As I made my yearly trip down to Arizona this year, I decided that I wouldn’t repeat last years mistake of erasing all the shots.

Having a had some experience in the area, I was a bit more focused on checking out a few new trails and avoiding the ones I found to be a bit less entertaining.

Phoenix as a city has a ton of riding in the city and surrounding areas. There is quite a variety of riding in the area. The majority of the trails are for the pedal heads out there who enjoy fast single track that doesn’t have a ton of technical areas but a bunch of vert and long distances with great flow.

Simon loving the fast paced single track.

This is a great training ground for cross country and endurance racers that are looking for a spring training ground. They will have a blast on the fast flowey single track.

Although the Phoenix area has a lot of flow trails with big climbs there are areas that have some great fun tech areas from long to short.

I like to start my season off with the F.I.N.S are single track zone in the south west corner of the Phoenix area. This is a great area that is a spiderweb of trails that has a bit of everything, something for everyone. There are great tech climbs, fast flow, a short flow downhill section, some techy descents and more. You can do laps from 1.5km to exploring the whole area in roughly 26km. Its a great intro to desert riding that is great for the whole family.

I went over to the McDowell Regional park to go check out the Pemberton loop with a few buddies from Canmore, John Firth and Simon Donato after their recommendation of this fast flowey single track zone they checked out the day before. This is a super speedy zone that is best suited for a 29er hardtail.

Though there are some good little sections that shoot off the main loop that offer a bit more rugged terrain and some good vert to get the legs and lungs going. Though this isn’t my typical style of trail i had a blast with the flow and a great way to get some km under my belt to start the season.

An over view of  Pemberton trail.

Next mission was off to Sedona, My style of riding, tech, rough and wicked views and descents.

A local dude l’iI ran into that was out for an afternoon rip on Highline with his pup.

The first objective was Slim Shady-Highline-baldwin-templeton-easybreezy, This is a sick loop that is a great mix of tech and flow with great sections of redrock.

Epic views in Sedona from Templeton trail, watch out for hoards of hikers if you hit this trail at prime hours.

The redrock sections of this trail can be interpreted any way your eyes can see it! There are endless options in this area to ride the slabs  to create your own versions of the trail over and over.

With some of the most impressive views that Arizona has to offer.

One of the only shots I have on Hangover due o the lack of good places to perch my camera, though it gives you an idea of the exposure.. it gets nasty and more fun from here.

Next on the docket was Cowpies-Hangover-Munds wagon trail. A good warm up pedal of roughly 5 km to the trail head up the jeep road to get the legs going. Once onto  Cowpies you start ascending some redrock and get in the groove for Hangover….

Hangover is Undoubtably one of the most exposed rides that there is out there. the whole trail has a risk of serious injury  to bike and yourself. Super tech and full of fun, a trail that to be fully ridden and enjoyed to the fullest would have to be done twice. Though the first time will blow your mind.. I don’t recommend this trail to anyone but advanced riders that are of scared of heights. If those don’t describe you… Check this trail out, it ranks as one of the best trails I’ve ever ridden!!! To finish off the ride you hit munds wagon trail for a fun flowy descent to the parking lot.

I wanted to catch a bit more of Sedona before i had to take off so I checked out High on the Hog-Hogs heaven-Hogwash-broken arrow.

A bit more of a chill section that still offers some of classic Sedona but a bit less consequence and loads of flow. A must do if you come down this way.

A nice little climb section on High on the hog.

 

 

A bit of AZ wildlife.

 

 

 

The bikes are rolling in!!! perhaps prematurely but while the temperature stays in the positives you at least get the sense that you’ll be riding soon. If you  follow the well know bicycle ownership equation  x+1, x being the amount of bikes you currently own then math tells me its time for a new whip!!

There are definitely some exciting new products coming out from Rocky Mountain, Intense Cycles and Norco this year. The introduction of the 27.5″ wheel into our lives  and more carbon than you can poke an inanimate carbon rod at! New drivetrain standards ( the standard being that there is no more standard) and lighter stronger bits from companies like Raceface, Easton and Shimano. Its pretty exciting, heres a lil taste of whats to come. Bring on the summer!!!!!!!

                              The Altitudes are here!!! some anyway. Altitude 750 $3399.99

                       Altitude 750Msl. A step up from its aluminum brotha. Carbon front triangle and Reverb Dropper post.

                              The Altitude 790Msl. Top model

                       Intense Carbine 275. 6″ of travel @ 28 lbs

                              Our man Mikey’s new whip!! stoked to see you shred that this year

 

                               The Norco Range KillerB, the new 27.5″ all mountain edition to the family

                    Tuneable Fox suspension thanks to CTD

                              Still limited on tire choice but great to see one of the best has got on board. Schwalbe HANS DAMPF!!! (mandatory that you yell that)

                    RaceFace have the steery bits dealt with

                           Great looking in booger green

                              And a respectable weight for a 6″ travel bike MSRP $5995.00

                              The little brother of the range. Norco Sight KillerB

                        140mm of rear wheel travel helped along by Fox

                      Clutched XT derailleur, see ya later chain slap!

                             Nice to see carbon bars come stock on a bike. RaceFace SixC

                           You’ll see this on more and more trail bikes. 2x chainguide

                          MSRP $5600.Actual 2013 model will be banana yellow

                              Just on 30lbs

                                Ok these new Electra bikes are RAD!!!!!!

                    Tigershark

                               The Intense M9 race machine. Not new for 2013 but still looking sharp. If Darth Vader road a bike….?

                       Eastons new 35mm Bar/Stem combo. Stiffer and lighter…perfect!

                            RMB 999RSL. Weighed up with race tires and a carbon bar at 21.5 lbs!! that is light!

                              Our good friend carbon fiber

                              Full XX drivetrain helps keep that weight down

                            RMB 970RSL. For the Canmore racer ( ie. everyone)

                           Fox’s CTD lever mount. Climb Trail Descend at the flick of a switch

                            RMB 970 BC edition. I like this 29er

                              The talas fork allows adjustment from 90-120mm of travel slackening the head angle as well for a smooth downhill

                                No more sacking yourself (applies to women also, may use different terminology) RockShox reverb post comes stock

                              The Intense line up

                           Almost the full range of Rocky’s…Altitudes will be here soon!!

 

 

 

If you have been to Revelstoke, Bc and haven’t ridden Keystone Standard Basin yet, put it at the top of your to do list.

Having some of the most epic views around to complement the super rad single track makes Keystone Standard Basin a must do.

Cassidy Wyntjes and Robert Quade climbing up the first pitch.

The trail starts you off with a good grade single track with technical rocky pitches to keep you honest, but gains altitude quickly and puts you into the alpine in no time at all.

Rob Quade, Stewart Dixon and Chris Mckenna loving the perfect trails.

Once into the alpine meadows the flowers are out of control amazing making it hard to look at the trail and not the flowers.

Flowers…….ahhh perrrrttty!

Rob catching a sick shot of me absorbing the scenery……..

Some sick alpine single track leads you to some cool shale and rock pitches .

Cassidy mid rock garden.

Rob Quade  from above.

Even without colour the scenery is great.

All sorts of epic views and rad nature along the ride.

Paul Kerfoot climbing one of the steep switchbacks.

Lake view.

There was a sweet spot to have a break at the bottom of this waterfall.

Break time….dunk your head in the creek to deal with the heat.

Creek action.

Chris Mckenna crossing the creek on the rock bridge.

Rob ripping the last bit of flower loaded trail before the cabin.

The lake at the top, swimmable if you can survive the bugs…

A small cabin is at the top if you want to do an overnighter.

The trail is a out and back trail, so all the climbing that you have just done is your reward. Though it’s not all down on the way back, it sure is fun to rip what you just climbed up.

Stu climbing one of the last few pitches.

Cruising across the meadows.

I recommend that everyone goes out and rips Keystone Standard Basin.

Have fun!

 

 

 

 

 

We made the journey out to Kamloops earlier this year go go see what the crew at SunPeaks resort have been up to.  Well the answer…..Lots. These guys have been making new trails, improving features and generally keeping the hill rad for all riders. An added bonus to the day was it was $2 lift ticket day.

Sun Peaks offers all varietys of riding, but the real highlights of the hill are the super high speed flow lines.  Myself(Paul Kerfoot) Mike Terrace and Nate Cowie took some shots of a couple of the trails to give you a taste of the fun.

Route 66( mega bermy fun) from the chair.

SunPeaks version of a 4x/dual slalom run.

The main trail we shot was their Main Jump trail called Steam Shovel. Steam shovel has a bunch of different features other then just yourstandard dirt jumps. It flows quite nicely if you’re not on the brakes and the tranny’s line up when you hit them with some speed.

Nate Cowie hitting a step up.

This is a super fun high speed wall ride berm thing. It gets you pretty horizontal.(paul Kerfoot).

Mike Terrace, opting out of  riding the rock slab.

Styled out step up

Nate Cowie sending a launcher.

Nate starting into a sup fun jump line.

Dropping in to rock.

All in all Steam Shovel and Sun Peaks will get your blood flowing and is definitely worth the trip to check out. My favorite run at Sun Peaks is Gummy bear (a super fast flowey fun single track) to Arm pump(Super fast flowey) to Home run(time to go even faster).

We were hoping to have been able to session their  Slope style park, which, in the past has had some super well shaped big booters. but unfortunately wasn’t open this past year. Maybe next year.

I recommend every one gets out to Sun Peaks to get their shred on.

We also came across a sweet new back road way to cut some time down on your trip if you are coming from the east. There is a turn off at Chase, BC, that will  cross the river onto kamloops-shuswap rd. follow this until you meet Mcgillvery Lake rd. this will give you some free camping options as well as cut your trip time down at least a half hour. you will enter into the village via the back way.