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Hyperventilation is a switch backed climb that gently wends its way through the treeline as it rises….
Mrs Kilo and I did hyperventilation years back on Singletrack 6 (day 1 iirc), I remember thinking “Jesus this is a bitch of a climb” and then we passed a sign say we were still a mile from the start of the climb proper. One of the guys we later ended up riding with on that trip managed to puke his breakfast burrito up on it as well. Happy days.
Not a huge fan of the new sponsored content TBH, but I suppose needs must in the current climate. Enjoyed this article though, possibly due to nostalgia - I lived in Fernie for 6 months, half a lifetime ago. Saved like crazy for 9 months, Fernie rent was crazy cheap then, went snowboarding at least 5 days a week for the season. At the end I visited a mate in San Diego for a couple of weeks, went back to Fernie and went riding on the lower trails for at least 5 days a week for a month. Planned to move over there but met a girl within a couple of weeks of coming home and the rest is history. Was some 6 months, though!
By being sponsored, we were able to make the trip happen. There were no editorial restrictions set by any of the sponsors. What you see is what you would have got had we paid for it all ourselves. Our guides gave up their time (and e bikes) free of charge and showed us some fabulous trails. I would have no hesitation in recommending them and would happily pay for their services on a future trip.
It felt like we barely scratched the surface of the great riding on offer. I would love to spend a summer in Fernie and attempt to ride all the trails. It sounds like you had a brilliant time when you were there. I suspect you would be amazed by how much the trail network has grown since. Riding there makes the Tweed Valley feel tiny in comparison.
Cheers
Sanny
Fernie clearly has fans. I was in Lidl earlier and got chatting to a fellow rider who spotted my Trail to Ale hat that I bought at the Fernie Brewing Company. He had lived in BC for six years and ridden there. I love how the hat prompted him to wax lyrical about his time out there.
Big Fernie fan here.
What a great article which also brought back great memories for me.
First visit was for the start of the inaugural TransRockies race in 2002, then fortunate enough to live in Canada for 2 years (2007 and 2008) so returned to Fernie for a bit of a pre-race training camp for TransRockies 2007.
And then went snowboarding there most weekends in the winter of 07/08. The powder snow was off the scale!
Definitely on my list of places to return to one day, hopefully.
I've not got access to the article, but I do ride there whenever I can get over (heading over for some snow next week for a few days cos the snow is not bad either). The trails are superb, both the climbs and the downs, the locals do an amazing job of keeping them in great shape with vollie digs each week (sponsored by a pizza company and the Fernie Brewing Company) when over 30 can show up and help out. I think the picture is taken on Hyperextension and the climb to that is one of the three that if you complete them all in one day, you get free beer at the brewery! You can ride over an old car, fly down massive berm tracks that put Morzine to shame, try your luck at the trail called FlowReka in both directions, ride a green trail to one of the best beer patio's ever and then charge down in the evening sun whilst yelling 'Yo Bear' at every bend.
There are trails on every side of the town, some are best in the morning, some are best in the 30 degree heat, some cross the creeks where you can dip your legs in to cool down, some are best avoided when the trailhead has fresh bear scat.
When you are done biking, there is the river to float, loads of hiking, amazing restaurants and shops and just sitting eating icecream.
The local bike shops are all great and the teams in there go above and beyond - I rode in to Straight Line late one night and the shop owner took my bike to his house to clean it before 3 wrenches worked on it and got me on my way, even taking a component off a locals bike that was in for a service as it matched my front chainring that had shed a tooth on the way from Banff.
We are heading back for the summer this year and every ride we do is in prep for being fit enough to clear the trail called Swine Flu - the hairpins do not have an equal that I've found in the UK.
The town trails are free to access and they have donation boxes on a few trails if you feel the love like I do. The ski hill has lift serviced terrain, but I love the ups as well as the downs, I don't ride there often (and the rocks are not as soft there either!)
Don't go, its rubbish, leave it for us and the locals please.
