Scion Whistler Report Ep. 12
No Crankworx, no Phat Wednesdays, no big events, just time to unwind a bit, get in some social rides, and catch up on work and sleep. The past week has been a nice time here in Whistler with nothing to get in the way of just having fun on our bikes. Add a long weekend and some sun and the good times were on.
Friday night I went to the bikepark to get some sunny evening shredding to start the weekend off right. I nearly destroyed myself twice in 2 laps so I decided to listen to the universe and go home. The sunnier weather has really started to dry out the park and the tacky glory is starting to fade.
On Saturday I joined a friend and climbed up to a sweet trail out of Creekside. It was the perfect antidote to the Bike Park; steep, rooty and iced with loam. There was no shortage of people on that program and I ran into more than half a dozen folks on the way up. It’s nice to break up the grinding climbs with some socializing along the way, in addition to meeting a few new faces.
It rained again on Saturday night – go figure. Fortunately the rain worked nicely into a sweet XC ride with my new roommate Paulo, along with Dylan Wolsky and Katrina Strand. The brown pow vid from last week had me jonesing for some Pemby dirt. Luckily, the rain had put just enough moisture into the ground to make things tacky yet dry. We decided to cruise on the seldom ridden Meat Grinder. Aside from it being a bit overgrown in a few places, I don’t think I’ve ever seen it in such good mid-summer condition. Rain isn’t all bad! We topped off a sweet ride with some great food at Mile One – a new restaurant right at the stoplight at highway 99. They use all locally sourced ingredients, which definitely shows in the taste. So good!
On Monday I played westside tour guide for my girlfriend and her friend who are both doing the Betty Vs. Veronica all women’s race at the end of the month. Many ladies not overly familiar with the area have some troubles figuring out the route since the course crosses over itself a few times. I took them on the back quarter of the course to show them the lines through the off-camber roots on Danimal South as well as the descent of Lower Sproatt down towards the Beaver Pond. The race is only three weeks away, so breaking down a few sections definitely helped to improve their confidence. I talked to Tony Horn yesterday and it sounds like things are coming together nicely. He’s still looking for prizing and items for the silent auction that will take place at the apres. Profits from the event and monies raised from the silent auction will be donated to the Howe Sound Women’s Centre and will be specifically targeted to helping the Whistler Women’s Centre open this fall. If you’re in the industry and can donate something to the cause, it would be greatly appreciated! Fire Tony an email at [email protected] to help be a part of making this unique event a huge success!
This Saturday marks the 1st Annual Ride of the Valkyries race in Whistler. The race – in which riders will travel nearly 30km via Whistler’s westside trails – begins at 10am at Whistler Secondary School in Alpine Meadows. Running in conjunction with the main event will be the Ken Quon Memorial Ride which runs along the first part of the Valkyries course. At 12km it will be significantly shorter and easier than the full pull. Racers must be WORCA members to participate and the cost is $20 for the Memorial Ride or $40 for the Valkyries race. Money raised will go to the Ken Quon Memorial Fund which, this year, will focus on supporting local youth mountain bike programs.
From the sounds of it many people were up Tenquille this past weekend. Word is the route in from the Hurly side has been cleared in anticipation of this weekend’s cabin construction. They’re still looking for donations and help. Check out their facebook group for more information. In terms of the trail, it sounds like there was a bit of snow from some avi paths. The creek crossing is running high, and the stinging nettles have grown in thick! The first year after the fire was sweet but it sounds like it’s getting rather overgrown again. Also, the bugs are being their typical voracious selves. With that being said – it’s still an amazing descent and is usually worth the effort. Although I’m typically more prone to waiting until the fall when the temps cool and the bugs die off!
Further down the Hurly in the southern Chilcotins things are rocking on the trails. There were lots of groups up there over the long weekend and it sounds like most of the passes are finally clear of snow. Taylor/Windy is clear, and there’s a bit of snow on Camel Pass still. Don’t forget about the feedback forms for BC Parks. If you’ve ridden up there fill out a form here detailing your use and experience of the area. Help shape BC Parks management plan update for the area, and help keep the area open to mountain biking.
In the valley it sounds like the new ‘easier’ climb up the mid-flank to the Cheap Thrills area out of Stonebridge is nearly done. It should be a lot more pleasant than the steep grind up the babyhead pitch. If you go check it out this Saturday morning, be sure to bring a set of lungs to cheer for the racers as they climb their way up the Flank and then descend back to Industrial Disease. I hope everyone gets to ride something fun this weekend! Summer is finally here so be sure to end your rides at a lake!
What are your plans for the weekend? Shredding the park? Checking out the Ride of the Valkyries? Speak summer here…
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