Tito Tomasi, the frenchman living a highly enviable #vanlife, is currently exploring the American continents. For this instalment of this latest adventures, he went hunting for the best trails in Canada’s British Columbia.
Here we are for another episode of Las Americas, this one is a rider’s treasure with two months exploring BC. Looking for big mountain and fun.
Warning: This edit is not a banger, it doesn’t include slow motion and you won’t see the same move shot 6 times on different angles. This is raw and authentic, a true adventure with real human beings inside. In total I probably rode 1900km during this episode which shows you one thing: I LOVE riding my bike! Shooting is fun and I love to share my adventures, because otherwise they don’t exist.
Do you know Canada? You saw some videos of Whistler bike park? The Crankworx? Well this edit is different, it shows the incredible work of the builders, their creativity and respect for nature. During the trip my goal was to ride loam, steep trails, slabs and most of all being out there in the mountains. And it was an absolute success. Canada is one of the best spots in the world for trail riding.
Sea To Sky
Let’s tell you a little about the story. Arriving in BC through Vancouver we started the trip with one week on the north shore. An incredible destination for those who seek for steep and loam, but also technical trail with rocks and slabs. A lot of trails are on Trailforks, a lot are not.
I had a great time riding with Sharon and Lee, we went to church and the experience was intense. Being in native forest is beautiful and rare.
My family in law came for a couple of weeks while I also had a group of french riders to guide for 14 days, showing them a few spots including Revelstoke and the Chilcotins.
In total with some trips around we stayed one month in the Sea to Sky corridor. One month of shred and mind blowing views from North Vancouver to Pemberton. It was hard to leave Whistler, the good trails and the friends.
Straight after the Sea To Sky we left for a mini trip in the South Chilcotins.
I wanted to ride a long crossing but I couldn’t commit to it and ask my wife Charlotte to do the drive to Tatayalko lake, so I just rode out from the east side road to Lorna lake through Graveyard. And on the second day I linked Lorna to Tyaughton lake. Than I took my wife for a ride the next day and she loved the good dirt of the Chilcotins. This place is unreal.
Kootenays – Great rides and big mountains.
Starting with some awesome rides in Revelstoke the wind pushed us in the north to ride Jasper and than back to Golden, Panorama and Nelson. I was really happy to meet with Seb and Manu two very strong riders from home. While in France I ride with them very often and it was sick to share some trails and adventure with them. We had a blast in Panorama and Nelson, and we also had our hardest day crossing the Purcells one day. Hard Hard Hard.
The Kootenays are beautiful and vast, with glaciers and deep forest, it’s actually quite surprising for us to see the resort so small and so few of them. The valleys are mostly empty and nature untouched. But in the place the humans are the trails are. I had an incredible good time in Golden, where I changed my bike for a 29er 140m. The trails in Golden are rough, long and can be steep. Like this incredible Mt Psychosis itinerary designed straight in the mountain! But also the rocky T4 and LSD. And many more.
It was my first time in Panorama and I wasn’t disappointed, the riding was really good with tons of flow and beautiful forest. And the climbs long! With a stunning view over the rest of the range it seems that the area has one of the best potential for big mountain in BC for me.
Going back to Nelson was one of the best moments of the trip! The area has so much potential and diversity, the town is cool and everywhere look beautiful. I shared a few rides with my homies and a few solo rides. Awesome!
Jasper
We drove to Jasper from Revelstoke, and the first thing we noticed was that fall was already hitting Jasper! Second point was, this place is absolutely BEAUTIFUL!! We hiked, drove and spend one week in the area. The riding was awesome, fun and surprising.
Visiting the park was nice, with a few hikes you can see a ton of glaciers and beautiful summits. With all the lakes, river and falls this place is a must do in western Canada.
One day I could convince Charlotte to hike the Mt Folding with me to shoot the trail. She wasn’t happy with the walk but the footage was worth the pain and we had a good time. Mt Folding is a easy summit with a bit of everything but mostly it’s steep. I was feeling at home with alpine terrain and hiking trail.
On a XC ride around the town I saw a big wolf 15 meters from me, he started to run along my trail and I could see him for a while. What a moment. I feel like I was waiting for it all my life and embraced the moment. Wolves are beautiful.
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Going Back To USA
Voila! After more than two months on the road in Canada we are driving south, and it’s a good thing because the snow was already there in our last days in Fernie.
Once again we leave a country with memories and smiles. Happy for the meetings, the trails and present from life. The life we choose.
I’m writing this from Utah, riding and shooting epic conditions in the north and sick trails in the desert. If you want to see more and know help yourself and follow me on Instagram! I share my rides, experience and artworks.
Thanks for your support!
#vivelavie
tito
Tito mentions Revelstoked – if you want to find out why you should definitely make the trip there (or, maybe you shouldn’t…?) be sure to subscribe to Singletrack now, as Issue 128 will contain James Vincent’s write up of a big back country ride there.
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