Training Log Archive: Carbons Offset

14.7

Squamish mtn bike trails summary, for future reference:

Best: Lord of the Squirrels (note: doesn't take as long as I thought. Was about 4:30 round trip including the climb to the loop and a long sit-down lunch), Rupert (everyone seemed to enjoy it, even if they walked some of the bigger features)

Next best: Leave of Absence (all rideable by most people), Fred-Tinder-Your Mom, Half Nelson, Comfortably Numb with the loop but try Yummy Numby descent instead of Foreplay. Kill Me Thrill Me (but didn't ride it in 2018)

Others worth riding:

Man Boobs is pretty good.

Crouching Squirrel Hidden Monkey has some exciting stuff on it but very black diamond. Didn't try the Kiki blue alternate; this would avoid the last one or two big rock descents that are really cool if you can ride them, but they are quite advanced.

I'd probably go back to Somewhere Over There (didn't go in 2018)

The Pseudo Tsugas were good but they have some loose surface. Often I enjoy riding them, some days I don't. I seem to recall that Low Down is less enjoyable.

Top Mad Hatter near Alice Lake is rated highly and could be worth checking out next time.

Dirk Diggler near Alice Lake sounds like it is worth trying.

Credit Line was mostly a janky mess of roots and rocks, and was dry and loose in 2018. I'd choose something else instead.

Angry Midget and Ditch Pig were janky and dry-loose.

The trails in the Valleycliffe area were okay but only fill a couple of hours at most.

Met up with Randy, Colleen and the boys (aged 6 and 12). Parked below Half Nelson and all rode up the road. Everyone rode down Half Nelson; the boys did awesome (impressive to see the youngest ride all the way up with some pushing by dad). Then Randy, Carbon and I met Woody and Melissa at the bottom of Climb trail and rode up to Ditch Pig. We heard Angry Midget was really dry and loose. Ditch Pig was also really dry and loose, a little too exciting on the third pitch so the girls opted for Full and Half Nelson. Then back up the road for the Psuedo Tsugas which didn’t seem like they had as much loose stuff after riding Ditch Pig.
Then over to Randy and Colleen’s for a nice tenderloin dinner to wrap up a great trip.

C • "All rode up the road" 5

Into the Mystic, On the Rocks, Lord of the Squirrels
With Fitzy, Woody, Melissa and Carbon.

A steady steep climb up from Function Junction via Flank and then Don’t Look Back.
Into the Mystic was too smooth and boring of a machine-built trail for my taste. It was simply a smooth path. I would rather some technicality like Comfortably Numb but then the angle would have to be reduced a little. I was thinking “You could ride a cyclocross bike up this”, and then a guy rode past us on a gravel grinder. Still, it was worth it. On the Rocks got more interesting and got into some great alpine terrain. Once it starts descending, it gets really fun and then coming down Lord of the Squirrels is wicked. All rideable, exciting blue.
Finished by going down Don’t Look Back and Flank, which didn’t feel like the best use of the elevation.... next time hopefully the Squirrels exit trail will be available or there will be something else more interesting.
The Squirrels descent was so awesome, the best of the Squamish trip, everyone killed it.

Alice Lake with Fitzy, Woody, Melissa and Carbon.
We intended to do a short tour at first so that Fitzy and Woody could do the Grouse Grind before their dinner plans in Vancouver tonight, but it turned into a bigger tour of several of the good trails here. Rode Man Boobs and Rupert (with Tazer's Alternate). Man Boobs had lots of loose dirt but rode fine. Everyone really enjoyed Rupert, it was the best of the day, maybe even the best of the trip. Everyone thought the big features were really cool. It is impressively flowy for a trail with such significant features. Fitzy enjoyed it so much that he decided to scrap Grouse and ride more of this area. One rock on Rupert pitches the bike almost vertical (or so it feels) briefly when you roll off it before you drop onto the ladder below... Exciting and fun. Then rode Credit Line and Crouching Squirrel Hidden Monkey. There were several features that the rest of the group didn't ride but they still had fun seeing these trails. I had a blast riding all of it, including at least one where I came in at the wrong angle and had to do a slight airborne drop to bridge the gap when descending off the rock and land on the intended ladder... Exciting and fun :)
Then the gang was done and wasn't up for another climb to finish with another run down Rupert or Leave of Absence which would let us roll back to the cars via Rollercoaster, so we climbed Lumberjack (it almost shouldn't be suggested as a two-way trail).

Comfortably Numb with Carbon, Fitzy, Woody and Melissa.
Stoked to go back and ride the full trail, complete with the loop (I’ve never done all of it before). Everyone else was stoked to see this legendary trail. I forgot how much continuous technical challenge this trail provides. Not too hard but it can be relentless. You’ve got to appreciate old school riding to like this trail; not buff. Add to that the fact that you are climbing for quite a while off the start, so it can feel like there isn’t much flow. I still enjoyed it.
When we got to the loop portion, Melissa and Woody opted for the Golden Door shortcut while Carbon, Fitzy and I did the loop. The loop was really good but got even a little more physical with more rock climbs and step downs that rarely had a rest in between. You better feel like you still have energy to spare if you add this to your ride. Dialled up the pace for the three of us and enjoyed it. I think this kind of trail feels a little smoother if you can ride it faster. It would not ride well in the other direction.
I will probably try a different descent than Foreplay next time. Foreplay was dry and loose. Maybe Yummy Numby is better.
At the bottom, Fitzy and I took the blue and green series of Packers Goose, I’m Not Satisfied, Why Johnny Can’t Read, Grand Wazoo (fun and flowy) down to Lost Lake where we met the girls.
Then over to Whistler village for tacos and margaritas, and browsing the Salomon store.
I was asked to find a way back to the car without going on the highway so I took us past Lost Lake and behind Green Lake which meant some more climbing but I kept the group on green trails or gravel roads because they weren’t up for more technical riding. Felt like AR. Some nice views over Green Lake.

The smoke wasn’t very noticeable today around Whistler.

Squamish with Fitzy, Woody, Melissa and Carbon.
Climb trail, Half Nelson, back up to Full Nelson, then up the road and down the Pseudo Tsugas.

Everyone had a blast on Half Nelson (Slice and Steve joined us too), then some got a little cooked in the heat and smoke as the day went on.
Met up with Adventure racer John Markez partway down Full Nelson and he also joined us for the Tsugas plus ice cream after. Before I knew he was about to join us, he nicely bombed the group video I was filming.
Now it’s sushi time :)