Probably a week or so if I was to guess. The LESS loop is really fun in the meantime
Whistler Trails 2019 (not WBP)
Posted by: Kevin26
The LESS loop is really fun in the meantime
Was thinking about trying that just to test if doing the full LOTS makes sense for my fitness level. The most I've climbed in a day was about 1,000m and that was also in cool weather so wondering if LOTS would be a bit much.
The climb is mostly in the trees and it’s usually cooler by a few deg up high, but if it’s mid 30’s you’ll be feeling it. Speaking of feeling the heat, thinking tomorrow I’ll come up for the day for DC and Out There... or maybe just ride Creekside bike park tech on the trail bike, can’t really go wrong.
The Mystic climb is very well designed with periodic recovery zones interspersed amongst the punchy parts. I just did a LESS loop this morning — 9:30 a.m. start from Creekside and home by lunch — and the 900 m climbing Mystic felt significantly less tiring than the gruelling fire road to DC.
Posted by: dmc
The Mystic climb is very well designed with periodic recovery zones interspersed amongst the punchy parts. I just did a LESS loop this morning — 9:30 a.m. start from Creekside and home by lunch — and the 900 m climbing Mystic felt significantly less tiring than the gruelling fire road to DC.
Good to know. Yeah the fire road to DC was quite unpleasant the 1 time I did it to get up to microclimate. Made me want to get an e-bike! haha
Posted by: dmc
The Mystic climb is very well designed with periodic recovery zones interspersed amongst the punchy parts. I just did a LESS loop this morning — 9:30 a.m. start from Creekside and home by lunch — and the 900 m climbing Mystic felt significantly less tiring than the gruelling fire road to DC.
Are you for real? That climb is a fucking grunt. its only saving grace is that its in the trees.
I would definitely try less before attempting lots. if you're biggest day out is around 1k you are gonna struggle with lots. Its a big demanding day.
Last edited by: nortonwhis on July 30, 2020, 9:24 a.m., edited 1 time in total.
"Sproatt Alpine Network is finally open. Thanks for being patient. Mostly clear and dry with 8-10 snow patches up high. Please stay on trail and do your best to avoid wet spots until they dry out. RMOW"
Posted by: nortonwhis
Posted by: dmc
The Mystic climb is very well designed with periodic recovery zones interspersed amongst the punchy parts. I just did a LESS loop this morning — 9:30 a.m. start from Creekside and home by lunch — and the 900 m climbing Mystic felt significantly less tiring than the gruelling fire road to DC.
Are you for real? That climb is a fucking grunt. its only saving grace is that its in the trees.
I would definitely try less before attempting lots. if you're biggest day out is around 1k you are gonna struggle with lots. Its a big demanding day.
Yeah I find ITM hurts, lots of steep pitches that max my heart rate out. It's well built but not a cruise for sure. I think the best purpose built climb trail I have ridden is Middle Earth in Pemberton, just a joy to ride and never feel like I'm going to die.
I rode DC yesterday and as is tradition started at 11:30am to maximize suffering in the heat. Trail is running awesome and man it is too damn fun. There are some decent size holes on the lower half though, understandable with the traffic. How hard is the compression on the optional rock roll half way down? Took a look but was solo and decided to pass on it. I hope with the new trail sign that people are throwing the builder cash/beer, I definitely am as it is one of my faves. Went and did Out There after, some fun moves on there and a short climb to get to, was pretty gassed from the sun though so didn't ride it that well, gonna have to ride it again another time.
Great news about Sproatt alpine, will be up again to ride that in the next couple weeks.
Last edited by: grambo on July 30, 2020, 11:11 a.m., edited 1 time in total.
Posted by: grambo
Posted by: nortonwhis
Posted by: dmc
The Mystic climb is very well designed with periodic recovery zones interspersed amongst the punchy parts. I just did a LESS loop this morning — 9:30 a.m. start from Creekside and home by lunch — and the 900 m climbing Mystic felt significantly less tiring than the gruelling fire road to DC.
Are you for real? That climb is a fucking grunt. its only saving grace is that its in the trees.
I would definitely try less before attempting lots. if you're biggest day out is around 1k you are gonna struggle with lots. Its a big demanding day.
Yeah I find ITM hurts, lots of steep pitches that max my heart rate out. It's well built but not a cruise for sure. I think the best purpose built climb trail I have ridden is Middle Earth in Pemberton, just a joy to ride and never feel like I'm going to die.
I rode DC yesterday and as is tradition started at 11:30am to maximize suffering in the heat. Trail is running awesome and man it is too damn fun. There are some decent size holes on the lower half though, understandable with the traffic. How hard is the compression on the optional rock roll half way down? Took a look but was solo and decided to pass on it. I hope with the new trail sign that people are throwing the builder cash/beer, I definitely am as it is one of my faves. Went and did Out There after, some fun moves on there and a short climb to get to, was pretty gassed from the sun though so didn't ride it that well, gonna have to ride it again another time.
Great news about Sproatt alpine, will be up again to ride that in the next couple weeks.
Ya i find happy/nimby/middle easier than the sproatt climb even though its slightly more technical. I've always been of the opinion they built ITM too steep, its fine for something like less but for an alpine ascent I think its a challenge especially for a blue trail. Im still very grateful we have such a great alpine network in our backyard, but yeah tuff.
The comprssion isn't too bad, but the next little bump just after will send you flying if you don't power thru it.
Anyone know anything about the double black that drops from "On the Rocks" to "Up, Up and Away" / "Pigs on the Wing"?? It's shown on the trail map board at the start of into the mystic (unnamed though) and you can see its exit low on into the mystic as well but i looked pretty hard up top and didn't see anything.......
Is it only from LeSS right now? I did some googling and came up with nothing....
Random and subjective question... but would you guys say that you enjoy doing the ITM -> LOTS loop or is it more just the novelty factor? I've never done it and it looks super cool to me but it's definitely on the upper end of my fitness capabilities (the climb) so wondering how much of a priority I should make it vs. just riding other stuff in the Whistler valley and eventually doing it at some point in the future?
I love it. The trail down is fun (happy it didn't end up being a machined blue flow) and riding in the alpine is cool especially since you pedal yourself there, not sure where you're at fitness wise but just the itm/on the rocks/squirrels loop isnt too bad IMO, have ridden with some fairly unfit that managed that loop, people (that I've ridden with) get worked from doing that extra down/up/down/up to the lookout on rush hour/happy hour/last call though.
Last edited by: Kevin26 on Aug. 24, 2020, 12:45 p.m., edited 2 times in total.
Posted by: MaxRockatansky
Anyone know anything about the double black that drops from "On the Rocks" to "Up, Up and Away" / "Pigs on the Wing"?? It's shown on the trail map board at the start of into the mystic (unnamed though) and you can see its exit low on into the mystic as well but i looked pretty hard up top and didn't see anything.......
Is it only from LeSS right now? I did some googling and came up with nothing....
Interesting. A few weeks ago, I saw a group of people hike-a-biking around Sandwich Lake (the body of water just to the west of Tonic Peak). They headed off in a southern direction. Maybe there's something there?
Posted by: Kevin26
I love it. The trail down is fun (happy it didn't end up being a machined blue flow) and riding in the alpine is cool especially since you pedal yourself there, not sure where you're at fitness wise but just the itm/on the rocks/squirrels loop isnt too bad IMO, have ridden with some fairly unfit that managed that loop, people (that I've ridden with) get worked from doing that extra down/up/down/up to the lookout on rush hour/happy hour/last call though.
Thanks - good to hear. Yeah I was worried that the descent would be similar to Meadow of the Grizzley in Squamish but glad to hear it is not. If I were to do it I would definitely be skipping the extra portion, at least for my first attempt.
Posted by: MaxRockatansky
Anyone know anything about the double black that drops from "On the Rocks" to "Up, Up and Away" / "Pigs on the Wing"?? It's shown on the trail map board at the start of into the mystic (unnamed though) and you can see its exit low on into the mystic as well but i looked pretty hard up top and didn't see anything.......
Is it only from LeSS right now? I did some googling and came up with nothing....
I believe that’s the old trials motorcycle line that starts closer to WOP. Up Up and Away connects to Pigs on the Wing and Short Bus lower down. I could be wrong. In the winter you can see the trail on the ski conditions page if you scroll to the area. I can’t find it now. Pretty sure “they” would prefer that people not use that trail.
Forum jump:
