New developments are underway for the South Cariboo’s mountain bike trails at 99 Mile Hill.
The Hun City Mountain Bike Club and the Cariboo Mountain Bike Consortium have secured enough funding to complete the development of two new trails.
“Mountain biking is a very strong economic driver in many towns and cities across British Columbia and continues to grow in importance particularly considering the decline of the resource sector,” said Steve Law, president of Hun City Mountain Bike Club.
Law said these developments have been on the radar for quite some time, considering the registered trails that currently exist at the location. The first of the two trails will be an uphill trail that is approximately one kilometre in length from the parking area to the top of the hill.
Residents can access the trails from Ainsworth Road which will lead to the existing parking lot. The access trail will be an intermediate trail with no technical features.
“A lot of towns are developing trails, they bring in a lot of people into the community,” said Law.
This trail will serve as a bi-directional trail to connect riders to the jump and flow trail.
Law said this trail will be suitable for all levels of riders.
According to the development proposal, the access trail will be hand-built to Whistler trail standards. The trail will have a clearance width of approximately three to four feet and a trail width of two to three feet.
The second bike trail will be downhill and approximately 2 km in length.
This trail will run through the District of 100 Mile House Woodlot 557. The majority of this trail will be built by machine and feature some hand-built sections. It will also include six technical terrain features, which are wooden structures to add alternative challenges for intermediate and experienced riders.
First Journey Trails will be working on the development of the new trails. The team will focus on the design and construction of the course. Thomas Schoen, the president of the Cariboo Mountain Bike Consortium, has been building trails in the Interior of British Columbia since 1998. Professional mountain biker, James Doerfling, from Williams Lake, will be teaming up with Schoen to help construct the new development.
As construction is underway, an exact date for the trails to be complete has yet to be determined at this time.
“We are very excited about this,” said Law. “It has been a long time coming and this is just the beginning.”
For more information visit, ridethecariboo.ca