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Tuesday-June 17th-Mountain biking Endo, Summer’s Eve and Seven Stitches.

The Smoke Bluffs, an area that starts at the rock walls just above the highway and goes east to the gas pipeline trail that is the demarcation line between The Bluffs and Crumpit Woods is a great place to mountain bike in Squamish.

It is mostly known for the great variety of rock climbing routes in Smoke Bluff Park. The Smoke Bluffs Loop trail is a very popular and heavily used walking trail that is not suitable for mountain biking as there are very steep places and lots of stairs.

Less well known are the maze of single track mountain bike trails hidden from view, east of, and above the climbing crags.  Most of the trails are difficult, with lots of hike-a-bikes and steep, rocky downhill plummets. There has been quite a bit of work done on some of the trails making them easier for those of us who are less skillful and/or crazy.

This week we will once again start riding from Raven’s Plateau but we will ride up Endo (sounds a bit ominous to me) then across Summer’s Eve to Seven Stitches then up.

Meet at Tantalus Bike Shop at 6 PM Depart, for Valleycliff at 6:10PM.  We should start riding by 6:30 at the latest.

Notice that the word UP has been used a couple of times.  That is because there is a lot of it, some that may have at least one of us (me) pushing her bike.  There are also lots of tight corners that will need to be negotiated. 

Endo, the start of our ride, is described in the 2000 Squamish Mountain Bike Guide “as short and sweet, a technical ride best ridden east to west with a challenging log crossing to warm you up, steep drop offs, and a smokin finish that makes you wish it was longer.  A great trail for sapping that last little bit of energy you may have on the way out of Crumpit Woods”  So!!! Why are we riding UP and from west to east?  Well, the trail has been improved a lot since that book was written, it doesn’t necessarily live up to its name now, and we will only be riding the lower portion where the drop-offs aren’t. 

Summer’s Eve runs roughly parallel to Plateau Drive and connects Endo with  the Smoke Bluffs Loop Trail.  This trail is designated green although it gets more difficult at the western end.  We will use it to connect to 7 Stitches.

Where do they get these names from?  Well, this one is from the hernia operation, five stitches, and a cracked forehead, two stitches, received by the builder of this trail.  It is a popular trail to link Summer’s Eve and Pipe Trail, as well as the more difficult trails that branch off along the way. It is rideable in either direction.

And that is where Jen has left us, at the top of 7 Stitches.  Will she take us down Cougar Ridge or the Gas pipeline right of way?  A mystery.

 Till Tuesday, good riding

Cheryle B

A map, published with permission of Kevin McLane, author of the Squamish Trail Guide.

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