Golden, B.C. Mountain Biking

The Kicking Horse Mountain Resort bike park trails and the T4 system

Located in the Dog Tooth Range of the Purcells lies Kicking Horse Mountain Resort (KHMR). Known for its aggressive ski terrain, KHMR also hosts some mountain bike trails. While more reknowned for technical gnar, the dedicated operations crew of 5 guys at KHMR have been working hard to create an accessible trail network. We found the network to be well maintained, well-planned and operations to punch well above its weight despite resource constraints. The KHMR bike park is riding that is worthy of a stop.

While historically the small resort of Whitetooth, in 1999 Whitetooth was strangely bought by the Dutch engineering-construction company Ballast Needam which needed a tax strategy. Whatever the reasons the new re-branded KHMR resort got a cash injection for capital infrastructure to construct a Gondola from the Base area to 2350m. This allowed for massive terrain expansion to a dog-toothed ridgeline allowing for massive side-country opportunities but also for massive alpine ski-run and trail development activity in all seasons.

Now there is a restaurant on that same alpine ridgeline and alpine bowls with hiking, biking trails coupled with sightseeing opportunities to the Selkirks, Purcells, Rockies and a panoramic 360 degree view. With the gondola and four other lifts there is plenty of terrain to go around. Since opening the KHMR Bike Park the crew of 5 have been hard at work making more accessible trails for all levels. Paramount in this endeavour is the Alpine climbing trail (Excalibur) – which allows you to do loops on 5 other descents before heading back to the base. The $52.95 day pass allows you to head up as often as you like, or ONE LIFT PASS? With a small base area that includes a great breakfast and lunch restaurant as well as a gift store to round out your day. If you want to do something other then mountain biking, they also have sight seeing, and Boo, a Grizzy Bear, that was orphaned in 2003 in his Grizzly Bear refuge. In the Alpine area they also have a Via Ferrata if you want to do some rock climbing! There is also plenty of hiking to do.

Check out the Mountain Bike info page on the KHMR website for updated infor a cool video of their Alpine Bike Park trails. Also check out this video on Pinkbike on the construction of another of their Bike Park trails – Swamp Donkey.

With the guidance of Ryan Harvey we were able to ride the trails of Kicking Horse Mountain Resort and also the alpine trails adjacent to KHMR.

Base Area and more food at Double Black

Scenic Gondola ride to 2350m

View from the top, you can see the climbing trail wind its way up!

Access to Via Ferrata and other hiking loops

Dropping in in the Alpine

Alpine Flow

Great rock work by the trail crew

Start of the Alpine Climbing trail – 2116m -> 2275 in less then 2km. 15-25min climb depending on how you can climb at elevation…

I suck climbing at elevation

Techy flow trail!

Pipestone

More Rockgarden

More distracting views

Bermy flow trails mid mountain – Magic Carpet Ride

Rock n Roll

Rock n Roll

Good trails for all levels.

Back up for Lunch at Eagle’s Eye

T4 is Tower 4; a hike-a-bike along the Dog Toothed ridgeline which leaves KHMR. You will be leaving the tenure and therefore on another experience of a totally different kind. With Ryan we rode T4 to Little Sir Douglas to the Canyon Creek trail depositing you in Golden following a brake-burning descent from 2307m to 891m.

And this won’t be no bike park flow trails or easy-outs. This descent is hyper-technical chunk of the alpine exposure order. A tomahawk will result in serious trouble as you ragdoll down the face of either side of the ridgeline. Technical riding skills are necessary; judgment is even more a must. When one drops 1400m elevation by bike there’s plenty of room for error. But you will experience views and variety like rarely seen so hold and enjoy the ridge from alpine ridgeline to Columbia Valley

Then a hike a bike to T4, an epic descent into the Moonraker trail system that is not for the faint of heart. It’s out there.