NO CROWDS FOR MILES BUT THE BEARS, and a silence broken only by the hum of hungry mosquitos and the chirping of dirt-spattered bikers brimming with stoke - welcome to your personal mountain bike mecca, 45 minutes outside of Kamloops.

Little Shuswap Lake's Quaaout Resort near Chase is steeped in First Nations history and contemporary luxuries. And it's now carving out a new niche, with the addition of pay-to-play mountain biking provided by Chuck Brennan and his Kamloops Bike Camp & Tours outfit.

After 20 years in the trucking business, Brennan had a light-bulb moment. Mountain biking was exploding on the coast and its tourism potential for the Interior had yet to be tapped. He started doing camps out of Sun Peaks Resort for a year and then shifted the business into Kamloops. But, when battling long-standing private land issues - such as those between riders and the Rose Hill community - became too overwhelming, Brennan removed the Kamloops thorn from his side to venture elsewhere again.

What the business needed was an area that could be developed and maintained as a legitimate tourist destination. And Brennan found that at Quaaout - 10,000 acres worth.

After several rounds of discussions with the Kamloops Indian Band and Chief Felix Arnouse of the Little Shuswap band, Brennan's brainchild was given the rubber stamp last year. The informal arrangement gives KBC&T creative freedom to build trails and stunts on the extensive chunk of property, in exchange for user fees from the riding.

So far the grand scheme is working. Much to the delight of a growing stream of riders from the U.S. and Alberta who are making the sojourn for a taste of private riding. Prices range from $65 a day, to all-inclusive five-day packages in the $1,500 range.

Breaking for a round of high-five slaps and smiles at the end of another spectacular single-track line, Brennan, our guide for the day, can barely contain his energy. His sentences fly out in short, continuos bursts - clearly proud of the blood-and-sweat creation sitting at his feet.

Many of the lines are similar to what riders expect to find on the trails of Mount Seymour and Grouse - white-knuckled tracks with names like Boogeyman and Bear Claw - on the infamous North Shore.

Gone are the dusty wide tracks and hoodoo-esque geography found closer to Kamloops.

The terrain at Quaaout is rain forest, natural features and brimming with possibility.

Peter Sherrington of Edmonton came to ride with Brennan for just that. The ex-road rider is signed on for a five-day adult package, immersing himself in the downhill aspects of the mountain biking realm. And by the crazed looks flashing from Pete's eyes and the perma-grin smile plastered to his face, he seems to be getting his money's worth.

Brennan explains it's beginner clients, like Sherrington, the camp has focused its attention on for the 2006 season. His newest trail Elementary School is aimed at first timers looking to take the plunge, but packs enough umph factor to keep seasoned vets coming back for seconds.

At KBC&T there's not shortage of terrain for expert riders and jump-loving huckers as well.

Although we didn't throw down any 30 foot road gaps on our weekday outing, they're there, along with a new 1,500 acre bike park with dirt jumps and log ride features developed for the progressive nature of the sport.

The Caldron funnels riders over a step-down road gap and into a series of double jumps, each a progressive step up in size. It was built by professional trail builder Mitch Cheek and featured in The Collective film Roam, with local ripper Matty Hunter sessioning lines for the cameras.

Brennan says the publicity has been good for business and he hopes to see more spinoff stemming from the local market. So far, early season numbers have surpassed last year's totals. Representatives from female riding groups have come out to sample the grounds.

"We've been getting some great feedback from people who are very happy with what's here," Brennan says. "I think the industry in and around Kamloops has great potential. We have unbelievable areas to ride and it's just a matter of everyone coming together."

Coming together for a cold beverage after a day of shuttling and riding, the Quaaout Resort's patio, with views of the Little Shuswap and the makings of a new 18-hole golf course, is surreal and all too good.

If a unique riding experience is a top flavour on the list of things to sample this summer, the experience is here to be savoured.