Golden, British Columbia
By John McKiernan
Staff Writer
There are many superlatives that can be used to describe the mountain biking terrain in the Canadian Rockies around Golden. Exciting, unique, vast, terrifying – it really is everything it is built up to be. Although Banff and other local national parks are considered amongst the best, Golden takes the biscuit. Golden is a community that wholeheartedly welcomes the mountain biking culture.
Golden is blessed with Mount 7, one of the finest and most challenging downhill systems in Canada. Mount 7 boasts several double black diamond trails. This is the place to push it (the skills, not the bike). The steep single track is a guaranteed rush for intermediate to advanced riders. With various levels of difficulty and various offshoot trails with stunts and ladders, bombing Mount 7 provides stunning valley views, some great drops and a pipeline reminiscent of a bobsled course gone stupid.
Prefer a great single- track cross-country trail to serious up and downs? Try the trails near the bottom section of Mount 7, or check out the single track heaven, 48 km of cross-country bike trails at Moonraker and Canyon Creek.
Want all the buzz of the downhill runs without the lung buster ride to the top, you lazy cyclists?! Head over to Kicking Horse Mountain Resort and take the chairlift up the mountain. After that cushy ride up, get ready for a serious 10 km long single-track downhill. Rentals available.