Revelstoke MTB and cycling news: Introducing the spokin’ word

Editor’s note: This is the first installment of a new cycling column called the spokin’ word we’ll be running during the biking season. Please contact writer Bryce Borlick with news tips on races, results, events, profiles, issues and any other bike news. Because it’s Revelstoke, it’s mountain bike focused, but we will cover all cycling.

This column first appeared in the April/May edition of Revelstoke Mountaineer Magazine.

The warmer temperatures and longer days of spring bring a host of changes to Revelstoke — the songbirds gradually return, the two-metre-high snow banks melt out, and people break out the shorts and T-shirts long before they‘re actually appropriate. As a period of rebirth, spring is also the time to tune up your mountain bike and make plans for what promises to be another summer of stoke.

Revelstoke once again increases its presence in the world of mountain biking with two high-profile races that will shine the international spotlight on our most epic and quintessentially Canadian singletracks. First up is annual Trans BC Enduro, which expands from five days to six this year, adding Revelstoke for the big two-day finale on July 14 and 15.

“I’m excited to showcase a completely different course with six brand new days of communities and trails in B.C., while keeping the atmosphere and overall feel of the event the same as last year,” says race organizer and Revy local Megan Rose.

With registration limited to just 120 riders, this exclusive event will showcase some of eastern BC’s finest loam descents and technical rock slab riding. As with most enduro races, the course details will be announced just prior to the days of racing, so if you hear rumours, keep it zipped! For riders interested in taking on the course at a more relaxed pace, Wandering Wheels offers the all-inclusive Trans BC Tour that follows essentially the same course, just with medals and podiums replaced with ice cold beers.

Kicking it up a notch, the Revelstoke 3-Day enduro race, scheduled for Sept 1-4, will be Canada’s first heli-assisted mountain bike race. Taking full advantage of the alpine access that only a helicopter can provide, the race boasts a total of 4,500 vertical metres of rugged big-mountain descending for a lucky 110 participants. R3D organizer Ted Morton requires racers to have expert-level riding skills and adequate First-Aid training, meaning this is destined to be a true Canadian backcountry classic.

At the gentler end of the spectrum, the Revelstoke Cycling Association is planning trail expansion at the Griffith Creek base area to better serve beginners, families, and adaptive athletes. In addition to a pump track and skill-building technical features such as small drops and ’skinnies’, a 1.3 kilometre green-rated loop is in the works. The bi-directional loop will be smooth-surfaced and roughly five feet wide, making it an ideal learning environment for kids and one of the few places where adaptive athletes can access wooded trails on their highly-specialized equipment. Plus, it’s a loop — if you get lost, just keep going!

Last but not least, the trail that everyone loves to love is back in action after a one-year hiatus. The Frisby Ridge trail was closed last summer and now, with critical drainage and surface damage issues addressed, it should be in fine form. But wait, there’s more! Never a group to rest on its laurels, the RCA is planning to construct a 5.8-km extension along the ridge, bringing the total length of this gorgeous alpine singletrack up to nearly 18 kilometres. But wait, there’s still more! A two-kilometre connector trail running down from the parking lot to the Ultimate Frisby DH trail is also on the agenda. For further information on opening dates, visit the RCA Facebook page or inquire at local bike shops where you can also pick up a 2017 RCA membership.