Mountain bike mining in Retallack
Words and photos by Ben Gavelda
British Columbia, Canada, and its Kootenay Mountains are world renowned for helicopter and snowcat accessed skiing and snowboarding. In fact, they wrote the book on this type of snow play. When it comes to dirt, however, Retallack, a small lodge nestled in the heart of the Kootenay Mountains, is currently defining the backcountry mountain biking experience. Their approach of remote mountainous lodging, accompanied by phenomenal riding makes the unique getaway nothing short of a two-wheel wonderland.
The Kootenays are literally and figuratively misty. The rugged terrain and verdant, cloud-soaked forests hide some of the best mountainous activities in BC from thermal hot springs to loamy singletrack. The area makes up a large portion of southeastern British Columbia, spanning from the U.S. and Alberta borders, clear up to the towns of Revelstoke and Golden. The name stems from the Ktunaxa (Kootenai or Kutenai) First Nation people and the massive Kootenay River, a tributary of the grand Columbia River—the largest river in North America that pours into the Pacific Ocean. In the heart of this vast wilderness, bordered by Slocan Lake to the west, Kootenay Lake to the east, Goat Range Provincial Park to the north and Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park to the south sits the mountain biking haven of Retallack.
My inaugural trip to this fabled retreat began near Vancouver with a mixed bunch of riders piled into Wade Simmons’ Shore Play guiding van. And not just any van, a heinous black Ford with hot rod flames painted along the sides and a grip of bikes dangling off the back. We took the more scenic Highway 3 route while stopping at the Okanagan Valley fruit stands and dodging deer before arriving at night. Being a relatively new operation we were unsure what to expect. Could a place that delivers some of the finest snowcat skiing and snowboarding offer a similar experience suited for mountain bikers? Tired and curious like the old pioneers who came to this area in search of gold and silver, we were here to dig our tyres—rather than pick axes—in the ground.
Once a buzz of mining, fur trade and logging activity, Retallack and the Nelson area was at one point larger than the seaside city of Vancouver. Retallack, founded in the 1800s, was built around a mining operation at the present day lodge. A lad by the name of J.C. Eaton pulled nearly a million dollars worth of ore from this terra. As with mining operations in much of western North America, things dried up and rusted away by the mid 1900s, but remnants of the mining past are still present around Retallack.
Now faint rust flakes are found on the shovels, picks and tools used to mine trail, not valuable ore. Although the mining paved the way for the surrounding quaint mountain towns like New Denver, Kaslo and lodges like Retallack, it’s tourism and remote mountain beauty that presently thrive here. Mining and logging roads left from the operations are key to accessing the trails via van shuttles in and around Retallack, so much is owed to the past pioneers.
The present pioneers are talented local riders like Mike Kinrade (who is also Retallack’s lead mountain bike guide), pro Garett Buehler, Kurt Sorge and a number of others who’ve helped develop the freeriding scene in the Nelson area, making the place a hotbed for progressive riding and terrain. The evolution of riding is evident in the trails Retallack services as well, from old and steep skidder trail, to the ever flowing (and more sustainable) purpose-built tracks on Retallack’s private tenure. The pride and joy of Retallack is a newly etched trail called Peak To Creek. The trail starts on top of the shale-laden Recco Peak and winds all the way through benched alpine tundra and cedar forest to the valley floor in 16 kilometers with 1,800 meters of descent. Unless Retallack is running 4×4 truck shuttles (plus a hike-a-bike), this trail is generally accessed with a helicopter drop off, a rare thrill in itself.
Perhaps you’ve seen images from Kurt Sorge’s Fest Series here, where he, fellow riders and the Retallack crew constructed some of the largest mountain bike jumps to date. Maybe you missed that, but you caught one of Garett Buehler’s video segments. He likely filmed it on the jumps and trail he constructed here, too. Possibly you missed all that, but you’ve seen the film Life Cycles. Portions of the movie were filmed on the Powerslave trail outside of Nelson, also one in Retallack’s guiding tenure that requires a helicopter drop off in the high alpine tundra. These pro-level pursuits present one end of the spectrum at Retallack, yet one doesn’t need to hurtle themself off a jump to enjoy the area’s riding. There is trail to satisfy just about every rider and the aid and encouragement of amiable bike guides helps, too. This was evident in our initial trip. Legendary riders Wade Simmons, Brett Tippie and Richie Schley were sharing rides with guests from all types of riding backgrounds and homelands. There was a mixed bunch from Washington, Alberta, Oregon, Colorado and even Germany who all made the trek to the trails.
Three days of being couriered to the trail went quick. We warmed up on Retallack’s private trails through the cedar forests right out the front door of the lodge. Then we moved onto longer descents in nearby Sandon and New Denver, and the next day skidded down old, worn and rowdy trail. The last day was marked with a helicopter operation to a peak above Nelson. Loads of bikes and guests were ferried up with the chopper. After enjoying an alpine picnic we began our descent of Powerslave, a incredible ride that took us from rocky and exposed alpine tundra through damp, loamy and primitive trail all the way back to the town of Nelson below. Each day back at the lodge we were rewarded with a gourmet dinner and as much après, hot tub, sauna time as one could take.
Since that inaugural trip I’ve returned and witnessed the trails and operation evolve. The quality of riding at Retallack is the obvious standout, especially with the new Peak To Creek trail, but it’s the lesser bits that truly complete the experience. It’s the simplicity of being in remote mountains and the quiet reserve it provides, paired with world-class trail. It’s the smell of wet cedar as you brush through the forest and drift over the rugged, rooty, loamy and iconic Kootenay trails. It’s the pause after exiting the van atop a peak to soak up views of the rugged mountain horizon, Kootenay and Slocan lakes, or Kokanee Glacier. Then it’s gorging on wild berries and embarking on a massive descent into the valley below, back to the castle stocked with food, beer and fun. Here at Retallack you get to live like a poor miner who struck gold, at least for three days.
Daily Deal
The daily vibe at Retallack goes like this: Wake up early and partake in the morning yoga or stretch class. Or sleep in a bit longer if you need. Get the motor stirring by sipping coffee in the cool quiet of the deck. Scarf a scrumptious breakfast buffet. Load up the van and rally as much trail as your body and bike can take. Take a lunch break out in the mountains or at the lodge. Continue the trail tear. Return to the lodge for après drinks and eats in the afternoon. Hit the sauna, hot tub, massage or pump track—one or all of the above, not necessarily in that order. Savor the gourmet dinner. Partake in a bit of neglin’ (see below), bar activities or balance board Jenga. Sleep. Repeat day one three times, yet substitute one day for heli-accessed biking. Depart with scheme of how to return again, for longer.
Neglin’
This crude game composed of a pointy hammer, pin nail, beer and stump is a Retallack right of passage. It’s also referred to as ‘Stump’ or ‘Nails’ by the Yanks, or Hammerschlagen or Nagelspielen by the German pioneers. It’s simple: you and your mates stand around a stump with beers in hand, each with a pin nail slightly tapped into the wood slab in front of you. Turns go around the block with one swing each to bury the pin-nail. Whoever slams the nail flush first, wins. It’s the logger’s equivalent of prime time TV.
The Skinny
Rates: 1,134-1,617 CAD/per person
Trip Includes:
Professional guiding. Two days of van based shuttling and one day of helibiking. Three nights accommodation at Retallack Lodge based on double or triple occupancy. Hot tub, sauna, games room, entertainment room, and massage therapist. All daily gourmet meals and après-ride hors d’oeuvres are included. Medical Insurance is included for non-British Columbia residents. All Federal and Provincial Taxes are included.
More details at retallack.com
Bike To Bring:
The riding at Retallack is all shuttle assisted. That’s not to say there isn’t some pedalling here and here, but it’s mostly descending. A hearty full suspension trail bike with 140-170mm of travel is perfect. A longer travel freeride or downhill bike will also thrive at Retallack. Remember, the closest bike shop is well over an hour away so make sure your bike is dialed and be sure to bring a few spare parts like tubes and brake pads. If you don’t want to haul your rig across the sea, Retallack offers rentals as well as The Sacred Ride in Nelson.
Fly To:
Retallack is remote and involves a flight and vehicle rental. The closest airport is Castlegar (also named Cancel-gar from the often weather-interrupted flights). Spokane, Washington and Kelowna, BC are decent options that involve a 4-5 hour drive. Vancouver is about a 9-hour drive.
In The Neighborhood:
Plan some extra days to explore riding in the Kootenays around the Nelson area. Check out the flow trails at the newly developed Morning Mountain, or tick off some classics in the Small Wood or North Shore riding areas. The Nelson Cycling Club (nelsoncyclingclub.org) has some great info and maps on riding the area. There are also some trails around New Denver, and plenty of riding to be had north around Revelstoke, too. Be sure to soak those battered bones in any number of hot springs within and hour or two drive like Ainsworth, Halcyon, Nakusp, Halfway or Coyote.
Eats:
The cuisine at Retallack is gourmet, from breakfast to après Caesars. They have a full bar, and things are known to get a little wild. Nelson is also a gastronomy hub with a good mix organic fare, fine coffee and hearty suds. Here are a few spots worth checking in Nelson:
All Season’s
Baba’s Indian Cuisine
Bibo
Cantina Del Centro
El Taco
Main Street Diner
The Royal Grill
Beer of choice: Nelson Brewing Company Harvest Moon Hemp Ale
Coffee shop stop: Oso Negro
