Lucky Seven: A Heli Trip Up Mount Barbour

Sep 21, 2017
by Rocky Mountain  
For ten days in August, the Crankworx festival transforms Whistler into a global epicenter of mountain biking. First started in 2003, the festival has grown into a behemoth of an event with upwards of 350,000 spectators/participants involved in various disciplines over the course the events. It is the place to be if your business is mountain biking.


Lucky Seven Heli Drop on Mount Barbour Photo by Margus Riga

Lucky Seven Heli Drop on Mount Barbour Photo by Margus Riga

Lucky Seven Heli Drop on Mount Barbour Photo by Margus Riga


Luckily for Rocky Mountain Bicycles, our business is mountain biking. This year we wanted to host an event and give riders a lasting memory. But, as one could imagine, it’s quite difficult to come up with any new or original ideas in an over-saturated marketplace, which of course is Whistler during Crankworx. So, after numerous meetings, and countless hours of planning (at least two), we came up with an idea: everybody loves a good surprise. Couple that with a good ride and we should have a winning formula.


Lucky Seven Heli Drop on Mount Barbou rPhoto by Margus Riga

Lucky Seven Heli Drop on Mount Barbour Photo by Margus Riga

Lucky Seven Heli Drop on Mount Barbour Photo by Margus Riga


In partnership with Lululemon/Forlise, 7Mesh, and Endless Biking, Rocky Mountain had organized morning rides for the Thursday and Friday leading up to the big-show weekend. Those wanting to join signed up online to ensure a spot (capped at 40), on what would be a two-hour tour of Whistlers more infamous trails guided by the Endless Biking crew. We encouraged participants to take a spin on some of the newest bikes from Rocky Mountain, choosing from our complete demo fleet which was up there for the week.


Lucky Seven Heli Drop on Mount Barbour Photo by Margus Riga

Lucky Seven Heli Drop on Mount Barbour Photo by Margus Riga


At 10am, the rides departed from the Rocky Mountain Bicycles demo location and finished up with a deli-style lunch and necessary post-ride beverages at the Forlise store in the Whistler Village. Once the social started to wind down and people were sharing stories, thank you’s and high-fives, the participants were informed that their names were entered in a draw for yet another surprise. A mountain biking heli-trip on the coming Saturday. ”Ahh whaaa?” was the general look that swept across faces. Yes, that is correct, you did hear that right. We’re drawing names for an all-expenses-paid flight on a helicopter with your bicycle to the top of a mountain to ride your bike down—surprise!


Lucky Seven Heli Drop on Mount Barbour Photo by Margus Riga

Lucky Seven Heli Drop on Mount Barbour Photo by Margus Riga

Lucky Seven Heli Drop on Mount Barbour Photo by Margus Riga


Seven lucky people were picked to join Andreas Hestler, photographer Margus Riga – who was there to document smiles – and myself on a heli-assisted ride down the popular Mt Barbour in Pemberton. Fortunate for us, Rocky Mountain Bicycles had partnered with Blackcomb Helicopters this year allowing us to take advantage of opportunities such as this. As expected, the winners were ecstatic as this trail serves up a great experience. The ride, as I had remembered, is quite an undertaking. After a long alpine descent that includes some dedicated mountain bike berms and jumps, the trail passes a beautiful alpine meadow before diving into the woods. Riders are then treated with a couple nice sub-alpine needle carves before the trail makes a traversing left and meanders along a super steep side-slope to Tenquille Lake – even though it's a heli-drop, the ride dishes out a healthy workout. After an unbelievable picturesque lake-side snack, we dealt with a quick grunt out of the drainage before negotiating a solid hour of uber-technical descending… this place is world-class! For a few, it was their first time in a helicopter let alone combining a world-class trail descent, and as the smiles revealed, everybody loves a good surprise!


Lucky Seven Heli Drop on Mount Barbour Photo by Margus Riga

Lucky Seven Heli Drop on Mount Barbour Photo by Margus Riga


Congratulations to the lucky seven winners:

Ben, Tania, Dave, Jeff, Malin Andrew and Rachel.


Words by Wade Simmons
Photos by Margus Riga


Author Info:
RockyMountainBicycles avatar

Member since Jan 14, 2011
142 articles

23 Comments
  • 29 1
 Rachel and I would like to give a massive shout out to rocky for this trip. We had some pretty lame experiences with a lot of vendors at Crankworx - I was actually taken aback when Rocky were so helpful and enthusiastic about the week - The other couple vendors who I won't mention were average at best, right through to an absolute gong show.

Everyone at Rocky wanted to be there and you could tell. Customer service is a dying breed. Next time i'm shopping for a bike RMB will be at the top of the list for sure. The new altitude is the most phenomenal riding bike I can remember swinging a leg over. I could clear lines up, and ride descents noticeably quicker than I can on my 5 digit price tagged 160mm bike. I could literally ride lines i've never been able too, right off the bat on the first ride. I don't think I've ridden a bike that is so balanced before. I'm sure the slayer is even rowdier pointed downhill, but that altitude is unbelievably versatile.

Thanks again @RockyMountainBicycles!

And before anyone asks - No i'm not on the rocky payroll. I'm just one very happy rider knowing that brands like this exist!

See you on the trails
Andrew
  • 8 0
 That's how I felt the first time I rode the Altitude too, glad you enjoyed it! Rocky always dishes out the good times!
  • 1 0
 The Altitude has the most beautiful color scheme out there right now (IMHO)!!!!! Want so bad!
  • 12 0
 Hey! That's me! I was on this trip! What an awesome day shredding with a rad crew. Thanks to Wade, Andreas, Margus, and the rest of the @RockyMountainBicycles crew for the opportunity!
  • 8 0
 Glad to hear you had an awesome time! Thanks for coming along for the ride!
  • 3 0
 I did this helidrop a few weeks ago, the helicopter ride was awesome and I would do it again just for that. Comparing the trail to Lord of the Squirrels / Happy Hour that was a way cooler trail to ride. The lower half of the trail was a brake burner through burned out forest and the upper half around the lake is very much XC. The part above the treeline is over super quick. I ride above the treeline pretty much weekly though so the alpine views were nothing new to me, if you've never done any alpine riding and thinking about doing it, DO IT!
  • 4 0
 That is the genius of Lord of the Squirrels. It has the alpine views combined with trails that are actually really fun to ride.
  • 12 8
 carbon footprint? heli trips...really necessary?
  • 5 2
 Are yachts necessary? NO. But it would be nice right?

Are fake tits necessary....
  • 4 1
 protect our winters brah, but after I get this heli drop
  • 1 0
 Get your engineer freak on improving things then
  • 3 0
 Why downvotes ? A bunch of 'Muricans riding F250 who don't believe in climate change ?

But yeah, it surely was an awesome experience and I wouldn't cry if I were chosen to do it.
  • 3 0
 @freeskifreak It's about a 6 hour hike from valley floor. Not terrible at all. Just a bit buggy especially when warm. There is a cold clear creek at the bottom near trailhead to stash cold drinks too which is a decided bonus
  • 12 12
 Definitely a cool experience, but not sure if I need to do it again. The whole helicopter part was pretty rad and the terrain was beautiful (I did it the week before when it was still smokey), but I didn't think the trail was thatttt special. On the other hand, the thimble berries on the technical descent at the end were pretty special, so that's chill.
  • 20 1
 I'll take your spot next time breh
  • 3 0
 @sjmitch10: totally, this looks like a piece of heaven to me! And my dream bike is a Rocky Mountain slayer carbon in the midnight blue and banana yellow. I can't think of anywhere/bike I'd like to ride more...
  • 3 0
 did it sept 6th, it was way rad, the trail to the lake was great post lake it's more hiking trail, and a test to see how quickly your brakes fade. But I'd do it again in a heartbeat!
  • 1 0
 @gmcgurk tend to agree. Alpine riding is usually 95% about the views in my experience, the trails themselves usually get better once you get below treeline - most alpine terrain doesn't lend itself to bike trails very easily.
  • 9 0
 At first your comment annoyed me but after thinking for a minute, I see your point. I’ve noticed basically two types of riders: One just wants the trail to rip (according to their definition of rip) and where it is, isn’t the point or even too relevant. (Not saying that’s you of course.) The other mostly wants to get out, to get away, and more often than not wants to be in an epic location and is just glad there’s a trail there at all. Whether it rips doesn’t really matter.
I’m that second type. I was fortunate to do some riding in the Alps and other places in Europe and can say some of the trails weren’t all that amazing in and of themselves but I didn’t care because the views are simply epic. You could get a brat and a beer at the top of a climb at a Waldhutte before your descent! I’d do those trails again in a heartbeat. And again, and again, and again.
Neither type of rider is wrong, just different.
  • 3 0
 The trail is pretty boring and nothing special, I did it at the end of August. I wouldn't consider ever doing it again
  • 3 0
 @tattooedmillionaire: @gmcgurk Have to also agree that if it were smoky enough to not have views that I also would be underwhelmed. The views make it imo. The trail is OK but Tenquille trail in particular was better prior to being burned out. Plus ca change
  • 2 0
 Did that ride for a friends stag lots of booze and good times cool area . Finish off at Mile One .
  • 1 0
 Been there, done that. Would do again in a heartbeat.







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