What do you get when you combine massive mountain landscapes, meticulous planning, international culture, new life-long friendships and amazing mountain biking? Well if you remember to add a healthy dose of unlimited adventure, you will undoubtedly find yourself in the midst of a Big Mountain Bike Adventures guided trip. The company was founded by head adventurer: Chris Winter and is based out of Whistler, BC, Canada.
Chris Winter, Big Mountain Bike Adventures OwnerOttawa born ski racer, instructor, coach and sponsored freeskiier, Winters came to Whistler for a summer ski camp 25 years ago and immediately knew, “this is the place I wanted to be.” His love of travel, mountain biking and creating adventures seemed like a natural fit to start his guiding business, Big Mountain Bike Adventures. Chris learned to guide and lead trips early in life through the family business, Cycleventures, which has pioneered road cycle trips all over Europe since 1972. Now Chris and his world-wide partners take dirt-craving adventure cyclists all over the globe. “Great trips require local knowledge” not only to recommend amazing single track, but also lodging, meals and to provide customers with rich cultural experiences in the countries they visit.
When not coordinating awesome vacations, Chris is busy scoping out new regions to explore, like his recent 3 week “work-trip” to Bali. “There are some great possibilities there, allowing partners to vacation together and experience a new country, even if one of them doesn’t ride.” This, like any venture requires “constant innovation” Chris says, to allow people to keep seeking new experiences. Chris helped to create Joyride many years ago, which has transformed into the largest mountain bike festival called Crankworx, which is now in Canada, New Zealand and France. During our discussion with Chris in Whistler this week, it’s obvious he’s got some great ideas and knows how to follow through with them.
In 1997, Chris also founded http://www.zeroceiling.org, which he still works as a consultant for today. This organization works with at risk youth from Vancouver and the Sea to Sky Corridor giving them the opportunity to participate in adventure based learning programs. They focus on fun, adventure, learning and adopting a health lifestyle allowing many to hit the reset button for their lives.
For the past 12 years Big Mountain Bike Adventures has fed the voracious appetite of the dirt-jet-set with trips to Peru, Nepal, Iceland, Morocco and the remote BC mountains just outside BMBA’s office, among others. They offer set itineraries as well as private and custom adventures. Most of their adventure-seekers are between 35-55 years old with an 80:20 ratio of men to women.
What better way to see the world than from your bicycle, immersed in the wilderness with fun, knowledgeable people? The costs for these trips seem like a small price to pay for an adventure of this magnitude. It’s important to remember here, you get what you pay for. The guides are experienced and field tested and nothing it seems, is left to chance.
If you would like a taste of what Big Mountain Bike Adventures is dishing up and experience the trip of a lifetime be sure to check out http://www.ridebig.com (tell him we sent you and he’ll make your trip with a dash of crankjoy.com)
