What skill level is required for your trips?
Our mountain bike trips are suited to intermediate through advanced/expert skill level riders. The sea to sky corridor offers trails for everyone and your guide will tailor the trail selection to your skill and experience.
When is the best time to visit?
Summer in SW British Columbia offers great riding in every month but you can expect different conditions over the course of the season and different trails are better at different times of the year. Here is quick rundown of common conditions during our riding season of May – October:
May – June (Spring): At this time of year the lower elevation trails are typically in great shape with tacky conditions to be expected. It does rain more at this time of year though so we often find ourselves heading inland to Pemberton in search of drier conditions. Also note that the alpine trails are still snow covered so most riding at this time of year is from treeline and below. This is however where the highest concentration of trails are located so we still have lots of options.
July – August (Summer): This is the height of our short Canadian summer and you can typically expect hot, dry conditions through July and August. That said, we do still live in a rain forest so its still good to be prepared for some precipitation and/or cooler temps in the alpine. By mid July all alpine trails should be snow free and in prime riding condition. At this time of year we generally focus on staying higher in the mountains but of course we`ll also ride below treeline, enjoying long descents all the way to the valley bottom.
September – October (Autumn): At this time of year all of the trails are open and we have a tonne of options just like the summer months; however temps are much cooler particularly in the alpine. This makes longer rides and bigger climbs more comfortable than during the hot/dry summer but we need to be more prepared for sudden weather changes and shorter days. For some, September may be considered the best month of the year for mountain biking in SW B.C.
Where should I book accommodations?
For most of our guests, we recommend booking accommodations in Whistler for the majority of your visit. You may also be interested in staying in Vancouver for a night or two or if you would like to visit the Chilcotin range then we can advise options for that.
Please let us know if you`d like assistance making accommodation reservations.
How do I get to Whistler?
Most of our guests will fly into Vancouver`s international airport then drive up to Whistler which is about 2.5 hours away. From the airport, there are a variety of transport options to get to Whistler including shuttle bus services, private transfers or rental cars. Please inquire for more information.
We can also arrange packages that include mountain biking directly en route from the airport.
How do I meet my guide?
Your guide will meet you at your accommodation on each guided day of your trip unless otherwise discussed.
How long are the guided trips?
All of our trips are designed as full day outings but actual ride time will vary depending on the trail, your energy level etc. Most days your guide will meet you at 9am and we`ll go from there. In addition to riding though we`ll make other stops along the way possibly at lakes, viewpoints, restaurant`s etc.
We prefer to avoid placing a specific time on any given trip and instead prefer to focus on having a great day out. Typical return time is 3-5pm but this is very flexible depending how the day unfolds.
What type of bike should I bring? rent?
We recommend modern all mountain or enduro bikes for most of our trips. Our West Coast trails are rugged and challenging meaning that you`ll ideally have at least 140mm of front and rear travel on your bike (150mm or 160mm is better) but you`ll also need a bike that can you can pedal uphill.
Please let us know what type of bike you plan to bring and we`ll be happy to provide advice. If your bike isn`t quite right for the trip, then we`ll help you organize a great rental bike instead.
Do you offer guiding in the Whistler Bike Park?
In Whistler, we refer to the trails accessed through the ski resort lift network as the Whistler Bike Park. The trails here are great and we highly recommend visiting the park during your visit to Whistler; however we do not offer guiding in the bike park. We will offer tips and advice on which trails to check out when you ride the park but ultimately you don`t need a guide in the park.
Our services offer better value showing you the best of the expansive network of trails throughout the sea to sky corridor and we prefer to spend our time pedaling through the coast range rather than on the busy bike park trails.
