Hope, B.C.’s new First Blood trail serves up an epic 1,000 metres of descending over seven kilometres. To enjoy that arm pump-inducing rush of adrenaline, though, you have to get to the top first. The terrain that makes First Blood so inviting to descend makes it euqally punishing to access, whether by by bike or shuttle.
Until now. A shuttle service is offering to carry riders up to the First Blood start point, seven days a week. So, if you were worried about destroying your legs on the climb, or not sure your vehicle could handle the steep, rough access road, your problems are solved. At just $20-25 for the half-hour ride, the new shuttle service is entirely reasonable.
A new Hope epic inspired by the ’80s
First Blood was designed and created by First Journey Trails and veteran builder Thomas Schoen, along with a team of up to 17 builders over the eight-year span from conception to completion. It had a staggering $400,000 budget to help complete the track down some of B.C.’s most challenging terrain.
“I’ve been doing this commercially for 17 years,” says Schoen, founder of First Journey Trails “And out of the hundreds of kilometres we’ve built, this was the hardest. No question.”
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Progress was so difficult that the crew managed just 60 metres of trail over a week of work across some sections of the mountain.
The result, a 7km black diamond-rated stretch of singletrack, is earning rave reviews already. Winding its way down through steep, moss-covered rocks and river crossings, piecing together slabs and steep chutes, it stands out as a gem of technical riding in an era defined by new flow trails.
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Now, you can experience that tech-gnar smorgasborg yourself without having to pedal up or bug your buddy to borrow their truck. You’ll still have to be Rambo-tough to make it down the mountain, but at least you won’t have to fight your way to the top!