When you hear the words Whistler and biking, what’s the first thing you think of? Most likely the big drops and hair-raising stunts of the mountain bike park, as showcased every August in the bike festival.
But as I was reminded on a recent trip, Whistler’s simply one of the best places you can go with a bike no matter your skill level or riding preference. There are an abundance of family-friendly rides and cross-country trails suitable for all abilities and ages. And they’re free.
Easy Riders
The Valley Trail, for example, is a wonderful option to start exploring Whistler on two wheels if you don’t have the taste or the right bike to head out onto rougher ground. It comprises 40 kilometres of smooth, wide pavement that takes you from one end of the village to the other.
From Function Junction, the smooth trail passes on both sides of Alta Lake before continuing all the way to Emerald Estates, with detours en route to attractions like the Scandinave Spa, the Whistler Disc Golf Course and Spruce Grove Park.
The Valley Trail is more than just a transportation route. It’s managed by the municipality of Whistler and is a fantastic way to explore the village, get to know areas that are slightly off the beaten track, or just enjoy a relaxing ride in beautiful scenery with the family.
Get your feet wet
For those who want to sample some dirt without getting too far into the steep and technical terrain, Lost Lake Park is a great introduction to cross-country riding. There is an assortment of easy green trails, including the lovely Lost Lake Loop, that aren’t intimidating for those not used to off-road riding. And there’s a good selection of somewhat rougher blue trails that offer opportunities to step things up in a manageable way.
The individual trails of are quite short but can easily be linked together for longer rides suitable for most riding abilities. Climbing to the trailheads can also be an excellent workout.
Step it Alta notch
Once you’re ready to move along from the easier Lost Lake trails, west to the far side of Alta Lake and check out the sprawling network of singletrack trails that winds, unseen, under the trees. Save the cost of a ticket for the Whistler Mountain Bike Park and try classic runs that range from intermediate blue like Bob’s Rebob to tough and technical double blacks like Billy Epic. For fitness fanatics, the Flank trail that runs along the side of Rainbow Mountain is a must.
Not just for pros
Then, of course, there’s the lift-served bike park, which . It’s easy to look at magazine photos and imagine the Whistler Mountain Bike Park is only for the most highly skilled riders, but in fact it has a wide variety of terrain.
The double blacks contain steep drops and technical features that will challenge even the most experienced mountain biker, but in the Fitzsimmons Zone on the lower part of the mountain, there are green trails suitable for the very newest off-road riders. Every time I’ve been there I’ve seen kids on tiny hardtails learning their first downhill riding skills on the low-angle berms of EZ Does It.
And this is Whistler, so at the end of the day — no matter where you’ve been riding — there’s no better place to enjoy a beer than the Garibaldi Lift Company patio, where watching the really skilled riders fly off the drops is more entertaining than any movie.
Kay Cahill is a cyclist and librarian who believes bikes are for life, not just for commuting. Reach her at kay@sidecut.
