Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Up the Khybers...


Yesterday went and got some much needed alpine fresh air. Took the lifts up Whistler rode down old No Joke (scoped out the progress on the new Freight Train and new No Joke) then rode up past RDS to Khybers. 

I first heard about Khybers whilst doing a winter here. A friend told me the first time he skiied that area it changed his life and from that moment onwards he knew he was destined to spend the rest of his life in Whistler. Since that moment i had to explore for myself and the skiing in that 'zone' didnt dissappoint. it is an experience rather than just another line in the mountains. The biking up there has had mixed reviews. Partly due to its long effort required to get there and partly due to a very mixed message style of trail - is it big bike terrain or hardcore xc?

The ride down varied from the most beautiful oldgrowth flowy trail of Khybers to blown down blown out trail of Upper Babylon which turned some sections into hike-a-bike. Then Lower Babylon is an overgrown Alder whip fest but finishing with the flow and fun of Tunnel Vision. All in all the trail could of been a fireroad and i would of been happy just with that time spent in the alpine at the top. Whatever, 1600 metres vertical descent and 25km round trip aint bad for a wee mid day lap with still time to spare to get some more garbo dh laps in and a session in at the dirt jumps in the same day.

Please Whistler-Blackcomb can you open more alpine singletrack to bikers. How about Blackcomb accessed from the Peak-to-Peak next summer?  

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