A few months ago I wrote “My 5 Favorite Places to Mountain Bike” and stand behind Squamish, BC as being at the top of my list of places to go ride. It’s beautifully green with the chief (second biggest monolith in the world) nearly always in view and there are VERY well designed trails to fit a wide range of riders from huckers and jumpers to enduro rippers and XC crushers.
I’ve been continually asking myself where I’ve had the most fun riding lately. After a year filled with riding some awesome places throughout the western US and New Zealand, Squamish is my answer. I love the variety and design of the trails as well as the spectacular beauty.
The trails that stand out in my mind are Angry Midget, Full and Half Nelson, Fred, Rupert and Credit Line…but there are so many other great ones. To keep things flowing well and make it seem like there aren’t many other riders out there, climbing only trails are used to connect popular trails.
Beware that blue or black diamond trail in Squamish (and most of BC) are NOT like trail rating systems elsewhere. I would say that many places black diamonds are like Squamish’s blue trails. For the competitive rider, there are numerous mountain bike events throughout the year as well as the Toonie ($2 entry) weekday series that alternates between XC and DH each Wednesday night. Check out SORCA for the nitty-gritty.
To find the goods, I suggest picking up one of the fantastic Squamish trail maps at one of the local bike shops. There are more trails here than most people could ride in a couple of weeks, so go get some!
