XC Squamish Style

XC for me has typically meant riding the same trails I would on any other bike with less armour and a little helmet, but going a little slower down and hopefully with a little less pushing up.

That shot is from a lap today in Squamish which was unfortunately cut short by a twisted ankle for Jon, but still gave up some epic views, turns and laughs.

The trails in that place between Whistler and Vancouver – that so many steam through via Tim Hortons and the rest of the stripmall wasteland in the valley – are varied, and today were riding fast and loose. The trails seem to be pitched at the perfect level – good fast ripping and gnarly sections to keep you on your toes, with climbs to get you worked over without hour long fireroad slogging. The views too… this definitely isn’t the Shore, where the view = trees, lots of them. Squamish has huge snowcapped peaks surrounding it, and epic flowing mountain landscapes, and vast, looming, moss coated granite monoliths.

It’s XC country. Bring your 29er.

Ok, maybe stick with a real bike, this isn’t California.

Epic Bolivian singletrack flowing under the wheels of the Big Mountain Adventures crew.

CF US Singletrack Wallpaper | © Steve Poulsom | Click for fullsize