?
 
#26 ·
Gold Bridge and Tyax Lodge and the Spruce/Warner Lake ride would likely be a couple of days alone including travel time. If you rode up to Warner Lake from Tyax, that is likely going to be a very long day in the saddle (8+ hours RT).

Whistler would be right in the middle between Squamish and Pemberton so that would make a good base camp.. Pemberton is like Squamish's less buff and more rugged brother, and less populated.
 
#27 ·
Any thoughts on staying in Pemberton over Whistler? I imagine riding 3 days in Whistler and maybe 1-2 in Pemberton, so would be a decent amount of back-forth if we stay in Pemberton. Would be nice to just ride out the door in Whistler, but Pemberton seems much more chill and laid back and still has a couple restaurants.
 
#28 ·
I'm old, grumpy, and hate the resort "vibe". When I see **** like that I get pissed off. Pemberton seems like a normal place and I would much rather spend time there. It really depends what you like.
 
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