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.

Those things are FUCKING SHINY and no mistake – in some ways better than daylight as you never hit the shadows.

Here’s Jon, looking pretty happy with himself with his solar flare hat:

It was a good feeling to open up the winter nights to riding potential, and we weren’t the only folks on the mountain who’d figured this out.

We could see lights of the Grouse ski resort at the end of our 5k or so of climbing, but I doubt many snowclowns were up there – Last year this would’ve been 2m deep in snow at this point but El Nino seems to have put paid to any thoughts of snowy bliss for the Winter Olympics which looms large – it looks pretty brown right now which means: A longer riding season.

I was converted instantly – head mounted lights are a way better option than the bar mounts I used to run, and with the Hopes you’re basically contained in a bubble of daylight. This is one of the trails I know well though, and it’s still disorientating to ride without the usual reference points of giant stumps or big slabs lining the side of the trail and we had a few double takes to find our way down.

I’m considering whether I’d man up for a solo night ride out here. It’s pretty gnarly, even the easier trails can spank you to the ground, not to mention the fact you’re invading the forest’s peaceful time and there’s a whole lot of dark to swallow you up…