The Rocky Mountains of Canada are one of the wildest places on Earth. The thousands of square miles of wilderness is a major corridor for the migration of all kinds of wild animals, from mountain goats to grizzly bears.
Your inner wild beast will feel right at home here among all those acres of great outdoors, as you explore that wilderness from the seat of your steed on this amazing 6‑day trip. With 2 days of riding in Fernie — one of the best mountain bike towns in North America, 1 day in Invermere — the heart of the Rocky Mountain trench, 1 day at Nipika Mountain Resort — a private and remote singletrack paradise, and 1 day in Kananaskis country — a sample of Alberta’s finest; you’ll get your fill of some of the world’s best mountain biking on this Ride.
Is This Ride For You?
You’re a Strong-Intermediate level rider with solid bike handling skills, who can handle rocky terrain and narrow singletrack. You’re comfortable and confident riding a blend of cross country and all-mountain trails (think long and sometimes steep climbs paired with fun and semi-technical descents). Riding multiple days in a row, 3–5 hours per day is no biggie to you. You live for long days on the bike, rewarded by the comforts of a post-ride hot tub soak or sauna, a gorgeous lodge and a chilled beer.
Itinerary
Day 1. Welcome to the Rockies!
Our private shuttle will meet you at the Calgary International Airport and drive the group to our lodge in Fernie.
Upon arrival, we encourage you to unpack, settle in and rest up for the week of adventure ahead. The lodge will be our home base for the next few days of Fernie trail riding.
Tonight, we’ll dine at The Bridge Bistro and enjoy the patio overlooking the Elk River.
Day 2. Fernie Epics
After a good night of rest, you’ll awaken to the smell of freshly brewed coffee, with views of the Rockies to accompany our hearty group breakfast at the lodge.
This morning, we’ll review the incredible itinerary and build our bikes. We’ll provide bike stands, tools and helping hands for anyone needing assistance.
We’ll spend an hour warming up with some skill review at the amazing local bike park (believe us, there is always something to learn!).
Once we’ve got the cobwebs cleared, it’s off to the trails we go, heading out into the massive trail network of Fernie with over 80 trails to choose from, starting in Ridgemont with some of the classics such as Eco-Terrorist and Sidewinder.
We’ll head back to the lodge for lunch and a quick rest, then head out for a full afternoon of riding in the direction of Mt Proctor.
Tonight, we’ll head out for a group dinner before heading back to the lodge for a good night of rest.
Day 3. Mt. Fernie and the Valley of Island Lake
After breakfast at the lodge, we’ll head out for a big day of true mountain bike adventure, as we aim to conquer Mt. Fernie; the peak looming over us in the North sky.
Today’s trail of choice is called “Slunt”, like slog and grunt had a baby. It’s not all leg burn and heavy breathing, as this trail ends with a sweet as pie downhill, making it all totally worth it.
We’ll work our way along the valley and tackle one more climb up to Island Lake Lodge for a top quality lunch with unbelievable views. Afterwards, it’s all downhill on the new Lazy Lizard flow trail. We guarantee you’ll be satisfied after this day of pedaling!
Tonight we’ll dine in one of Fernie’s excellent restaurants — maybe some sushi, maybe a local pub on the main street?
Day 4. Road Trip! Invermere, Toby Creek Canyon & Nipika
After an early breakfast, we’ll pack up the van and hop in for an optional short morning ride around the trails of Montane, or you can opt for a little time to relax before we head out.
Then we’re off for the super scenic 2 ½ hour drive to Invermere.
We’ll check out a cute café in town for lunch, then head to the trailhead for The Johnson and Kloosifier Trails. Hold on tight for this rolling cross-country ride, skirting along the edge of Toby Creek Canyon.
Cold beverages await at the finish!
There’s another hour of Rocky Mountain scenery to enjoy, as we drive to Nipika Mountain Resort — a backcountry paradise with horses roaming free, rustic log cabins, and a wood-fired sauna.
Tonight, we’ll enjoy a BBQ dinner prepared by your Guides.
Day 5. Nipika Mountain Resort
After breakfast in our log cabin, we’ll enjoy a full day of activities in this vast and wild playground.
The private singletrack paradise of Nipika is set along the Kootenay River valley, bordering the Kootenay National Park (part of the chain of National Parks that includes world-famous Banff and Jasper), and is surrounded by jagged peaks and unlimited wilderness.
We’ll ride in the morning, then enjoy lunch at the lodge before taking a drive upstream. Why? So we can float downstream in the glacier-fed Kootenay River! A certified river guide from Nipika will lead us on an amazing 3‑hour paddle, passing several class 1 and 2 rapids in super stable 2–3 person inflatable canoes. Cold beverages await when we float right back to the lodge for dinner.
Tonight, perhaps horseshoes, an evening disc golf session, and a campfire under the stars.
Day 6. Banff National Park and Goodbyes!
After breakfast, we’ll pack up and set off for Banff. It’s a breathtaking drive North through Kootenay National Park, eventually joining the Trans Canada East through the magnificent Bow Valley Parkway.
In Banff, we’ll give you a little tourist time to stock up on bear paraphernalia and “I love Canada” fridge magnets, and we’ll sit down for a nice lunch.
Then, we’ll make our way to Kananaskis country for the fantastic final ride — Prairie View/Jewell Pass. This final spinning will leave you grinning, and feeling very satisfied. You won’t believe how much awesomeness we jam into this 6‑day action-packed adventure.
We’ll load up the shuttle and finish the journey back to Calgary. We’ll be arranging drop-offs to the Calgary International Airport and the Acclaim Hotel Calgary Airport.
The following data represents a typical itinerary, but adventure travel can be unpredictable and our Guides may need to make last-minute changes to ensure your enjoyment. Inclement weather, road closures, changes to the itinerary to accommodate requests, and other issues may affect the itinerary. The ride data represents an ‘average’ itinerary, and may differ when you actually show up to ride. Our guides make every effort to stick to the itinerary as posted, but your safety is our #1 priority.
Day | Hours of riding | Distance ridden | Elevation gained | Elevation lost | Highest elevation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
2 | 4.5 | 17 | 2165 | 2165 | 4409 |
3 | 4.5 | 16 | 2395 | 2395 | 5200 |
4 | 4.5 | 18 | 2952 | 2952 | 5249 |
5 | 3.5 | 14 | 2099 | 2099 | 3182 |
6 | 3.5 | 10 | 1377 | 1377 | 3756 |
Totals | 20.5 HRS |
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