The premier summer event for bikers across B.C. is set to return to Burns Lake this July.
The annual Big Pig Mountain Bike Festival, hosted by Ride Burns, is scheduled for July 14-16, and welcomes all riders big and small from across the province.
With a variety of races to choose from, from atop Boer Mountain and its extensive trails, the festival has quickly become a must-ride event for mountain bike enthusiasts from all over B.C. and even as far as the Yukon and California.
Races will include a 40-km cross country event called Burnt Bikes Challenge, a three-hour race of 10 km laps called Dante’s Inferno, and a two-hour ride of five-km laps called Wilber’s Wheelay. There are also short, half and full race enduro races for both youth and adults.
The Boer Mountain Trail network has been recognized as one of the most progressive and sustainable trail networks anywhere.
Patti Dube an organizers of the Big Pig said, “This will be our 15th year of the Big Pig Mountain Bike Festival. It all takes place at the Boer Mountain recreation site at Kager Lake. Friday night we have kids events and then Saturday there is the Burnt Bikes Challenge- 40km race,Dante’s Enduro –how many laps of the 10 km loop can you or your team do in four hours.”
There will plenty of entertainment with Saturday night – music on the lawn- bring your own chairs and blankets.
And happening all weekend will be the Boer Mountain Sounder – ride as many trails as you can during the weekend to be entered into a draw.
New this year is the Dante’s Inferno Ultimate Enduro Challenge- ride the nine stages of the enduro throughout the weekend – You will need STRAVA downloaded to your phone.
In celebrating the Centennial of Burns Lake the club is throwing down another challenge. Ride 100 km during the weekend and be entered into another great prize draw.
“Burns Lake is truly a unique place in the mountain biking world,” said Martin Littlejohn, Executive Director of the Western Canada Mountain Bike Tourism Association (MBTA). “The local ‘can do’ attitude explains how this small town’s trail system on Boer Mountain rivals anything found in a community at least 10 times its size.”
READ MORE: Big Pig mountain biking festival is back
While mountain biking is obviously the main attraction, the festival has more to offer, such as live music and activities for children.
“The Big Pig Mountain Bike Festival is a true grassroots event that celebrates participation as much as performance,” Littlejohn said. “If you are looking for one more good reason to visit Northern BC this summer, Burns Lake and The Big Pig are it.”
Please keep checking the rideburns.ca for updates information about the races.
