Hope, B.C.\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
A new Hope epic inspired by the \u201980s<\/p>\n
First Blood was designed and created by First Journey Trails<\/a>\u00a0and 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.\u2019s most challenging terrain.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been doing this commercially for 17 years,\u201d says Schoen, founder of First Journey Trails<\/a>\u00a0\u201cAnd out of the hundreds of kilometres we\u2019ve built, this was the hardest. No question.\u201d<\/p>\n Must-ride trails across Canada from sea to sea to sea<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n Progress was so difficult that the crew managed just 60 metres of trail over a week of work across some sections of the mountain.<\/p>\n The result, a 7km black diamond-rated stretch of singletrack, is earning rave reviews already<\/a>. 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.<\/p>\n