Whistler - Pemberton - Aug 2011

When someone says "I'm going to Whistler to ride", the first thing that pops into most minds is the Whistler Bike Park. This is unfortunate, as the area also sports some of the most interesting 'XC-All-Mountain' riding in the province.

Seth and I drove to the Coast' on Thursday and rode our fool asses off for the balance of three full days, enjoying some of the greatest trails that I've ridden all year in the process. We also visited the Pemberton area and dropped several thousand vert' peak to valley on Sunday; some good / some bad trails - but with loads of visually apparent hard 'labor of love' trail building evident throughout.

I snapped a bunch of pics over the weekend, below are some of my favorites. If anyone wants to access GPS and / or Google Earth files of Whistler's 'Train Wreck', 'Trash', 'Riverside', 'Ridge Trails', 'Mt. Sproatt', 'River Runs Through It', 'Cheap Thrills', 'Danimal', 'Cut Yer' Bars', 'Middle-Earth' or 'Lost Lake' trails, let me know; I recorded all of our meanderings.

Here is a a direct link to the Whistler Valley trail map as well.

The Pemberton trails were another matter altogether; Mt. Mackenzie sports a whack of trails, with fun hard-cut blue-level runs, but it's double-black diamond routes were incorrectly constructed, and have thus become erosion trenches without any real surface area to speak of = "waste of vertical". The 'Upper Mackenzie Cruise' trail should be closed; it was likely the worst trail that I've ever "ridden" (slid down on my ass upon...)

Pemberton offers a load of other trails however, and I'm keen to return to check them out this coming fall. Here is a link to their trail overview map.

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Seth, myself and Kevin at the Whistler Brewery; post 'Trash' & 'Train Wreck'




Loads of fun, easy wooden bridging (Train Wreck Trail)




Cool artwork on 'bushed' train-cars... with 'trails' atop of the cars ~ (Train Wreck Trail)




Some of the Lost Lake trails are excellent beginner rides (cool and flowy!)




Our 'kick off' site on Mt.Mackenzie in Pemberton - RobBlaBla checkin' out the Vert'




My good Bro' Kevin and his pooch 'Dagger'




Kev' and I in the Train Wreck trail network




The obligatory lens flare shot (Upper Mackenzie Cruise)




Pemberton, on the 'Middle-Earth' trail (Very Nice!)




Mt.Currie, lording over the Pemberton valley (I dig it!)




Rock and Roll Over - Middle Earth trail, Pemberton




Trying to grab their bud's runaway boat... Trash Trail, Whistler




Tom, Seth, Kevin and Rob, atop Mt.Mackenzie




Seth, 'stickin' it' on the Train Wreck trail - Whistler




Loads of fun wooden structures on the Train Wreck trail - Whistler




Upper Mackenzie Cruise - should be closed; this was a "firm" section of trail!




Suspended on the River Runs Through It trail, Whistler




Toads of the short (and furry) forest - Middle Earth trail, Mt.Mackenzie




Beauty waterfall alongside the Trash trail, Whistler




Switchbacks - Whistler style!




Only those with narrow bars need apply... River Runs Through It, Whistler



In a nutshell; go to Whistler! The XC / All-Mt. trails are ghost-towns as everyone rides the park these days. We met a grand total of two on-trail mountain bikers in three days of Whistler / Pemberton riding, on some of the "most popular" trails in the valley.

That is absolutely stunningly low traffic, considering the amazing trails, in one of the world's hottest mountain bike locations, on a fantastically sweet weekend! Whistler once again sports several economical places to stay in the form of campgrounds, complete with showers, trail and lakeside!

Andrew D.

The Xterra Nationals in Whistler had these trails as part of the bike course. Lots of FUN!, but most of the other athletes seemed to disagree.

Highly recommend checking them out.