Hey everyone. Taking a trip with my wife and 9 year old boy and 2 dogs. Van camping, hiking, biking trip.
We would like to hit 2 bike park days while we are up there.
Loose plan is to leave the Seattle area and head north. Camping in the van along the way. Hoping to make it to Jasper to hike and sight see as we were there a few years ago and really liked it.
Was thinking we could hit Sun Peaks there or back as I've heard/read it's pretty good and then a different park at the other end of trip. Maybe Silver Star. Only issue there is they are pretty close together and we would basically be driving the same route up and back to Jasper.
Any recommendations for a loop where we could catch a couple dh days along the way and even better if there is some great camping and (easier) hiking on the route.
Don't need to go to Whistler as we do get there occasionally.
Thanks for any help or ideas!
Wa to BC. Which 2 bike parks to visit?
Kicking Horse/Golden.
Sun Peaks has FSR sites at Mcgillivary lake in a couple locations, lots of spots which is a 10/15 min drive past the resort on the logging road to Chase. Hiking is OK, lots of flowers in the Alpine. Love the bike park there, personal fave.
Kicking Horse is a super fun, big mountain. Def worth the visit. I'm pretty sure you can camp a mile or so just down the road from the resort. This place by far has the most spectacular hikes in the Alpine, and the longest vert in the park.
Silverstar is lots of fun, not too sure about camping set up. Never hiked there.
Its a toss up. Sounds like a super fun trip.
People always ask me what's the phenomenon
Yo what's up? Yo what's goin' on- Adam Yauch
do the big loop!
cross border at sumas, travel up highway 5 to kamloops, hit sun peaks, continue up hwy 5 to wells gray park, great place to camp and hike, travel up to valemount and over to Jasper, hike camp till hearts content, leave jasper and head to lake louise, head over to golden, ride kicking horse, camp and hike in glacier national park, travel down to vernon, optional day at silver star (great park), travel down through okanagan, stop at winery, great camping all over, travel down to keremeos , hike camp at Cathedral provincial park, travel over to Manning Park hike camp. Back to sumas and cross over back into the chaos.
would make an Epic trip, wish i could go!
^^^ was about to post this route, you can hit all 3 bike parks that way and you get the benefit of seeing Mt. Robson on Highway 16 from Valemount to Jasper.
Thank you all!
Kicking Horse looks great! And thanks for the camping spot ideas!
That big loop looks like it would be pretty awesome.
Do you have any idea if the official campgrounds fill up during the week?
Looks like they are first come first serve. We prefer spots out of the way but sometimes a real campground is in order.
If you like out of the way camping, pick up some of the Backroads Mapbooks (someone in the US need to start making these). There's a handful of them for different regions in BC. Hardcopies are nice and can be bought at most "Canadian Tire" stores, but dowloadables are available as well. You should be fine mid week most places for getting a spot, but worst case you'll know where to go looking if official campgrounds are full. Great for taking "Scenic" routes too. I pretty much only backroad camp and they are indespensible. Lots of info on hikes, fishing kayak drop ins etc. Candy for explorers.
Not silverstar they really don't seem to be spending enough time maintaining the trails. Two otb's in one day… The last one was it for me with the mountain. A stump in the middle of the trail about 3 inches in diameter and about 4 inches in height stopped my bike dead…. Wtf? 50 for a lift ticket as well. Been riding whistler since it opened. Roots r fine rock gardens np. This was just silly. no real interest by the staff in going to fix the problem either…. Give it a pass. Still recovering from multiple bruises and a big knock to the noggin. Haven't had one of those I about the last 15 years of riding.:nono:
Meh
Lets Ride…
I'd vote for Sun Peaks and panorama for your bike park days. I wasn't overly impressed with kicking horse, lots of gravel road riding and the trails have a weird flow. The weather can get sketchy up there very quickly too.
Sun Peaks is flowy fast perfection with amazing dirt right now and panorama is short but has great variety and fun trails. Just avoid the jumps if it's windy. Have fun!
Kicking Horse is a pretty big mountain, approx 4000'. If your 9yo is riding it will kick the shit out of him.
Panorama and Silver Star are much better options for a young fella.
Hitting Sun peaks on the way to Jasper is a great choice.
Again silverstar is very rough… Really wouldn't take a 9 year old there. Sun peaks is much better. Also one way to get good suggestions is to phone the bike shops in the area and they will give you good advice Skyride is a great shop in Vernon
Meh
Lets Ride…
Thanks again everyone! I will look into Panarama as well. Not familiar with it.
The 9 yo will ride for as long as he can. Which probably won't be that long. He has one day of bike park experience! Then we will likely take turns riding and staying with him.
The sound of really long runs appeals to me and I like that about Kicking Horse.
no lift accessed riding in revelstoke. Great riding there though, even if Frisby Ridge is closed
What about Revelstoke??
Never ridden there, but it looks sick. Revelstoke requires effort and/or shuttles so while on a road trip I typically stick to bike parks for their physical and logistical ease.
Theres also fernie, no idea what condition its in these days but its an option. Maybe waterton too?
Forum jump: