Riding Whistler in the Offseason

November 15, 2017

Green Lake from the Comfortably Numb trail

My first ride

My first Sunday after arriving was time-to-get-on-the-bike day. It was a bit of a late start, but after downloading and setting up Trailforks (a biking phone app), I had a plan of where to go. With my legs aching from the previous days squats and hike and the last of my cycling gear unpacked I was ready to go.

I started off with an overgrown 'A River Runs Through It', shortly rejoined the road and, as seems to be a habit for me, the plan I'd previously made went out the window. I then proceeded to do one of the most challenging climbs of my life; almost 300m of straight elevation gain up Twenty-One Mile Creek Access Road and then Rainbow-Sproatt Flank. From the top I decided that was enough pain for now, and finally go to ride down my first proper trail so far, a Double Black Diamond - the Korova Milk Bar.

At the top of Korova Milk Bar

After some rather sketchy moments and a vertical rock roll I had to sidestep, it rejoined the fire road I'd climbed up. I almost immediately left it again though and proceeded down the Wizards Burial Ground (another Black Diamond), with some equally sketchy moments and some great challenges I got to the end. From here it was a short climb back up a section which led me to the top of a fun blue and down to finish at a car park via a waterfall. Both Black Diamond trails were very challenging - with the Double Black Diamond certainly setting the tone for the ride, but was great fun. Very challenging riding, but every challenge overcome is huge adrenaline rush and, lets be honest that is why we do this mountain biking lark!

At the bottom I bumped into a Kiwi who'd been out for the season and was kind enough to play guide for a run of another local trail - the Howler. I thought my earlier climb had been bad, but this was even worse, with both of us pushing at least a third of the way up. I'm one of those people who'd rather ride than walk, no matter the terrain, so it's quite a statement for me to be walking.

Top of Upper Howler, this was a mission to get to!

The ride back down Upper Howler and the Howler trail was broken up with a few stops to rest our hands and to get rid of the mounting arm pump. It gave us a chance to admire just how much fun and varied the trail actually was and what gorgeous autumn scenery we were riding through. It turned out we are both post shoulder surgery, and so flying down what was the 2nd longest stage in the Whistler EWS (Enduro World Series) at race speed wasn't really going to be happening for either of us! The top of the trail is very open and rocky, it then dives into the tree's with small rooty drops and tight corners before getting rocky again. When we eventually emerged at the bottom we both pumped at how epic a run it had been, and how much fun we'd both had over the last 3km and 700m of descent. It was so good, I'm looking forward to spring, just so I can ride it again. Of course we then slogged our way back to Whistler along the tarmac roads you have to use to get from one riding area to another. 34km and over 1300m of climbing on my first ride in Whistler - I was officially worn out!

The valley North of Whistler, Comfortably Numb trail

What does this mean?

The offseason riding, if you have the legs, is pretty epic. The trails are quiet, they can be dry and tacky if you time it right and yet not dusty like they are mid-summer, lastly the temperatures are perfect. Could it possibly be the best riding of the year? If you're not a park rat, then absolutely.

When using Trailforks somewhere other than Whistler it's a useful tool, in Whistler the trail network is so overwhelming it takes a little getting used to. Upon first opening the app I had to block out all of the trails that formed the bike park, then check out what trails would be good climbs and how to link the right descent trails together to form a good ride. If you can do this before heading out it is much easier to put a plan together, especially when combined with a little Google research.

Arty farty stuff during Comfortably Numb

Other awesome trails that are open and rideable pre first snow that I've ridden:
Yummy Numby (Black Diamond climb)
Comfortably Numb (Black Diamond traverse VERY technically challenging)
Comfortably Numb Descent (Black Diamond)

And these trails are still rideable post first snow:
The Lost Lake network (all blue, unchallenging trails); Central Scrutinizer, Packard Goose, Why Johnny Can't Read, Grand Wazoo, Dinah Moe Humm, Disco Boy, The Torture Never Stops, Fountain of Love and more!
Danimal Middle (Blue traverse) & North (Black Diamond traverse)
Cut Yer Bars (Blue)

Another Rock Roll on Comfortably Numb! Too busy rolling to get photos most of the time...

Don't let the snow stop you either, while there's only a light dusting, the riding is still good on a regular bike. It might be time to get a fat bike out now that we have about a foot of snow though...

Next post - Whistler in the Snow.