 Whistler Village
Yoko Yamamoto photo
A word or two on your excursion: • Whistler Transit system has bike racks on each bus • Rentals: available from the many mountain-biking shops in Whistler Village • Best time to cycle: May - October A word or two on safety: • Bicycle helmets are mandatory in BC • Lights are required at night • Cyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as motor vehicle drivers • Obey posted signs and keep to designated trails
The Valley Trail is a paved, 35-km (22-mi) multi-use trail that begins at Spring Creek in the south, extends through Whistler Village, and terminates at Emerald Estates in the north. Scenic and easy, it’s a great way to get to know the Whistler area. Municipal parks, beaches and a number of more challenging mountain biking trails can all be accessed from the Valley Trail. You’ll also find a fish ladder and wildlife viewing platform along the flattest portion of the route, which runs between Rainbow Beach and the Meadow Park Sports Centre.
The Valley Trail is well marked and easy to find. The best time for cycling on the trail is April through October.
A word or two on your excursion:
• Rated: easy
• Approximate time required: varies
If the grueling climbs on the Whistler to D’Arcy route don’t take your breath away, the views certainly will! It’s classic Coast Mountain bicycle touring all the way: mountains, rivers, creeks and deep-green forest. The first portion of the route runs on Highway 99, which has wide shoulders for the most part. A few stretches have no shoulder at all, so exercise caution. The Whister to D’Arcy route starts in Whistler, runs north to the town of Pemberton and then veers east, to the community of Mount Currie. From there, it turns onto the D’Arcy-Anderson Lake Road, which runs alongside the Birkenhead River in a narrow valley. The road climbs 300 m (985 ft) to Pemberton Pass and then descends to D’Arcy, a tiny village that sits on the shore of Anderson Lake. The best time for cycling from Whistler to D’Arcy is May through September. A word or two on your excursion: • Rated: difficult • Approximate time required: 1 – 2 days, depending on skill level
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