Home

Disneyland

This ain't no roller coaster ride!

You've heard about it, you may have even always wanted to do it. I've always been ambivalent. I've heard there were lots of mandatory steeps and mandatory and optional granite faces. I've heard of the small climbs you had to do. I didn't think that this ride would smack me like no other ever has!

You want epic? You want Steeps? You want Hike a Bikes from Hell? You want a helicopter to drop you in the Alpine where you start your ride?

This ride is not for the faint of heart, physically or mentally. Take all your steepest rides - I mean off the back, ass on your tire steep, all your biggest hike-a-bikes - I mean pick up your bike and put it on your shoulder, hope one hand is free, mix them up and do them all in 6 hours. Disneyland.

Not much can be said about the Alpine. Its something you have to experience. For those who don't often get up there, you're missing out. Pictures only provide a glimpse.

Here is looking South down Howe Sound.

Looking North with Garibaldi Mountain in the distance. I'm in the middle of the picture.

We were the first lifted up to the start of the ride at about 5500 feet.

Here is the entire panorama.

Then the helicopter came with the bikes.

He was VERY good, he put the first batch of bikes down STANDING, then set the second batch down, then took off for the rest of the riders.

Dave waiting for the rest of the crew. He, along with 2 others had these 50lb Banshee Scream Bikes. Pretty cool bikes, but damn heavy! .

PD standing by a crag on the left that drops maybe 500 feet. Squamish is in the distance, then Black Tusk WAY in the back and Garibaldi Mountain. .

Here I am riding across the snow.

And riding down towards the alpine lake. Even here it is steep and loose, and we haven't even gotten to the 'trail' yet!

The start of the trail was STEEP. Here's Gary heading down.

Two aussies, Joel and Mark, were on this trip. They saved money for two years, and are here for 6 months to ride and snowboard! Here's Joel adapting well to the steep BC slopes

From here the trail was STEEP, then we climbed up STEEP sections, then we rode down STEEP sections then we climbed up some more STEEP sections. Then we got to the optional granite faces.

Dave on Andre's Rock using up a TON of travel. That 4 inch fork he has is really an 8 inch fork.

Here's Brock on Andre's Rock. Damn can he ride!

Johnny, our guide, on another line on Andre's rock.

Lee from another angle.

 

After this we rode down some more steep sections, then we hiked up some STEEP sections, then we rode down some more steep sections, then up the biggest mother-ucker hike a bike you would EVER not want to do again. Then we got to Awesome Rock. Another optional granite face.

Lee on the main line on Awesome rock.

Johnny on an different line.

and Dave again on a different line

The bottom half of the trail was then STEEP and loose and had lots more rock faces. Here is Martin on one

 

All in all a good experience. I can't say I'd want to do it again. It was VERY tough. The combined continuous steep, hike a bike and hike a bike and continuous steep really added up after 6 hours.

Home