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Rossland, British Columbia: The Thrill Of The Downhill Chase

Rossland, British Columbia

Details

Distance

62.1 miles

Elevation Gain

1148.3 ft

Route Type

Point-to-Point

Description

Added by Anton Lucanus

With countless trail systems catering to every level of rider and with endless singletrack options across vast, varied terrain, Canada has earned a well-deserved reputation as one of the top mountain bike destinations in the world.

We had all the classic options available to us for our honeymoon. We chose none of these. Instead, we decided to go mountain bike riding in Canada to finalise our nuptials. 

Now, Canada is known for its epic mountain trails, not least of all those geared toward the mountain biker, and YouTube is jam packed full of riders tearing through insanely pristine forests in full armour. With countless trail systems catering to every level of rider and with endless singletrack options across vast, varied terrain, Canada has earned a well-deserved reputation as one of the top mountain bike destinations in the world, with the Top of the World Trail to Rossland BC (British Columbia) on every serious mountain biker’s must-do list. With 9.9 million square kilometres to explore, there is no shortage of trails for every skill level.

But the thing is, we were rookies. Complete amateurs. We knew not the first thing about mountain bike riding, or Canada, on reflection. We were seasoned travellers and avid outdoor adventurers, but as of yet, biking off-piste hadn’t earned a spot on our repertoire. Was it a great idea regardless? Absolutely. 

After a night spent camping under the stars in one of the many pristine wilderness camps scattered across the country’s national parks, and following a morning’s hike through one of Canada’s world-renowned nature panoramas, plus perhaps a cheeky beer or two for courage, there was quite simply nothing better than whizzing our way down a winding mountain trail through lush foliage, albeit fearing for our lives all the while. There is something strangely brilliant about the very real risk of being momentarily thrown to our death over an unanticipated cliff, or cycling into the path of a 270kg+ grizzly bear seeking respite from the human population. I must admit, I think I was only able to actually venture into the forest because we were armed with very expensive, very impractical cans of bear spray. I mean, what would we have done should we have accidentally cycled into the arms of a grizzly? Demounted and excused ourselves while we had a quick look through our backpacks to retrieve them? Fools, we were. 

Dramatic coastlines, pristine jewel-like lakes and lush autumnal forests make Canada the perfect place to cement one’s matrimonial state. But to be frank with you, it was purely surviving the downhill death rides at very real risk of death by grizzly bear that brought my wonderful husband and I together for real. I highly recommend it to anyone going through a tough patch or seeking some excitement in their lives. Good luck out there, guys. You may need it. 

This entire trip differed from any of the typical honeymoon ideas. You know the kind: an island holiday in the Maldives, whizzing off to Africa for a safari with one of the fabulous companies you read in the Sunday paper like Luxury African Safari Tanzania, a lavish food-focused journey through Italy, a sailing trip through Croatia, an exotic camel ride through the Sahara... and we couldn't have asked for anything better.

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Features

Mountain Biking
Easy Parking
Forest
Scenic

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