British Columbia Coast – Mountain Biking

North Shore/Mt Seymour & Cumberland

We will meet up at 9am at the Lonsdale Quay Hotel in North Vancouver. After coffee at a favourite café nearby, we will ride the North Shore/ Mt Seymour trails in the am. Start from the valley bottom on old  Buck climbing trail, or alternatively, enjoy a shuttle up Seymour and start your day with a descent.  We will ride some of the route of a previous BCBR (but more trail, less road) with mostly blue-rated trails. Afterwards, we’ll take the ferry across to Nanaimo and make our way up the coast of Vancouver island. If you still have some ‘jam’ left, there should be time for a late-afternoon spin through the Cumberland Community Forest, finishing at the Cumberland Brewing Co.

Overnight – Old House Hotel, Courtenay; spa, pool

Morning Ride – Seymour: up to 13km, 600m elevation gain
Afternoon Ride – Cumberland: 9km, 135m or 15km, 400m

Cumberland & Hornby Island

We will make our way to Hornby Island (famous for Hornby Island Bikefest R.I.P.). In addition to superb mountain biking, this island oasis boasts spectacular sand beaches and a laid-back vibe we love. Having spent several years mountain biking here, we have the perfect route to please. Back in Cumberland, an afternoon option will tempt you before returning to Courtenay to spend the night. Tonight, we’ll dine at the popular Black Fin Pub.

Overnight – Old House Hotel, Courtenay; spa pool

Morning Ride – Hornby Island: up to 30km, 700m elevation gain
Afternoon Ride – Cumberland: 14km, 400m or 40km, 900m

Powell River

Today, we’ll ferry across to Powell River which has been revitalized with an influx of outdoor enthusiasts. Enjoy a full day on trails here – all under 400 m in elevation and all blue-rated trails (fast and flowy) followed by an optional beer tastings at Townsite Brewing.

Overnight – The Old Courthouse Inn, Powell River

Day Ride – Powell River: up to 52km, 950m elevation gain

Sunshine Coast

Up early, we’ll make our way south to Saltery Bay for the ferry to Earl’s Cove and to Half-Moon Bay. From here, ride the trails of West Sechelt, part of the route of the Sunshine Coast Trail Challenge to Sechelt. After lunch at a cool spot in Sechelt, we’ll transfer south to Roberts Creek, and shuttle up to enable you to ride an epic trail which crosses Elphinstone mountain descending 700 m over 10 km, finishing at Persephone Brewing Co. After a late afternoon tasting, we’ll take the ferry back to Horseshoe Bay and then drive north to Squamish.

Overnight – Howe Sound Inn, Squamish

Morning Ride – West Sechelt: 10km, 240m; 16km, 230m
Afternoon Ride – 10km, descent of 650m; 13km, descent of 800m

Squamish

Waking up in Squamish, we have a great riding day planned, starting with a climb up the new Legacy climb trail and a descent on the flow trails of Half Nelson and Psedo-Tsuga, and then lunch and a swim at Alice Lake. For the afternoon, we’ll continue with more great riding including Jacks, 50 shades, Leave of Absence, Roller Coaster, and others.  In addition to Howe Sound Brewing, A-Frame Brewing and Backcountry Brewing have tasting rooms and nibbles. Does it get any better?

Overnight – Howe Sound Inn, Squamish

Day Ride – Squamish: up to 60km, 1400m elevation gain or 12km, 450m or 10km, 320m

Whistler

You can’t visit this region and not include Whistler. If you’d like to climb up to the alpine, there is no more epic ride in Whistler than the Lord of the Squirrels trail, that finishes with a descent of over 1,000m. This is a full-day ride (July & August or when snow has melted in alpine) and comes with bragging rights. Alternatively, we’ll offer an intermediate option around Lost Lake that is plenty of fun and/or (when complete) a ride to Cheakamus Lake via WORCA’s newest trail project – Far Out & Flashback trail that connects Whistler Interpretive Forest singletrack around the Cheakamus river to Cheakamus Lake BC Parks Trail and back. We will celebrate this day’s ride with tastings at Whistler Brewery, overnight at a swank hotel in Whistler and dinner at a favourite restaurant.

Overnight at a swank hotel in Whistler. Nita Lake Lodge OR Legends, Whistler

Day Ride – Whistler: up to 25km, 1200m elevation gain

Sea to Sky Trail

For those who want one last ride, wake up early and descend part of the Sea to Sky Trail, which links Whistler and Squamish, descending 1100 m over 40km. This iconic trail has been decades in the making and takes you back to Squamish in time for lunch. From there, we’ll transfer to Vancouver by 3pm with drop-offs in North Van back at the Lonsdale Quay hotel.

Day Ride – Sea to Sky Trail: up to 65km, +470m elevation, -1100m