All Time Fall Time: Late Season Family Mountain Biking in Kamloops

By guest contributor and super-average mountain bike dad, Andy Bethune

As a Sea to Sky resident rider, and father of two young boys who are practically glued to their bike saddles, my summers are a combo of sneaking out for a quick pedal on the classic Sea to Sky tech-gnar and trail hunting around Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton for the limited mellow, flowy terrain I can let my boys loose on.

But by the time fall rolls around, the days get shorter, darker and colder, and the relentless rains turn our home trails into a slick, soupy mess. That’s when we start to get excited for our annual family MTB trip to the fall riding mecca of Kamloops.

With a quick and easy 4-hour drive from the Lower Mainland (always important with groms in tow), we’re transported into a totally new environment and weather system: one that trades dreary grey rain for perfect temps, sunny blue skies, and ribbons of hero dirt that traverse iconic desert scenery in the Birthplace of Freeride. And despite Kamloops' legacy and reputation for serious freeride terrain, perhaps my favourite aspect of riding there is how accessible it is compared to our home trails. The rolling landscape around the Thompson River Canyon, paired with the expert building that's been happening there for decades, makes finding trails that the whole family can enjoy much easier than in the Sea to Sky.