ROAM IN THE LOAM - Comfortably Numb - Whistler June 23, 2007 Words by Lee Lau. Pictures by Pat Mulrooney

Pat's full set of pictures are here.

There are many bike trails on this planet. Few get an "IMBA epic" designation. To gain that status, something must be special about a trail; whether scenery, technical nature, length, exposure, or difficulty. Comfortably Numb in Whistler earned that title despite being just 24kms long.

I've ridden Comfortably Numb every year now for the last 6 years, dating back to its genesis as the (Not So) Secret Trail starting as an out-and-back from the Lost Lake trails in Whistler. Something about that trail calls me back every time. I've ridden it on a hardtail, on a light dual-suspension and even on a big squishy bike. I've ridden in sweltering heat and in temperatures barely above freezing; in dry conditions and when water has glistened off every root.

One thing has always remained constant. Every time I finish this ride, I feel like I've gone 10 rounds with a prize-fighter.

It had been the kind of late spring that taunts you. Vancouver's wettest May and June in recent years had thwarted quite a few climbing, mountaineering and other high-alpine adventures. Coupled with a record snowpack, it had been hard to venture high. This weekend was forecast to be another dreary one with scattered showers and cool temperatures. Luckily, we didn't listen to the forecasts and headed to Whistler to hit up our old faithful.

Pat Mulrooney crossing Rethel Creek

If any bike trail can be pigeon-holed as an "all-mountain trail" requiring an "all-mountain bike", Comfortably Numb would have to be it. There is very little time to rest. The trail is relentlessly technical uphill and downhill. You're always working around bits of rock, root or soil. It can be ridden both ways but is traditionally ridden north to south, starting from the Wedgemount parking lot 10km north of Whistler and ending at the Lost Lake trails in Whistler itself.

In that direction, the trail follows contours and the uphills never give you quite enough time to rest but yet keep egging you on, taunting you with more technical challenge lurking around every corner. There are also technical features/stunts on Comfortably Numb but they are not gratuitous or overly difficult. The stunts that are there fit beautifully with the trail.

Rainbow Glacier provides gorgeous backdrop on this section of trail

Comfortably Numb is split into three parts. Young Lust is the first section and can be ridden as a loop in itself. Young Lust is then followed by Comfortably Numb proper as you have the choice to either drop back to the Wedgemount parking lot north of Whistler via the Young Lust loop or commit to the entire trail. The unofficial name for the descent from the subalpine rock ledged portion of Comfortably Numb to the southern trail section is Secret Trail or Foreplay. To keep it simple most people just call the entire trail Comfortably Numb.

Maps of Comfortably Numb and the vast network of Whistler valley trails are available from just about any local bike shop.

Pat Mulrooney drops in heading to Wedge Creek

Pat, Danielle and I were on Norco Fluids - making us easy fodder for corporate group-ride jokes. I didn't care; this bike had been a revelation to me last year and it was proving to be a do-everything-well bike again this year. Some bikes need a lot of tweaking when you get them; the fork isn't quite right, the frame clearance isn't great blah blah blah.... Some bikes just feel like old friends. When I first got the Fluid One and threw my legs over it, it fit like a old soft cotton shirt.

The Norco Fluid is categorized as an all-mountain bike. I'd been more then a little skeptical and dismissive of what I'd thought of as marketing jargon before I tried the Fluid, characterizing bikes in this category as being mediocre at downhill and uphill. I've changed my tune quite a bit since my initial reaction and have found that well-designed all-mountain bikes, with their tweaked geometry, slightly longer travel and added versatility, to be incredibly capable on all sorts of terrain.

Kudos to the Norcos aside, our other riding partners in this group (Trevor and Dave) were on a Knolly Delirium and Rocky Mountain Instinct respectively, and charged hard all day.

Verdant forest and undergrowth in the trails near the Al Grey Memorial Bridge spanning Wedge Creek

Comfortably Numb's middle section comprises almost 5km of technical rocky up and downs in the sub-alpine

Danielle Balik takes in the views looking down to the Whistler valley and Alta Lake.

We take our time, enjoying the cool, perfect riding temperatures and the pleasure of riding such fantastic singletrack with friends. Our bikes are performing well and we're all riding at pretty much the same pace and the same headspace - taking in the views, revelling in the accomplishment of cleaning difficult sections and enjoying the flow of the ride. At times, we're rim-deep in pine needles, then we'll be steering down a rock line between moss on a crag, then on to a ladder bridge or skinny crossing a low section of trail. Comfortably Numb's terrain has unparalleled variety, with one constant being unceasing technical challenge.

I'd like to say that time flies but that would be lying. Uphill, downhill, on the rare flats; it's all hard work and you have to concentrate or you're spinning out or dabbing. We keep plugging away and in time we're at the high point, then at the halfway mark, but always working.

A word of warning if you are riding in warm temperatures to not be deceived by the relatively short distance of the trail. Even fast groups should budget 3 to 4 hours for the ride. Ride times of 6 hours are typical if you plan photo, water and other rest breaks. Do not expect much water on the trail. The most reliable source of water is about 1 hour into the ride from the Wedgemount parking lot. Streams on the rest of the trail frequently dry up into late summer. Although there are bailouts, they can be hard to find and you should not rely on the possibility of early exits.

Eventually the trail begins its descent to valley bottom

Trevor Hawkins, Lee Lau and Dave Hughes train another rock slab section on Comfortably Numb

Eventually we drop down from subalpine at about 1000m elevation and descend Foreplay/Secret trail to valley floor. When you do this, look for little gems that dance left and right over the forest floor where you can challenge yourself further. The trailbuilder of Comfortably Numb, Chris Markle, is a long-time Whistler local who took his time to scope the terrain and find natural features to delight; his eye for a good line has resulted in some of the finest singletrack in North America.

Savour Chris Markle's traibuilding genius; bask in the feeling of riding terrain that is unequalled in "all-mountain" challenge and variety; take in the views of glaciers, rockfaces and sub-alpine forest but whatever you do, concentrate. For if you don't, the results probably won't be comfortable and you'll very likely end up quite numb.

Lee Lau

July, 2007

Danielle Balik on the descent to valley floor