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Vancouver Mountain Biking

Hitting the North Shore

Let's face it: mountain biking is in Vancouver's blood. Kids grow up in the sport because it's a legitimate extracurricular school activity. We breed world champs and medal-winning Olympians who probably eat dirt for breakfast. Plus, there's a camaraderie among Vancouver mountain bikers that's pretty hard to find elsewhere.

We also have the famous North Shore, where freestyle mountain biking was practically born. This is like the Holy Land for mountain bikers. With Mount Fromme, Cypress Mountain and Mount Seymour as major anchors, North Shore riding makes singletrack look like kindergarten. Imagine the most difficult, technical terrain you can find -- fallen logs, boulders, huge ravines -- combined with man-made obstacles on fast-riding trails, most of which are well-maintained by Vancouver's active mountain biking community.

This isn't to scare you away. There are plenty of intro trails to get you started. Check out www.trailpeak.com for a great resource of North Shore beginner trails, download a map from the North Shore Mountain Biking Association (NSMBA) or try hooking up with Ride the Shore or the Vancouver Mountain Biking Meetup, both of which set up rides.

Stupid Grouse Trail (Cypress Mountain)

Rating: Easy to moderate

Teaser: We like Stupid Grouse Trail only partly because of its name. But with dips and natural obstacles, plus a couple of fast, flowing sections thrown in for good measure, this trail is best for beginners who just want to get a taste of Vancouver mountain biking.

Other recommended trails: BLT Trail (moderate), Family Guy (moderate)

Pipeline (Mount Fromme)

Rating: Moderate

Teaser: If we had to pick one classic trail on Mount Fromme, we'd choose Pipeline. This is a popular and constantly maintained trail with classic North Shore features: ladders, a few skinnies, a teeter-totter. All this to say that although it's not an easy intro course to mountain biking, it is a great intro to North Shore-style riding.

Other recommended trails: Seventh Trail, Upper Oil Can

Boogyman (Mount Seymour)

Rating: Difficult

Teaser: Best for experienced riders, Boogyman delivers exactly what you'd expect from a challenging North Shore trail. Plenty of rock faces, ladders, hucks and A-frames provide a wide array of obstacles to work up a sweat. If you can't jive with the last, super-steep section (meant only for advanced riders), take the Pangor exit instead.

Other recommended trails: Ned's Atomic Dust Bin, Bridal Path

Air Supply (Mount Fromme)

Rating: Extreme

Teaser: For those with a death wish, Air Supply welcomes broken wrists, concussions and other abrasions and is open for business. Just kidding (sort of). This strictly pro course features a series of gap jumps, narrow ladders and a swivel teeter-totter. We're including it here because it's by far one of the most impressive courses out there, and it represents the limits North Shore riders continually push year after year.