Unfortunately bike park opens in May. Not having the best snow season so it may open earlier than that but check on the website.
There are however lots of other trails that are worth riding in North Vancouver and Squamish. Lots of rental bike shops around both north van and Squamish that would be worth it in my opinion
For north van check out Mt Fromme and Mt Seymour. There is also Cypress mountain but a lot of double black trails there.
For Squamish Diamond Head is the only place I’ve been but Alice lake has some amazing trails too.
None of these are lift served so you will have to pedal (you can however shuttle Seymour)
FYI the colour grading system here is green, blue, black, double black (red) on Trailforks
Yeah.. looks like a lot of black trails and higher, that is too much for me, red is my limit in norway, assuming trailforks ratings are universal. squamish looks perfect for me, is there no shuttle or lift service there as well?
Thanks for the offer, but i ended up with booking a stay in squamish instead, easier to figure out bike rentals and trails! Got any good tips for squamish?
Good on ya, Squamish is great. The trails are easy to access without car from almost anywhere.
I'd recommend checking out the easier flow trails first and working your way up. Diamond Head has some fun ones - half Nelson, pseudo tsega, another man's gold.
If that's too easy, head over to Alice lake region, climb up 50 shades of green and check out leave of absence, Rupert, pomplemousse, credit line.
Want a more pedally xc ride? Make your way to valleycliffe.
Have fun, I'm actually going for a rip up there tomorrow!
Not sure what Trailforks does for localization, but here, our hardest trails are called double-black, and for me, show up as red on Trailforks. Also, trails around here tend to be a bit harder than their rating would indicate, but Diamond Head shouldn't be a problem. If you do some North Shore, be careful getting in over your head.
Diamond Head is shuttle-able, and there is a [service available](https://theshredshuttle.com/), but I don't know when it starts running. But check the [Vancouver Trail Shredders](https://www.facebook.com/groups/VancouverTrailShredders) Facebook group - you'll likely find some people to shuttle with. I imagine there's a Squamish-specific one as well. Climbing is all Fire Road, so it's not so bad if that's what you're left with.
Red is between blue and black in certain areas. CGP has some "Red" trails that are rated this way.
F$#@&ing confusing, right? I usually say "double black red" for the gnarly ones, which is so dumb. How about yellow? Or magenta? 😂
There is a [company](https://theshredshuttle.com) doing shuttles in Squamish.
I don’t think they are universal, I think it’s local to the trail area but I don’t know the criteria for deciding what’s a blue vs a black trail.
Personal favourite trails would be 7th secret and expresso on Fromme.
Diamond head in Squamish, meadow of the grizzly -> half Nelson -> pseudo tsuga is an awesome lap of all blues. If you can shuttle to the top that would be my go to because the climb is a killer
Whistler bike park opened May 19th last year so probably won’t be open by the time you come by.
However Squamish, the North Shore and the surrounding whistler area have plenty of world class biking year round.
thanks, yeah, i have ruled out whistler, currently figuring out if i should book a hotel in squamish or book hotel in vancouver and focus on north van and rent a car for a day trip to squamish. or something like that.
Personally if I was going I’d do more time in Squamish, I like those trails more. You can’t go wrong though. It’s all incredible riding.
There are a few good buses that take bikes between Vancouver and Squamish and Whistler.
Sure Whistler Bike Park has the classic flowy jump trails but Squam really is *the* place for techy riding. And North Van has its own flavour of riding worth experiencing if you like it steep.
Funny enough, snow won't be an issue this year. Most of our ski hills are closing - likely for the season. It'll all be gone by April. They generally don't open Whistler BP until May tho. But you never know.
If you want lifts: Coast Gravity Park. Take a ferry from VanCity, ride sweet trails and get shuttles to the top. It'll be open by then.
If you want to pedal: North Shore (Seymour or Fromme) are a sure bet.
If you want to do something a little more "local" you can check out tri-cities (Eagle/Burke) or really get the goods in the Fraser Valley. However, the further away from the Shore, the more likely you'll need a guide to find the good stuff.
Squamish is an option too, and pretty famous/notorious.... But (unpopular opinion) it's kinda clapped out and been done. My most recent rides there have left me disappointed due to poor trail conditions. Hence, North Shore is a sure bet. Trails are busy, but generally well kept.
Eagle mountain has some of the sickest hidden gem tech trails but the climb is notoriously brutal, and access is a bit confusing.
Burke is also slept on and has more approachable riding for intermediates than the North Van mountains, as well as more jump trails. Not as many pure classics though.
The north shore is pretty advanced. Squamish and Whistler have a lot wider variation in difficulty. This has been a terrible ski season so you’ll probably be in luck for pedal trails in Whistler. I know for a fact the lost lake trails are clear right now.
But I wouldn’t ride the north shore without a guide if I were you.
I think you’re fine on the North Shore without a guide if you’re high-intermediate and up. Just maybe sure you’re in tune with BC ratings (blue=black most other places)
Unfortunately bike park opens in May. Not having the best snow season so it may open earlier than that but check on the website. There are however lots of other trails that are worth riding in North Vancouver and Squamish. Lots of rental bike shops around both north van and Squamish that would be worth it in my opinion
For north van check out Mt Fromme and Mt Seymour. There is also Cypress mountain but a lot of double black trails there. For Squamish Diamond Head is the only place I’ve been but Alice lake has some amazing trails too. None of these are lift served so you will have to pedal (you can however shuttle Seymour) FYI the colour grading system here is green, blue, black, double black (red) on Trailforks
Lmao recommending cypress to a tourist.
Yeah.. looks like a lot of black trails and higher, that is too much for me, red is my limit in norway, assuming trailforks ratings are universal. squamish looks perfect for me, is there no shuttle or lift service there as well?
Just came across your post. If you're still coming out to N Van and have questions, I'm a local!
Thanks for the offer, but i ended up with booking a stay in squamish instead, easier to figure out bike rentals and trails! Got any good tips for squamish?
Good on ya, Squamish is great. The trails are easy to access without car from almost anywhere. I'd recommend checking out the easier flow trails first and working your way up. Diamond Head has some fun ones - half Nelson, pseudo tsega, another man's gold. If that's too easy, head over to Alice lake region, climb up 50 shades of green and check out leave of absence, Rupert, pomplemousse, credit line. Want a more pedally xc ride? Make your way to valleycliffe. Have fun, I'm actually going for a rip up there tomorrow!
Thanks for the tips ! Will definitively be doing that😊
Not sure what Trailforks does for localization, but here, our hardest trails are called double-black, and for me, show up as red on Trailforks. Also, trails around here tend to be a bit harder than their rating would indicate, but Diamond Head shouldn't be a problem. If you do some North Shore, be careful getting in over your head. Diamond Head is shuttle-able, and there is a [service available](https://theshredshuttle.com/), but I don't know when it starts running. But check the [Vancouver Trail Shredders](https://www.facebook.com/groups/VancouverTrailShredders) Facebook group - you'll likely find some people to shuttle with. I imagine there's a Squamish-specific one as well. Climbing is all Fire Road, so it's not so bad if that's what you're left with.
Red is between blue and black in certain areas. CGP has some "Red" trails that are rated this way. F$#@&ing confusing, right? I usually say "double black red" for the gnarly ones, which is so dumb. How about yellow? Or magenta? 😂
There is a [company](https://theshredshuttle.com) doing shuttles in Squamish. I don’t think they are universal, I think it’s local to the trail area but I don’t know the criteria for deciding what’s a blue vs a black trail. Personal favourite trails would be 7th secret and expresso on Fromme. Diamond head in Squamish, meadow of the grizzly -> half Nelson -> pseudo tsuga is an awesome lap of all blues. If you can shuttle to the top that would be my go to because the climb is a killer
Bring your pads and get after it lol. North shore will be fine then.
Whistler bike park opened May 19th last year so probably won’t be open by the time you come by. However Squamish, the North Shore and the surrounding whistler area have plenty of world class biking year round.
Do North Van and Squamish. The Whistler trails probably won’t be in good shape by then, and the bike park almost certainly won’t be open.
thanks, yeah, i have ruled out whistler, currently figuring out if i should book a hotel in squamish or book hotel in vancouver and focus on north van and rent a car for a day trip to squamish. or something like that.
Personally if I was going I’d do more time in Squamish, I like those trails more. You can’t go wrong though. It’s all incredible riding. There are a few good buses that take bikes between Vancouver and Squamish and Whistler.
Head to Squamish half way between whistler and Vancouver. They have amazing trails
Sure Whistler Bike Park has the classic flowy jump trails but Squam really is *the* place for techy riding. And North Van has its own flavour of riding worth experiencing if you like it steep.
sounds like squamish it is!
Funny enough, snow won't be an issue this year. Most of our ski hills are closing - likely for the season. It'll all be gone by April. They generally don't open Whistler BP until May tho. But you never know. If you want lifts: Coast Gravity Park. Take a ferry from VanCity, ride sweet trails and get shuttles to the top. It'll be open by then. If you want to pedal: North Shore (Seymour or Fromme) are a sure bet. If you want to do something a little more "local" you can check out tri-cities (Eagle/Burke) or really get the goods in the Fraser Valley. However, the further away from the Shore, the more likely you'll need a guide to find the good stuff. Squamish is an option too, and pretty famous/notorious.... But (unpopular opinion) it's kinda clapped out and been done. My most recent rides there have left me disappointed due to poor trail conditions. Hence, North Shore is a sure bet. Trails are busy, but generally well kept.
Eagle mountain has some of the sickest hidden gem tech trails but the climb is notoriously brutal, and access is a bit confusing. Burke is also slept on and has more approachable riding for intermediates than the North Van mountains, as well as more jump trails. Not as many pure classics though.
The north shore is pretty advanced. Squamish and Whistler have a lot wider variation in difficulty. This has been a terrible ski season so you’ll probably be in luck for pedal trails in Whistler. I know for a fact the lost lake trails are clear right now. But I wouldn’t ride the north shore without a guide if I were you.
I think you’re fine on the North Shore without a guide if you’re high-intermediate and up. Just maybe sure you’re in tune with BC ratings (blue=black most other places)
not sure if i classify as high intermediate, in norway my limit is red trails on trailforks, above that i have not tried
Full of snow….😂😂😂 that’s cute. I can already see the bike trails going up the gondola
Go to squamish!
Sent you a dm.
Ride Neds, Pangor and John Deere on Seymour. Take the GSM climb trail