Mountain Life
  • Daily Content
    • Trips & Expeditions
    • Climbing
    • Mountain Biking
    • Mountain Lifer
    • Multiplicity
    • On The Trail
    • Paddling
    • Photography
    • Skiing
    • Snowboarding
    • Stay & Play
    • Surfing
    • The Great Outdoors
    • The ML Interview
    • Travel
  • GEAR
  • VIDEOS
  • STORE
  • Magazines
    • ML Coast Mountains
    • ML Rocky Mountains
    • Vie En Montagne
    • ML Blue Mountains
    • ML Annual
    • ML Subscriptions
  • ABOUT
    • What is ML?
    • Our Team
    • Newsletter
    • Adventure Grant
    • Distribution
  • Podcast
  • Contests
  • CONTACT
    • ML Agency
    • Advertising
    • Contribute
Subscription Form

Get notified of the best News

Social Links
Instagram 22K Followers
Facebook 0 Likes
Twitter 0 Followers
Pinterest 1K Followers
Vimeo 34 Followers
LinkedIn 0
22K Followers
0 Likes
0 Followers
1K Followers
Mountain Life
Mountain Life
  • Daily Content
    • Trips & Expeditions
    • Climbing
    • Mountain Biking
    • Mountain Lifer
    • Multiplicity
    • On The Trail
    • Paddling
    • Photography
    • Skiing
    • Snowboarding
    • Stay & Play
    • Surfing
    • The Great Outdoors
    • The ML Interview
    • Travel
  • GEAR
  • VIDEOS
  • STORE
  • Magazines
    • ML Coast Mountains
    • ML Rocky Mountains
    • Vie En Montagne
    • ML Blue Mountains
    • ML Annual
    • ML Subscriptions
  • ABOUT
    • What is ML?
    • Our Team
    • Newsletter
    • Adventure Grant
    • Distribution
  • Podcast
  • Contests
  • CONTACT
    • ML Agency
    • Advertising
    • Contribute
  • Mountain Biking

Spot Check: Mt. Barbour Alpine Trail

  • August 15, 2017
  • Ben Osborne
Total
1
Shares
1
0
0
0
0
0
Total
1
Shares
Share 1
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Share 0
Share 0
Share 0

As skiers and snowboarders, we spend the entire winter gleefully watching the snow pile up from the highest peaks to the valley floor. As our legs and minds begin to weaken from the long, wet winters on the Coast, the bike trails begin to slowly unearth themselves.

By May, we are living back in mountain biking heaven in the Sea to Sky—but we are chronically missing a key ingredient: alpine riding. Cue the Mt. Barbour descent trail, fully completed Spring 2017 by the one and only Joyride Bike Parks crew.

 

TheBurn
The Burn…AKA 7 kilometers of ripping singletrack.

Words: Ben Osborne    Photos: Anne Cleary @annethene

“This is going to be a signature trail for Joyride so we’re going to put the extra effort in…We’re going to do some work on the original trail as well: fixing some drainage issues and cutting back the brush along the side of the trail to increase the sight lines to make it safer and more fun,” said Joyride’s Paddy Kaye.

When we wrote about the Tenquille Lake/Mt. Barbour descent trail a few years ago, that was the vision—and Joyride has delivered once again. 15-plus km of singletrack starting at the summit of Mt. Barbour, and all the features that make the descent: berms, jumps, flow, and beautiful views of the coalesence of the Coast and Chilcotin Ranges.

 

JordyAir
The extra effort.

Beginning from just metres below the summit, the trail profiles as an intermediate blue for most of the descent, with some more technical (but walkable) black diamond sections as you reach the valley floor. The first berm is meters below the summit of Mt Barbour, and the last is a few pedal strokes from where you park your car. The trail also brings the rider to the Coast Mountain wilderness like no other alpine trail can. Trails off of Rainbow and Sproatt feel close to home with views of Whistler interrupting any feeling of true isolation—the only sign of civilization here is a small backcountry hut.

Due to its favorable location up the Pemberton Meadows, the trail lies In a markedly drier area than the aforementioned Rainbow and Sproatt (Lord of the Squirrels) descent trails, making it accessible/rideable earlier in the summer season.

 

Heli
The easy way up.

There are a few ways to access the trail. Car access is possible by Branch 12 of the Hurley Silver Mine Road continuing via foot/pedal to the top of Mt. Barbour. Or use Blackcomb Helicopters, and the recently designed Aero ltd. Bike racks to make the drop simple and effective, for the cost of $230 per head ($1,150 per group of five).

 

AlpineRiding
Out of the trees and into the alpine.

So sell your carbon bars and put the aluminum ones back on. Stick with your Marker Dukes for a year instead of going with that lightweight G3 setup. Material objects break…biking 1,900 vertical metres and 20-plus kilometers of single track carries no monetary value.

The Stats

Mount Barbour: 2,290 meters

Elevation: 1,900 vertical metres

Length: 2.5-4 hour riding time

Get There: https://blackcombhelicopters.com/heli-biking/

 

Meadows
Eyes on the trail, kids

 

You might also like:

Screen Shot 2017 08 15 at 9.45.22 AMNOT JUST FOR POWDER HOUNDS: HELI-BIKING B.C.’S COAST MOUNTAINS
It’s a memory you carry with you the rest of your life: a helicopter floats above a remote mountain before setting down, you hop out as the rotors roar above you, a strong blast of wind pummels down as the heli lifts off and then, silence, as you take in alpine peaks as far as the eye can see…. Read more

Total
1
Shares
Share 1
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Share 0
Share 0
Share 0
Related Topics
  • Alpine
  • Blackcomb Aviation
  • Joyride Bike Parks
  • Mount Barbour
  • Mountain Biking
  • Pemberton
  • Sea-to-Sky
Ben Osborne

Previous Article
  • The Great Outdoors

Into The Mystic: A Visionary Trail-Building Collab Brings Alpine Riding Into Whistler’s Backyard

  • August 14, 2017
  • Ben Osborne
View Post
Next Article
  • The Great Outdoors

Chili Thom: Mountain Life Celebrates the Life & Masterpieces of Our Most Colourful Friend

  • August 17, 2017
  • Ben Osborne
View Post
You May Also Like
View Post
  • Mountain Biking

Baptism By Gravel: Rab Equipment Enters The Adventure Cycling Game

  • Mountain Life Media
  • May 19, 2023
ML-Blue-Mountains-cover-trilliums-crop
View Post
  • In This Issue
  • Mountain Biking
  • Mountain Lifer
  • On The Trail
  • Ontario
  • Paddling
  • Photography

ML Blue Mountains 20th Anniversary Issue Out Now

  • Ned Morgan
  • May 18, 2023
Colin-Field-Three-Stage-MTB-Emily-Batty
View Post
  • Mountain Biking
  • On The Trail
  • Ontario

Signs, Signs, Everywhere a Sign: Behind the Trail Closures at Three Stage

  • Mountain Life Media
  • May 16, 2023
Photo-Clint-Trahan-MTB
View Post
  • Mountain Biking

Coaching: the Answer to Getting More Bums on Bikes

  • Editor
  • April 24, 2023
AleTrailsKamloopsWilliamsLake_WL_MikeGamble_JimmyFox_BenHaggarPhoto
View Post
  • Mountain Biking

Ale Trails: Southern Interior Part 2, Kamloops + Williams Lake

  • Mountain Life Media
  • April 21, 2023
Evo-mountain-bike-Cameron_Munn
View Post
  • Mountain Biking

Mountain Bike Tips from evo: Maintenance, Upgrades, Helmets, New Rides + More

  • Editor
  • April 20, 2023
Simcoe-County-Cycling
View Post
  • Mountain Biking
  • Ontario

Cycling Ontario’s Simcoe County

  • Editor
  • April 12, 2023
Following-Lines-film-canoeing
View Post
  • Mountain Biking
  • Mountain Lifer
  • Ontario
  • Paddling

ML Presents: Pursuits Film Festival 6

  • Editor
  • March 31, 2023
Featured Posts
  • Kathryn-Corbiere-artist-Indigenous-Ontario-Blue-Mountains 1
    Artist Profile: Elevating Awareness 
    • May 29, 2023
  • Mike-Traslin-Andy-Traslin-ski-touring-KootenaysBC 2
    The Traslin Brothers: 200 Months of Earned Turns
    • May 30, 2023
  • Leslie-Timms-Devils-Glen-Nutcracker-Colin-Field 3
    Behind the Devil’s Glen Climbing Route Closures
    • May 25, 2023
  • Fisher-Monahan-illustration-illustrator 4
    Sweetgrass Chronicles: Walking from BC to San Francisco
    • May 26, 2023
  • Paul-Manning-Hunter-Kananaskis-River-surf 5
    Mountain Life Takes Home Multiple Awards
    • May 23, 2023
RECENT POSTS
  • John-Haines-Simcoe-Street-Collingwood2-at-CreativeSimcoe-Street
    Tribute: ML’s Map Artist John Haines
    • June 1, 2023
  • benno_bikes-46er-sea-otter-tour-web2
    Gear Shed: Picks for Spring & Summer
    • May 24, 2023
  • Baptism By Gravel: Rab Equipment Enters The Adventure Cycling Game
    • May 19, 2023
Social Links
Instagram 22K Followers
Facebook 0 Likes
Twitter 0 Followers
Pinterest 1K Followers
Vimeo 34 Followers
LinkedIn 0
INSTAGRAM

Warning: preg_match(): Unknown modifier '0' in /home/customer/www/mountainlifemedia.ca/public_html/wp-content/plugins/powerkit/modules/lazyload/helpers/helper-powerkit-lazyload.php on line 146
avatar
mountainlifemedia
Mountain Life
25K Followers
Just your average day on the trails…nothing to see here. #mountainlifer #onewheel 23 4
How many turns did you earn last winter? Most skiers and boarders would be proud to say they logged a week with no chairlifts and zero auxiliary help to the top—or toured exclusively for a month. 43 2
onekwe didn’t set out to become an artist. She first became a welder with the intention of establishing herself in the trade. But, as good welding jobs are few and far between where she lives on Manitoulin Island, she began doing commissions for architectural pieces and modern furniture. “From there, I found the opportunities and the abilities in myself to create art,” she says. 74 1
ML and partners offer a gear list curated for spring-summer stoke, including the latest sunnies, trail shoes, sun shirts, e-bikes, headlamps, racerback tanks, Rollerblades and sun hats. In alpha order. #linkinbio to check out all picks! 21 0
"Alright—where to begin? Between the months of July and November 2022, I walked about 2500 kilometres from British Columbia to San Francisco. Yes—I walked." 46 4
🚫The sweet sound of the wilderness at Devil’s Glen… 76 5
✨It's time for another giveaway! 66 124
☝️Ahem, so … we’re officially “award-winning” again. Yup: ML Rocky Mountains and ML Coast Mountains both received awards recently at the 2023 Alberta Magazine Publishers Association Conference. 80 9
We hope your long weekend was filled with adventure! Now sit back and relax while you enjoy episode 28 of Live It Up with Mountain Life featuring scottparentphoto! You’ve earned it 😉 #linkinbio 42 3
When you live in #Whistlerbc it’s that easy to change with the seasons 🌞 #mountainlifer 124 4
Follow

Subscribe

Subscribe now to our newsletter

Just your average day on the trails…nothing to see here. #mountainlifer #onewheel 23 4
How many turns did you earn last winter? Most skiers and boarders would be proud to say they logged a week with no chairlifts and zero auxiliary help to the top—or toured exclusively for a month. 43 2
onekwe didn’t set out to become an artist. She first became a welder with the intention of establishing herself in the trade. But, as good welding jobs are few and far between where she lives on Manitoulin Island, she began doing commissions for architectural pieces and modern furniture. “From there, I found the opportunities and the abilities in myself to create art,” she says. 74 1
ML and partners offer a gear list curated for spring-summer stoke, including the latest sunnies, trail shoes, sun shirts, e-bikes, headlamps, racerback tanks, Rollerblades and sun hats. In alpha order. #linkinbio to check out all picks! 21 0
"Alright—where to begin? Between the months of July and November 2022, I walked about 2500 kilometres from British Columbia to San Francisco. Yes—I walked." 46 4
🚫The sweet sound of the wilderness at Devil’s Glen… 76 5
Mountain Life
  • Home
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • Advertising

Input your search keywords and press Enter.