Sea to Sky Series: The North Shore

When we published the first instalment of this series (the Sunshine Coast) on Jan 28th, I wrote that "the North Shore, Squamish and the Sunshine Coast are your best bet for riding when the rest of BC and Canada are under snow. For that reason, this Sea 2 Sky series commissioned by MTB BC is starting with the true 4-season riding areas." Four days later, the first snow of the 2024/25 winter season arrived. After pounding the region for 3 days straight, it left behind a legacy of 30-60cms of the devil's dandruff in Vancouver's Lower Mainland, Squamish, and the Sunshine Coast. More than two weeks later, the last of it is finally melting away.

So, pretty funny timing. And if you're reading this from Ontario or Colorado, you're probably shaking your head. Yo, it's Canada in February, who doesn't expect a little snow? Well, what I wrote still holds true almost all the time. The rare occasion it snows down low, it doesn't stay more than 24 hours. Usually, it just rains. Sometimes it rains a lot.

Ask a North Shore local, and they'll tell you that if you want the true experience, you should ride it when it's wet. Now, I know how that may sound - probably like hubris or a little false bravado, but there's something to it. It's hard to properly describe - you really do have to experience it to understand, but I'll leave you with a few teasers and just say that you really should see for yourself.

Setting aside the wealth of MTB history of the Shore, the legendary brands and homegrown pros, there are three natural elements that made it possible for this area to become one of the epicentres of our sport: loam, granite, and cedar. Together, they form a magical mixture of surfaces and ingredients that make our trails work when they're wet. Good thing, because it's wet from September through July, at least part of the time.

Then there's the mist. Made famous by the lenses of some of the sport's greatest shooters, you only get to experience it when the water hangs thick in the air. And on those days, I'll let you in on a little secret: the weather is almost never as bad as it looks from afar. Those black clouds you see from the rest of the Lower Mainland might be pummelling the North Shore hills with rain, but often they hold off for awhile first, threatening for hours without making good on their promise. Go time.

If you are a regular around here, you're aware of the local brouhaha surrounding rogue trails. It's not something we can ignore. Just about everyone with a spoke in this hub has a valid perspective, and if history repeats itself, it'll all get worked out eventually. After all, 90kms of sanctioned trail for an area as populous and famous for riding as the North Shore is laughable when a place like Valemount counts 140. But as a future visitor here, you should know that 90kms never felt longer, and it would take a week or more to tick everything off that list. You don't need to ride rogue trails here to feel like you've ticked off two handfuls worth of epic trails, and if you do spend a week here, well...you'll probably uncover a secret or two on your own.

Here are a few other things you should know about coming to ride the North Shore:

1. The trails swallow up the users quite effectively, but some of them are busier than what you're likely used to. All of our trails are multi-use, and many of them are multi-directional. Be aware that trail runners, hikers, dog walkers and other riders often are around that next blind corner. Be courteous. Remember that mountain bikers are obligated to yield to all other user groups - and uphill riders have the right of way!
2. Many of our most popular trailheads are in quiet neighbourhoods. Please remember not to make the residents watch your bare ass change into your dry clothes, listen to your music, or see you shotgunning a post-ride brew. Share your stoke without yelling. It'll be much appreciated.
3. Despite my encouragement to ride here in the wet, keep in mind that there are some trails you should avoid when it's torrential out there - and the NSMBA has wet weather guidelines that are worth a look by locals and visitors alike. Thankfully a lot of the North Shore's iconic trails have stood the test of time because they were built to handle wet conditions. A few examples:
   1. On Mt Seymour: Corkscrew, Pingu, Team Pangor, Dale's, The Boogieman, Ned's Atomic Dustbin, Cambodia.
   2. On Mt Fromme: Ladies Only, 7th Secret, Upper Oil Can, Dreameaver.

The trail networks on the North Shore have evolved and grown in recent years, but every sanctioned trail exists because of the hard of builders, and years of advocacy by the community. This isn't all that different from a lot of other places, but we've had some close calls with trail access in the past, so recent events have opened some old wounds. As you wind your way through our special web of legendary trails, take a moment to consider how much work went into scratching out a playground in these beautiful forests.

The Sea to Sky Series will continue over the next little while. In case you missed it, go ahead and check out Part 1: The Sunshine Coast.