Shore Climbing Routes

I saw the post the other day on the extended climbing route in Squamish. This is great news indeed. A number of similar climb trails have been put in place over the past few years on the shore as well.

Although I don't like climbing, at least spinning a paved road, or gravel road, or even Old Buck for that matter, I do like the climbing trails. I suck at them, but I still like them.

For me some of the early climbing sections that I liked were the parts of Bridle path where Sticks and Stones crosses or Cardiac Bypass before it go smoothed out. These slower and technical climbing parts provide a good challenge of balance, power and some fitness (usually shorter sections so fitness was not a key part).

Then with trails like Sticks and Stones, Salamander, R[HTML_REMOVED]R, Penny Lane, GSM these climbing trails took on a new challenge. Some longer technical climbing sections that fitness became more of the picture, still some technical parts but the legs and lungs factor in a little more. On the trails mentioned I can clean the technical parts, with the exception of big rock on S[HTML_REMOVED]S in the reverse direction), but depending on how I feel, I may need to catch my breath on some of the trails, despite how slow I climb them.

The other day I ventured over to Fromme and rode up the climbing trail (No Quarter). This trail is fantastic and hopelessly evil all at the same time. A few of the harder tech bits have been smoothed over a little, but still some good challenges especially when you consider the length of the route and the vertical. The description on Trailforks for No Quarter says that it gets more challenging the further you go. I would tend to agree, but that could be the lack of oxygen getting to the brain and body parts as well.

Just curious to see what people think of these routes and how often they hit these climb trails. I looked on Strava and noted some of the times for the route are crazy fast, including 25-30 mins up to Executioner, or 30-35 mins up to Mtn Hwy. My times are about double that and it is busting it. I guess I need more leg power to get into higher gears and climb faster and a second set of lungs, because the set I have doesn't seem to keep up to my current snail pace times.

Still need to get over to Cypress and discover the climbing routes there.

What are some of your favorite technical climb routes. How long are the climbs and what difficulty level

Cheers - happy climbing and descending.

Try the BLT on Cypress. It's relentless; on par with No Quarter for metabolic challenge but not really technical. From the upper works yard you can roll down to Blind Skier to SGS to whatever else on down.

I live near the bottom of Cypress so BLT is on my agenda most of the times my bike leaves the garage. It's way better than a paved road but I wish we had a well executed climbing trail like Penny Lane and GSM, which I adore, on Cypress. Not sure how that could happen given that cypress is Unsanctioned, rough and probably not riden enough to invest the time when BLT is already there. Almost everyone I see on it is shuttling their beer bellies up it anyways. It's more of a big bike mountain. My 6inch enduro struggles on some of those trails.

Don't get caught up with the times. People cheat! No doubt some are fast but ride your own ride and enjoy it.

I live near the bottom of Cypress so BLT is on my agenda most of the times my bike leaves the garage. It's way better than a paved road but I wish we had a well executed climbing trail like Penny Lane and GSM, which I adore, on Cypress. Not sure how that could happen given that cypress is Unsanctioned, rough and probably not riden enough to invest the time when BLT is already there. Almost everyone I see on it is shuttling their beer bellies up it anyways. It's more of a big bike mountain. My 6inch enduro struggles on some of those trails.

Don't get caught up with the times. People cheat! No doubt some are fast but ride your own ride and enjoy it.

SGS [HTML_REMOVED] Tall Cans [HTML_REMOVED] Wutang is awesome on a 6" bike.
For me now a lot of the satisfaction comes from continuity. Can I make it up this bit and then the next without stopping? Can I do the climb and then drop right in to the descent? Or on climbs I haven't totally nailed yet (like No Quarter) successfully nailing every section then trying to tie them together.

SGS [HTML_REMOVED] Tall Cans [HTML_REMOVED] Wutang is awesome on a 6" bike.

Lately Ive been focusing on not dying on 5th, but my usual 6" ride is that unnamed trail that starts just up from the gate near the third switchback at the creek (immediate right), crosses dirty harry, joins up with the bottom of upper sex girl to that old road, stay left of lower sex girl to fern trial, back up BLT to Upper Tall Cans to Wutang. Agree, fun on a 6" bike, but 5th keeps me pedaling higher. Ill do 5th then back up BLT to upper tall cans and wutang and call it day too.

Ive never riden SGS. Looking forward to it!

Does No Quarter lead to anything yet? When I rode it late last year, it just ended at the bottom of Executioner. The only part that I considered well done were the last few switchbacks between Dreamweaver and Executioner. Until it leads up to the road and onto some actual trailheads, I much prefer mountain highway to get to the top.

Try the BLT on Cypress. It's relentless; on par with No Quarter for metabolic challenge but not really technical. From the upper works yard you can roll down to Blind Skier to SGS to whatever else on down.

The Rotary Ride For Rescue was made for you. The mtn bike course heads up BLT to Cypress Mountain. Roadies wimp out and take the pavement.

Saturday, June 11. Register as an individual or as a team.

Yeah I gotta say, I love the new climbing trail on Seymour! But No Quarter on Fromme - not so much. I don't mind the steepness/techyness of it, but it just seems to take forever with all the traversing and losing elevation on certain sections - the whole time I'm thinking "if I had just ridden up mountain highway, I could have been on my second lap by now!"

BLT feels easier than No Quarter to me, and I think you gain the vertical more efficiently - it's either up or flat. The Roaches are fun on an AM bike as well! I've been doing a quick lap on them before work a couple times a week.

Does No Quarter lead to anything yet? When I rode it late last year, it just ended at the bottom of Executioner. The only part that I considered well done were the last few switchbacks between Dreamweaver and Executioner. Until it leads up to the road and onto some actual trailheads, I much prefer mountain highway to get to the top.

Yes. Takes you right to the road, about 5 minutes below 6th switchback. I prefer it to the road, but it does take me a while… its a great workout.

I rode up the top of No Quarter to the road the other day, are they still working on this section? Parts of it were pretty tough and I noticed there is nothing on trail forks for it.

I like No Quarter for the sense of adventure heading up. I suck at some sections but I'm never in a big rush if I choose to go that way. Surely one of the reasons that No Quarter is longer than going up Mtn Highway is that it starts lower down the mountain?

I like No Quarter for the sense of adventure heading up. I suck at some sections but I'm never in a big rush if I choose to go that way. Surely one of the reasons that No Quarter is longer than going up Mtn Highway is that it starts lower down the mountain?

Trailforks says the top of Mtn Hwy is 320m and tennis courts are around 280m. It's not as much of a difference as I would have expected.

I really enjoy the challenge of NQ. I like the variety and changes in the geography but damn do I loathe that rooty skid road towards the top.

Trailforks says the top of Mtn Hwy is 320m and tennis courts are around 280m. It's not as much of a difference as I would have expected.

I really enjoy the challenge of NQ. I like the variety and changes in the geography but damn do I loathe that rooty skid road towards the top.

The soft loam is an energy killer for sure. Much easier to stay on the roots when it is dry.

The climb for me takes longer than Mtn Hwy, but likely pretty close if you have to traverse back across Baden to get near Mtn Hwy at the end of the ride. For me it's not so much about the time to get to the top as it is pushing for a good climb and workout. I definitely need top stop and recover as I ride up NQ, but am able to make all the parts, just not without the stops.

Got to get some more time on Cypress and figure out what works well for the small bikes.

Love this thread.

NQ is a great challenge, haven't put it all together yet but getting close. The climb up the Rd to severed from the end of Dales is one of the hardest rideable climbs around here I can think of. I also hate the section of old buck under the power lines if you're continuing up to my Seymour Rd though this year it doesn't seem so loose. Gnomer was a great challenge before it got shut down, I'd like to see it opened up again, it gave a great option for a bonus lap if you still had some gas in the tank. Before gsm went in we'd climb Asian Adonis in the off hours and that was a lung buster for sure.

I'd really like to see a little connector from the upper mushroom trail to the top of corkscrew to avoid pushing up incline. It's almost rideable as is but would take a little work to get around a couple of the big steps.