Trail Description:
The best area to start building your Mtn Bike skills. Lots of short single track off of easy wide fire road at the bottom so that it won't discourage the kids or that 30yr old pal that's out of shape and wants to try things out because he's seen so much of it on the TV. It's divided into three sections, loosely speaking, a lower area that branches off to your right just after a concrete bridge, the mid-section that comprises the middle climb and the off shoots to the right from this "Mainline" fire road and finally, the top which has a couple of lookouts and lots of single track and climbing and other fun stuff. The lower area is great for those with no leg strength yet. Fast and easy to get to, relatively no elevation change. The middle section is the "Mainline" fire road that takes you straight up to the first lookout. Quite a thigh burner if you go the whole way up. Most people that I have talked to progress in stages of strength. All sections lead back down to the lower levels eventually wit h the exception of a rather sheer trail that goes off of "Mine Shaft" but is quite well marked. That trail leads you down to Goldstream which is about a 45min ride back to the car, you don't want to go there. In all sections there is various degrees of difficulty but nothing too extreme. DO NOT RIDE IN THE WINTER AND SPRING!!! The whole place is on bedrock and the drainage is terrible! Huge lakes appear over night after a rain. You get soaked! It can also get very silty if it's been dry for a couple of weeks. Overall it's a great place to start...tough to get lost, difficult sections are somewhat short so neophytes don't get discouraged and some nice long climbs (if you want) to get you in great shape!
How to get there:
From Victoria, go north on TransCan and turn north onto Millstream Road. Drive until you reach the Main Power Lines. There is a parking lot just past them on your left. Ride in through the concrete barriers under the power lines.