Rock runs feature heavily on first annual Valleycliffe of the Dolls mountain bike ride
It isn’t Moab, but if you like riding steep rock sections on your mountain bike, the Valleycliffe trails could be the next best thing.
According to Bryan Raiser, "after several years of watching countless lunatics throw themselves down this terrain" an idea came to the Valleycliffe resident. Why not hold some kind of freeride event on these trails. Hence the first annual "Beyond the Valleycliffe of the Dolls" trail ride.
The ride gets underway on May 18 at 11:00 a.m. That’s the Victoria Day long weekend, so you should have plenty of time to recover.
The day kicks off in Ravens plateau, a new sub-division of Valleycliffe.
According to Raisler, the ride will take four hours for riders who are really fast, but for most people it will could take as long as seven hours. Since it is more of a ride than a race there is no timing. You can take as long as you want.
The ride is tailored to more experienced riders or anybody who is prepared to push their bike up to the top. The trails are quite advanced so body armour is recommended.
Over the course of the day, riders will come upon countless challenging pitches and gruelling climbs. As a bonus, some exceptionally difficult areas will be labelled as "Double Dog Dares" for the show-boaters to show off their stuff. More casual riders are welcome to come out and watch.
"It’s a chance for people to come out and watch these lunatics play in their own backyard," said Raisler.
Valleycliffe of the Dolls is a non-profit event. As Raisler said he is making "barely enough to cover the aspirin." All the proceeds will go to improving the trails around Squamish and Valleycliffe.
The entry is limited to 100 riders and tickets are available at Tantalus Bike Shop and Corsa Cycles. The cost is $28 for SORCA members and $35 for non-members. That includes a personal pizza and a drink at the Howe Sound Brew Pub. There will also be some hard-won prizes after the race.
