AlanB profile

3 days left!

Sigh. 13+ years and still waiting for Cypress.

Here's hoping 2021 will be the year we finally get authorization for a reasonable start on the trails.

The triangular holes look great for collecting soil samples on your way downhill. Are they easy to clean? Hose down

Glucosamine Sulphate worked for my carpal tunnel. It's worth trying for a month.

Talking to staff at the hut, they're serious about closing trails. RCMP have been called in and I heard they had an incident with a mtn biker this weekend. Don't be surprised if someone is handing out tickets on the trails.

So sweet!

The long slab in the middle of Green Monster is a personal fav. It goes on for s-o-o-o long, every inch feeling like you're on the edge of losing traction. Kudos to Toby for the trail.

Riding is a big part of my health, both physical and mental, which is why I'll keep riding. Toning down the level of difficulty is wise, but there is always risk with mtn biking, as I was reminded yesterday. On a green trail, 100 m from the end of the ride I crashed and scraped my elbow!

Stay safe. Enjoy your social isolation in the woods.

All the buckets in the video gave me a good chuckle.  That sums up building on the Shore so well. Buckets, buckets and more buckets!

Thanks for the support. Maybe there will be an agreement for Cypress in time for 2021,

The old Stairs Of Despair brought much joy and adrenaline in the days before suspension, back when my only armour was a stem pad. Getting down them wasn't the scary part, it was negotiating the left turn at the bottom!

Sad to lose someone who loved mtn biking so much.

Agreed, craw. Look at the map in my July 13 post and notice the difference between "Neighbourhood" hiking/biking trails and "Enhanced" hiking/biking trails.

West Van Planning is working on Planning Principles for Cypress Village. It needs work on supporting recreation, including bouldering, hiking, bird watching and biking.

Here are my suggestions. What would you like to see?

1) Support and enhance existing recreational uses in the Cypress Village area. 

2) Maintain the existing recreational experience above the 1,200 foot contour. 

3) Work toward recognition and long term maintenance of existing recreational facilities above the 1,200 foot contour.

Posted by: Kieran

I care a great deal for the trails on all of Cypress. But let's face it, once they start developing then no matter how much opposition there is they are going to do their thing. Money talks.

Last year they were doing an open day type thing at the bottom, I was talking to some dude in charge and he was saying how he enjoyed biking, then he described what rode, I left pretty down.

The only trails they are going to allow in any of the village areas are going to be gravel, with the odd steps, like those on stupid grouse, which are pretty boring.

For trails west of the first switchback, you could be right. However lands further east are too steep for development. Think S&M and Trunk Monkey.

The 2016 visioning process by BPP included images such as this for lands below 1200 ft.

My biggest concern is that lands above 1200 ft are excluded from any consideration during Cypress Village consultations. This would leave the trails higher than Fernie dangling in the wind for another decade!

What do you think? How much do you care about Are the trails above 1200 ft worth fighting for?

The process is going to be very different from Rodgers Creek, which had long and public Working Group. Also public engagement is going to be tricky during the pandemic. (The timing is courtesy of the District, not BPP.)  

In August they're planning "facilitated  engagement sessions with the public", likely done virtually, and a survey. What's in the survey will be important. I have a feeling that recreation has slipped under the radar and needs to be emphasized.

I did a night ride down Jet Boy. First time I saw my rotor glowing red!

So busy on Cypress today! Likely to stay that way until Whistler opens.

Ride safely these days. Every call has extra hassles for first responders as they take extra precautions to avoid the covid.

Things have evolved over on Cypress. Originally BC Parks closed Cypress Bowl Road at Chippendale to all cyclists. Then it was opened to road bikes only. Later it was opened to mtn bikers as well. The closures are strictly BC Parks. DWV has closed some parking lots and playgrounds, but parks and trails remain open. Apparently District rangers are enforcing social distancing by going around with 6 foot pool noodles!!! 

Considering that almost all the mtb trails are on District or private land, I don't understand why BC Parks would discriminate against fat tires, but that seems to be behind us now. Policies have evolved. Regardless of your ride you can pedal up Cypress and enjoy the outdoors.

If you want to keep access up Cypress, you can send them quick thank you here.

The impact of the Upper Mountain Path has been with us a while. The new U-shaped road was a bit of a surprise, but it's made for a more interesting section of trail.

More changes will come as Cypress Village gets underway. Pay attention to the planning process, especially when the public consultation happens.