What ingredients create an Epic ride? Many Epics are remote backcountry journeys that feature adventurous riding and incredible vistas. We also spotlight riding opportunities that break the mold and deliver innovative solutions, like Ray’s Indoor Bike Park. The essential components of great trails include engaged land managers, skilled trailbuilders, community involvement and dedicated volunteers, so many Epics feature engaging backstories that highlight these elements.

“For me, personally, and for thousands of mountain bikers around the world, Epics are the must-do rides that are worth planning a vacation around or making a special trip to ride,” said Mike Van Abel, IMBA’s executive director. “Part of what makes them so great is that IMBA chapters, clubs and individual members play important roles in developing and caring for these rides.”

Epics are part of IMBA’s Model Trails program, which honors a variety of trail design types ranging from small-footprint Gateway Trails to expansive Ride Centers. Epics rank high among IMBA’s best-known programs, counting more than 50 trail systems that have been honored over the last decade.

Epic rides evolve over time — IMBA needs your help in maintaining and improving our online Epic resources. If you’ve ridden one of the Epics recently and feel that the ride information needs to be improved or expanded, please send an e-mail to info@imba.com with “epics” in the subject line. Many of the ride descriptions currently lack GPS mapping or trailhead latitude/longitude coordinates. Photos and updated logistical information for the rides would also be greatly appreciated.

Whether it’s shuttling up the access roads along the East side of the valley for some DH riding or riding the life up Fernie Alpine Resort to access their trails, gravity riders have a whole smorgasbord of trail options available for them to enjoy gravity’s pull. XC and all-mountain riders can choose from a huge range of XC trails some of which start within a few hundred metres of Main Street and all the pre-ride coffee and post ride hometown Fernie Beers a biker could want.

The Fernie Mountain BIke Guide is available at local shops and will soon be available at shops throughout BC and Alberta. $5 from the sale of every guide will go to the Fernie Trail Alliance.

As a general rule. If the pavement is wet, or even has wet spots. DONT RIDE
ANY TRAILS. Then, after it has stopped raining there are certain trails to
avoid for longer periods than others. They are:

Stove Trail
Lower Red Sonja
Phat Bastard
Erics Trail
Bridgeview connector/Sherwoody
Black Forest
Eco Terrorist
R-Trail
Splitting Bears
Red Sonja
Hessian
Coal Discovery
and more !

For those of us that live in Fernie, remember that we are lucky enough to
live in a place where we have world class singletrack is in our backyard. By
not riding in the wet weather you only help yourself by sustaining a valuable
community resource.

FMBC

Alpenrock DH will take you to another level. “Switzerland is mountain biking’s Shangri-La. Epic descents on flowy singletrack, through ancient villages, a capuccino, back on the bike, jump on the gondola and do it all over the next day.” – Mitchell S.

The Itinerary:

Day 01 Meet your guides at Geneva airport and transfer to Verbier. Shuttle Backyard Booty.

Day 02 Fantastic day of lift-accessed descents in Verbier. The last 5000-foot descent to our hotel is unreal.

Day 03 Shuttle day on Rolling Orgy, Medieval Flow and more. Lap it up.

Day 04 More action on the Verbier bike park. The record in one day is 22,000 feet of descent.

Day 05 Ride Crans-Montana and it’s high alpine berms, rolling jumps and lunch on a patio.

Day 06 On our way to Zermatt we’ll ride two shuttles that are off the charts fun and really, really big.

Day 07 Each lap in Zermatt provides 4500 ft (1500 m) of descent. We’ll choose a lift and hit it.

Day 08 Another day of DH bliss in Zermatt. With 29 peaks above 4000 m, the views are unreal.

Day 09 Transfer to Geneva for your flight home.

To book your DH holiday: http://ridebig.com/trip_switzerland_alpenrock.php

TransRockies News

Two months out from the start of both the 2010 TransRockies and TR3 and though limited spots are available for both, the field is rapidly reaching our rider limit. Sign up soon - full registration details are available at http://www.transrockies.com/trc/packaging-pricing.

The final details on all seven stages this year’s TransRockies are online. Click here for the details: http://transrockies.com/trc/route-and-stages

The route has shortened with a total mileage of 406km with roughly 13,000 metres of ascent during the journey.

The shortened route is focussed on ride quality and based upon current routing and projected conditions, riders will be on trails for at least 75% of the ride time and over 50% of the total distance.

With a new course and UCI point and prize money to offer, some of North America’s top mountain bikers are signing up to be part of the 2010 TransRockies and TR3.

Top riders lining up for the start of TR3 will be Team Giant’s Adam Craig, Cark Decker and Kelli Emmett along with Burke Swindlehurst of Team Give, a 31-year road pro who’s competing in both mountain and road races this year.

Another notable addition to the TR3 is Olympic Medallist and Giro D’Italia stage winner, Axel Merckx, who now lives in BC’s Okanagan where he runs a bicycle tour company.

The 2010 TransRockies Open Mixed division is lined up to have some of the fiercest and fastest competition yet, with several powerful teams already signed up to race.

Last year’s champions Jeff Neilson and Mical Dyck are signed up to defend their championship while the 2008 champs Normon Thibault and Wendy Simms have returned after a maternity break to turn the pedals in anger once more.

These two teams will be joined by the Colorado duo of longtime pro racer Gretchen Reeves and her partner Cannon Shockley. Keep your eyes on our upcoming newsletter for more updates on the elite riders who’re coming to the Rockies this year.

2010 Fernie Alpine Resort Mountain Bike Team Program

For the upcoming 2010 summer season, the Fernie Alpine Resort Mountain Bike Team Program will support up to 4 local athletes with the provision of summer season passes, as well as competition support. New this year, we will be adding a “Development Mountain Bike Team”, in which 2 additional athletes are supported via complimentary entry to specified MTB events at Fernie Alpine Resort.
Athletes will be required to submit an application (see application process below). All applications will be reviewed by a selection committee immediately following the submission deadline. Successful applicants will be required to sign an agreement which clearly outlines the terms and conditions of the mutually beneficial arrangement.

Application Details

Athletes interested in being considered for the FAR Summer Mountain Bike Team must reside in Fernie and must submit their application in writing by 5:00 pm on June 1, 2010. Athletes must apply on an annual basis.

Applications must include the following:

• Letter of introduction explaining why the rider would be a great ambassador for Fernie Alpine Resort
• Short resume of mountain biking career to date (competition results, media exposure, sponsors, etc.) and upcoming season plan and goals (competitions, travel, photo shoots, etc.).

• Action photo & head shot.

Please send applications to:
Fernie Alpine Resort
Karen Pepper

5339 Ski Hill Road
Fernie, BC V0B 1M6

Fax: 250-423-6644

Email: kpepper@skifernie.com

The Lazaruks will travel across the country in a Subaru Outback, leading trailwork sessions, meeting with land managers, and working with IMBA-affiliated clubs and other partners to improve trail opportunities Canada-wide. The 2010 building season will kick-off Canada Day weekend and will run until mid-December.

Chad and Deanne started their journey in mountain biking when they formed the Asessippi Mountain Bike Club in Manitoba, which led to hosting regular races, and weekend-long bike festivals. Since then, they have worked their way up as national level commissaries and mountain bike coaches, taking time to help with the Kids of Mud program based in Winnipeg, MB, the Rundle Mountain developmental cycling program in Canmore, AB, and formation of a women’s club called the Velodonnas.

Deanne is a graduate of the Mountain Bike Operations Program at Capilano University, and just finished a job as Trail Crew Supervisor and Trail Builder for the BC Off-Road Motorcycle Association. Chad will be taking a leave of absence from his position as a diagnostic imaging technologist. The couple also brings French language, and amateur vintner skills to the table. Together they have enjoyed many travel and outdoor pursuits, including a van trip through New Zealand and backpacking the Juan de Fuca Trail.
 
Coordinating the Canadian Trail Care Crew program will be Rachael Raven, IMBA Canada’s communications coordinator.

For additional information on the program, including the 2010 schedule, contact Rachael at Rachael.raven@imba.com or click here: 
www.imbacanada.com

The Fernie Mountain Bike club is proud to host the Spring Bike Blitz 2010! events as scheduled:

Bike & Gear Swap - Elks Hall
7:00pm-9:00pm Friday night Drop -Off
9:00-10:00 AM Saturday - Drop-off
10:00-2:00 PM Saturday - Sale
2:00-3:00 PM Saturday - Item Pickup

Bikers BBQ for Dirt Jumps Phase II
11:30 - 2:00PM - Elks Hall
All proceeds to the Fernie Dirt Jump and Skills Progression Park Phase II

Community Bike Parade/Ride
2:00PM - Meet @ the Elks Hall
A fun ride around Fernie for all ages.
BRING your BIKE!

Fernie Mountain Bike Club AGM
3:00PM - Elks Hall
Come out and hear an update on the clubs activities, and elect your next board of directors. New directors are always wanted. If you are interested please send an e-mail to directors@bikefernie.ca or speak up at the AGM.

Townie Toonie Ride # 1
7:00PM Straightline - $2 and can of food for the Fernie foodbank.
Get your cruiser (or any bike) and come out for an around town ride….always entertaining!

Follow Me - movie premier
8:30 Elks Hall - $8 get you in to see the most anticipated mountain bike movie of the decade
Refreshments served

Volunteers are needed to help out with the Bike Swap, BBQ and the Community Bike Parade/Ride. If you can help out please contact us at directors@bikefernie.ca

We’ve been getting a steady stream of registrations and are getting ever closer to a sell out of TR3. Over 90 per cent of the available spots have been confirmed for the second edition of the three-day solo race on the singletrack around Fernie, through the Elk Valley and over the Continental Divide into Alberta. That means that we’ll soon be putting out the “No Vacancy” sign for 2010.



If TR3 sells out, why not consider the full TR this year? If you’ve been training enough for three days on the trails, you’re not far away from being ready for the full seven days. If you’re still searching for a partner, be sure to use the forum or Facebook page to connect with other riders. 
 
2010 is going to be the most exciting edition of the TransRockies since our first so if it’s been on your life to-do list why not check it off this year?

For full registration details, visit http://transrockies.com/trc/register/index.htm.