5 Day Qualifier

Description

Day 1
Meet your pilot and trip manager at the heli-pad for your flight from Squamish, Campbell River, or Powell River up to our stunning base camp with awaiting guides and chef.

With 5 days of riding and a well vetted group, we provide 2 very uniquely different first day ride opportunities

1. Our Northeastern ridgeline not only offers over 10km of steep granite terrain to explore, it also hosts its own natural heli pad. Our guides walk through an orientation and safety debrief before we begin descending down steep, technical slabs to a lower bench (800 meters below) of sub alpine play and shaded trees. From there, a lower rock traverse line below the ridge we just descended brings us out to a final ascent line and first views of camp. This climb tests the freshest of legs and is often done with pedal assist or off the bike, however, the views and unique riding are worth the effort!
2. A new, South ridge offers the only views on this trip of the Georgia Straight and Vancouver Island. This flat summit offers a great landing pad to catch a glimpse of camp across an expansive sea of granite. The descent from here boasts long, knife-edge granite trickery, leading the group down a 1000+ meters of relief to the edge of the awaiting forested ledges below. A traverse below a moraine and up to the glaciated tarn below camp leaves the legs itching for camp and our awaiting sauna.

We wrap up our first long day becoming familiar with the luxuries of high camp. With refreshing glacial water awaiting on our return descent, a sauna to warm up in and of course a 3 course, fireside meal sore muscles will be long forgotten as the surrounding terrain invites new curiosity.

Day 2

• An early start with an amazing breakfast and packed lunches kick off a quick climb above camp
• From there a col and ridgeline high above camp lures you in, with views of the surrounding Coast Mountain Range, highlighting Mount Waddington.
• Once orientated to this ridgeline and the vast terrain above camp, a choice to descend down to camp across some very technical slabs awaits
• Alternatively, a traverse across to riding area below our South ridge to the lower, glaciated tarn makes a second long day

Day 3

• Contingent upon the previous day’s route choices, day 3 often becomes a recovery/flex day, where some riders choose to hunt down technical features, photo opportunities or work on bike control amongst this steep granite playground
• Ascending from camp, the group can ride clockwise or counterclockwise around base camp’s tarn to gain further granite terrain leading to the final Western ridge descent or a nearer loop around some of the most sought out for features our tenure has to offer

Day 4

For the fitness junkies and those that have come prepared to cover as much terrain as possible, the distant ridgeline, skipped on day 1 can be attempted, with a steep climb and long traverse to kick off an early morning!

• Either the South ridge or Northeastern ridgeline is accessible from base camp with a big day of pedaling, combined with endless brake and tire testing descents prior to looping back to base camp for a final night’s rest
• Alternatively, a day of exploring either south or north of camp will unlock plenty more riding potential for those with sore muscles or a desire to leave more in the tank for the final day of feature hunting and descending prior to pick up from the lower West ridge.

Day 5

Leaving this granite playground is always challenging, however, as our guests quickly discover, there is season after season of terrain to explore up here.

• Our final descent down the West-most ridge is accomplished by either a last summit or a quicker, steeper exit into a bottomless bowl of granite shelves
• From there, our longest descent day puts gravity on our sides and our brakes to test as we make our way down endless seas of granite lines. The myriad of choices truly offers perspective to just how small we are, while narrow ledges bring the crew back together for improbable links to the next open slab, all without touching soil
• Once we’ve reached the precipice of the protected forest below a wall of cliffs, our heli pickup site wraps up the adventure
• Optional exits will be planned, depending on each group’s choice

1. 1. A helicopter pickup from this lowest section of granite slab to return back to Squamish / Comox Valley / Powell River.
   2. From our lower pickup area, we offer an optional 6th day of world class riding at the infamous Coast Gravity Park. Lodging options with spas/saunas/amazing seafood are available along the lower Sunshine Coast near the towns of Sechelt or Robert’s Creek. We then return back to the Sea2Sky via a ferry into Horseshoe Bay or return to Powell River or Vancouver Island.