My first ever visit to the Chilcotins was an exercise in having my ass handed to me. Josh Hall and Chris Clark were world-class fit, and I thought I was ‘close enough’ to hang. I was wrong, and the weather didn’t help me out. So when they returned a couple weeks later to complete their planned route without me, the ride stuck in the back of my mind. Six years later and many, many trips to ride in South Chilcotin Provincial Park, and I have become intimately familiar with the mountain ranges, routes, lakes, and streams that make up the region, and the distances between them that compound to a huge scale. Late last summer, I finally felt ready to go for redemption on that first ride—if only to get it out of my mind. I called on Zanny Venner and Joel Ducrot to join me on the big ride… and what better way to sandbag our chances of success than to bring a camera and tripod to tell the story? For anyone interested, I’d highly recommend our approximate route as a bikepacking trip with one or two nights camping along the way. For most riders, I wouldn’t recommend it as a day trip, without a detailed, first-hand knowledge of the route, and a clear understanding of the consequences of coming up short.

Music: @MysticBraves

Categories: Lifestyle, video

Tags: bicycle, bike, british columbia, Canada, Enduro, mountain bike, mountainbike, MTB, Northwest, Pacific Northwest, pacific nw, video