MOUNTAIN LIFE - Coast Mountains | Winter Spring 2019

76 MLCM WINTER/SPRING 2019 Alps in the northwest corner of the country. Hundreds of rugged, steep mountains full of chutes and gullies, or ‘gutters’ as they’re known here, provide astunning contrast to the smooth, fast and flowy singletrack that we’ll ride for four kilometres to the valley floor. This is our first ride in the country and the initial impression is pure gold. From the 14 th to 18 th centuries, Kranjska Gora was a quiet, remote settlement full of lush valleys and green pastures. Now it’s an all-season outdoor haven where hiking, rock climbing, ski touring and beer drinking are mixed with high consequence, world class alpinism and a growing network of MTB rides and riders. With that first-day-in-a-new-country feeling coursing through our veins, our guides shuttle us to the top of a trail called Kinder Surprise, one of the newest rides in their purpose-built quiver. With well-shaped berms and corners, a fast-flowing rip through the woods and an easy shuttle back to the top along a tight road, we ride and repeat with full satisfaction. But the best surprise is waiting for us post-ride at a place called Pension Milka, offering incredible lakeside dining at the foot of the Julian Alps. The plates in front of us feature local grass-fed braised beef shoulder, crispy sweetbread spring rolls, seasonal farm-to-table vegetables and hand-picked pears with chestnut ice cream, paired with smooth merlot from Goriška Brda, Slovenia’s wine region often compared to Napa Valley in California. Joined by a few other Small Friday riders, we’re shuttled up high on the other side of the valley to the stunning Karavanke mountain range and Robe Twist — another purpose-built trail that takes us through switchbacks and chutes. It looks and feels like prime fall riding in the Sea to Sky and we eventually arrive on a paved trail at the valley floor then pedal straight to a village pub for some well-earned pivo (beer). ABOVE Twisting single-track in the stunning Julian Alps. BELOW Dylan Siggers gets farm fresh on one of the many trails built to ride.