Burns Lake’s network of mountain bike trails earned high praise recently from one of Canada’s premier adventure writers.
In a May 15 guest blog for airline giant Westjet, travel writer Matt Mosteller named this community one of Canada’s top 10 mountain biking destinations. Others making Mosteller’s short list were Golden, Whistler Blackcomb, Horseshoe Mountain Resort near Toronto, and Mont Ste-Anne in Quebec.
Mosteller described Burns Lake as the “new kid on the mountain biking scene” with a “legendary” trail network. “Put the 30-plus trails at Burns Lake on your to-do bike map,” he urged readers.
While this isn’t the first time the Burns Lake Mountain Biking Association (BLMBA) has earned rave reviews for its trails, this latest bit of publicity is nevertheless being well-received by club members.
“We are, of course, ecstatic about getting more press about our trails,” BLMBA President Guy Epkens-Shaffer said June 19. “… I’m not too sure how far reaching this blog is in terms of a target audience, and who might be trying to access it. If it were in their (Westjet’s) in-flight magazine – which it may be – that would be even more awesome, and any press is good press, they say.”
Epkens-Shaffer agrees with Mosteller’s assessment of the mountain bike experience available here. This community, he feels, warrants the praise it has received.
“As far as being the premier destination in Canada, I think we are there, a first-class family experience with excellent free camping facilities, friendly and knowledgeable local bikers, and the finest downhill and cross-country trails,” he said. “I know of no place in Canada or the U.S. any sections.”
While free publicity of the type provided by Mosteller and Westjet is always welcome, Epkens-Shaffer feels that word of mouth may still be the association’s most effective form of advertising.
“Many of our directors travel to other mountain biking destinations in B.C. and even the US, and they are the biggest promoters and advertisers for our trails,” he explained. “Additionally, we constantly see new faces on the trails… Website exposure – in 2013, Burns Lake was designated Canada’s first ever “Ride Center” by the International Mountain Bicycling Association – along with anecdotes from bikers at other mountain biking areas, are frequently cited as the mechanism of discovery.”
While getting positive feedback from writers and riders is gratifying, BLMBA isn’t about to rest on its laurels. This year, Epkens-Shaffer said, the club is adding another 10 km of single track trail and a “spectacular wall ride” named in memory of local athlete Pierce Hofer.
“This year’s project, valued at just under $300,000, has been generously funded by the Nechako-Kitamaat Development Fund, the Burns Lake Rotary, the Bulkley Valley Credit Union, School District 91 Project Trails, the LDSS 2014 grad class, and Hampton Affiliates, with significant volunteer hours being provided by BLMBA members,” he said.
The Burns Lake Mountain Biking Association is a non-profit society. Since its inception in 2006, the club has constructed approximately 65 km of trail in the Boer Mountain area northeast of Burns Lake.
In 2013, Burns Lake was designated Canada’s first ever “Ride Center” by the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA). This prestigious designation recognizes large-scale mountain bike facilities that offer quality mountain biking experiences for riders of all skill levels.