Official North Shore thread

PB Forum :: Canada - West
Official North Shore thread
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flag DMal
O+
Posted: Sep 30, 2019 at 16:30 Quote
Natural High is right below the parking lot: https://www.trailforks.com/trails/natural-high/

Based on the Squamish trails you did, on Seymour, check out:
- John Deer
- Asian Adonis
- Bottletop
- Ridge Runner
- Corkscrew/Power Line
- Pingu
- Empress Bypass
flag gbeaks33
Posted: Sep 30, 2019 at 17:00 Quote
GreenJelly wrote:
Lots of good info here. Thank you @DMal and @xTwoSnakesx.

I was in Squamish this weekend and rode Tracks from Hell, Leave of Absence and Rollercoaster. All super fun trails and my bike handled the drops without issue. Of course I wasn't flying down the trails at top speed over the drops, but fun all the same.

I have pretty good athletic abilities (or at least I think so!) and am fairly confident on my bike. Based on the comments here, I may give Expresso a try the next time I'm out on Fromme and have done a few warm up laps on Bobsled. But I hear ya on 'depending what day it is' comment. Some days you have it, other days you don't. Funny how that happens.


@xTwoSnakesx that's a good tip about Natural High. I have never heard of that trail before. A quick look on Trailforks doesn't bring up the trail. Any tips on where to find it? Also, that's good advice about the steep switchbacks of CC. No need to rush in to it.

Regarding other people on the trail, that's good to know.

Any suggestions for green / entry level trails on Seymour?

Natural High is literally right at the parking lot on Fromme. Link here. It's harder than Expresso but it's short so you'll be able to see what other black trails have to offer. Can climb back up King of The Shore and be back at the parking lot. 10 min loop max. Expresso is somewhat similar to Leave of Absence in Squamish. The shitty thing about Expresso, in my opinion, is riding Baden Powell back to the parking lot. I think it's the worst trail on the shore and in no way suitable for beginners. It'll be way harder than Expresso. I haven't ridden it in a few years, and I've heard they have done work to it, but it is a hiking trail that can be tolerated via bike. You can avoid it by continue riding down Lower Expresso and ride the city streets back to your car, but you lose a ton of altitude and have to then climb back up Mountain Highway to the parking lot. Leopard to Crinkem to Kirkford is more bang for your buck and you don't have to traverse back on a buzzkill trail when you're done.
flag Habaden
O+
Posted: Sep 30, 2019 at 19:32 Quote
Is the North shore rideable in December? Or will there be too much snow?
flag JonRides
O+
Posted: Sep 30, 2019 at 21:17 Quote
Most years. The snow is pretty unpredictable.


Habaden wrote:
Is the North shore rideable in December? Or will there be too much snow?
flag JonRides
O+
Posted: Sep 30, 2019 at 21:21 Quote
gbeaks33 wrote:
GreenJelly wrote:
Lots of good info here. Thank you @DMal and @xTwoSnakesx.

I was in Squamish this weekend and rode Tracks from Hell, Leave of Absence and Rollercoaster. All super fun trails and my bike handled the drops without issue. Of course I wasn't flying down the trails at top speed over the drops, but fun all the same.

I have pretty good athletic abilities (or at least I think so!) and am fairly confident on my bike. Based on the comments here, I may give Expresso a try the next time I'm out on Fromme and have done a few warm up laps on Bobsled. But I hear ya on 'depending what day it is' comment. Some days you have it, other days you don't. Funny how that happens.


@xTwoSnakesx that's a good tip about Natural High. I have never heard of that trail before. A quick look on Trailforks doesn't bring up the trail. Any tips on where to find it? Also, that's good advice about the steep switchbacks of CC. No need to rush in to it.

Regarding other people on the trail, that's good to know.

Any suggestions for green / entry level trails on Seymour?

Natural High is literally right at the parking lot on Fromme. Link here. It's harder than Expresso but it's short so you'll be able to see what other black trails have to offer. Can climb back up King of The Shore and be back at the parking lot. 10 min loop max. Expresso is somewhat similar to Leave of Absence in Squamish. The shitty thing about Expresso, in my opinion, is riding Baden Powell back to the parking lot. I think it's the worst trail on the shore and in no way suitable for beginners. It'll be way harder than Expresso. I haven't ridden it in a few years, and I've heard they have done work to it, but it is a hiking trail that can be tolerated via bike. You can avoid it by continue riding down Lower Expresso and ride the city streets back to your car, but you lose a ton of altitude and have to then climb back up Mountain Highway to the parking lot. Leopard to Crinkem to Kirkford is more bang for your buck and you don't have to traverse back on a buzzkill trail when you're done.

Baden Powell is fun. You just have to decide that it is its own trail and has its own challenges.
flag scotteh
O+
Posted: Sep 30, 2019 at 21:28 Quote
Yeah I don’t find the BP that bad, but I enjoy technical climbing. Agree that it isn’t suitable for beginners though, and the stretch from Espresso back to the lot is tougher than Espresso itself.
flag gbeaks33
Posted: Oct 1, 2019 at 10:11 Quote
scotteh wrote:
Yeah I don’t find the BP that bad, but I enjoy technical climbing. Agree that it isn’t suitable for beginners though, and the stretch from Espresso back to the lot is tougher than Espresso itself.

Yeah over the years I built up enough skills to ride even the hardest parts where it essentially wasn't an issue, but it still was far worse than any other trail on the shore. I just preferred other options. When I lived there it didn't matter because I rode Fromme/Seymour all the time, but now that I live away from Vancouver and only ride the shore once a year when I'm visiting...I'll pick something other than expresso or the other trails that lead back to BP. When I brought friends to visit Fromme they'd always want to ride Expresso or Ladies, so we'd do that, and they'd regret the decision when I showed them 7th/Leopard/Crinkem/Kirkford/Griffens and no sight of Baden Powell. My point was if you're only going to do one lap and it'll be your only Fromme experience, BP sucks and there are more fun options.
flag scotteh
O+
Posted: Oct 1, 2019 at 11:21 Quote
If you don’t want to do BP and do want to ride espresso, just park at the start of the climb trail instead. Climb trail is a lot more interesting than the fireroad and you can do laps that start/end at the same place.

A great 1.5-2h lap is climb trail to fire road to 7th secret to espresso (upper and lower), then pennzoil to finish. Or climb trail to executioner to dreamweaver.
flag gramboh
O+
Posted: Oct 1, 2019 at 13:49 Quote
Second the climb trail (maybe not for Green Jelly just yet) but in general it's a great way to get in more bang for your buck on the west side Fromme trails. The climb route itself has been improved a ton in the last year, and recent work on Lower Digger, Crippler, Lower Expresso/Pennzoil etc. mean there's tons of fun exit options that you can also loop to get more riding in at the end of your loop.

Personally I enjoy the BP from Expresso back to Mtn Highway (other than the one steep climb before the descent part). It's still a great tech challenge but has been smoothed out enough that you can ride it fast on a modern bike now. It's not a chore like it was 5+ years ago.

7th/Lep/CC/Griffin etc is OK-ish and a great parking lot lap you can do in under 90min but I find below 7th I'd much rather ride Expresso, Ladies, Oilcan etc than CC/Griffins.
flag GreenJelly
Posted: Oct 1, 2019 at 21:29 Quote
Quote="DMal"]Natural High is right below the parking lot: https://www.trailforks.com/trails/natural-high/

Based on the Squamish trails you did, on Seymour, check out:
- John Deer
- Asian Adonis
- Bottletop
- Ridge Runner
- Corkscrew/Power Line
- Pingu
- Empress Bypass[/Quote]

Nice! Thanks for this. I live closer to Seymour that Fromme. I was apprehensive of riding on Seymour as I keep hearing how the trails are pretty advanced/intense. But if the above list represents what I was able to do in Squamish, then I think I'll be ok.

gbeaks33 wrote:
Natural High is literally right at the parking lot on Fromme. Link here. It's harder than Expresso but it's short so you'll be able to see what other black trails have to offer. Can climb back up King of The Shore and be back at the parking lot. 10 min loop max. Expresso is somewhat similar to Leave of Absence in Squamish. The shitty thing about Expresso, in my opinion, is riding Baden Powell back to the parking lot.

Cool. I'll have to keep my eye open for Natural High when I'm on Fromme next. I was there tonight and tried to keep my eye out for, but I must have missed it. I think giving Natural High a lap or two will be good to work on my skills.

Regarding Expresso, I was chatting with a fellow tonight as we were riding up Fromme. He suggested I give Expresso a go (which I will when there is more daylight; damn short hours) and that I park close to where the trail ends. As you suggest, he was telling me that the ride on the BP was no picnic and that riding all the way back to the Fromme parking lot was a bit of trek.

scotteh wrote:
If you don’t want to do BP and do want to ride espresso, just park at the start of the climb trail instead. Climb trail is a lot more interesting than the fireroad and you can do laps that start/end at the same place.

A great 1.5-2h lap is climb trail to fire road to 7th secret to espresso (upper and lower), then pennzoil to finish. Or climb trail to executioner to dreamweaver.

Ok, where is the climb trail? Does it have a name I can look up on Trailforks? Hmm, although @grambroh is saying the trail might be too much for my noobie skill level at this point...

Thanks again for all the info folks. Very much appreciated.
flag scotteh
O+
Posted: Oct 1, 2019 at 22:44 Quote
Search “No Quarter” on Trailforks and that will show you the climbing route, it’s made up of a few different trails.
flag GreenJelly
Posted: Oct 2, 2019 at 16:10 Quote
Question. What is the most efficient way to access John Deer? In looking at Trailforks I'm stumped after BP. Here's my route thus far:

Old buck to
Baden Powell to
??

I'd say Severed D, except that is black trail.
Good Sir Martin is one way up hill

Is there another route/way that I am missing?

Thank you.
flag DMal
O+
Posted: Oct 2, 2019 at 16:23 Quote
Old buck then left on Baden Powell to the powerline. Then severed over to JD. Severed is black but only gets hard after the JD turnoff. There’s a blue ride-around near the top called Dickie that skips a hard section.
flag GreenJelly
Posted: Oct 2, 2019 at 21:17 Quote
Thank you @DMal. Was hoping to get there after work tonight but late getting home from work + lack of daylight hours meant no riding today. Hopefully tomorrow.
flag Stainer
Posted: Oct 3, 2019 at 12:32 Quote
GreenJelly wrote:
Thank you @DMal. Was hoping to get there after work tonight but late getting home from work + lack of daylight hours meant no riding today. Hopefully tomorrow.

Just a heads up that the NSMBA has closed off that whole area on seymour for a while due to an aggressive black bear.

 


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