It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 1:28 pm

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Mon Apr 27, 2009 10:22 pm 
Offline
Active Participant
Active Participant

Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2008 7:18 pm
Posts: 165
Given: 12 thanks
Received: 954 thanks
Bike(s): Intense 6.6 / Spider
Favorite Trails: Palm Canyon
Last Sunday I went up to Bellingham WA to check out Galbraith Mountain as I had heard it had the goods. The folks who gave me that 411 were right on the money. This place RULES plan and simply. I got in a week's worth of stoke in a single day. This was a good thing as work this past week has been a real beater that consumed all of my physical and mental energy. Luckily the tidal wave of work had moved on by this past Saturday evening. This Sunday I found myself once again heading north to enjoy Galbraith Mountain once again.

Image

The place is sorta broken up into two areas, the Lakeview Drive side and the Galbraith Lane side. There are miles and miles of good trails all over the place here with most of the XC oriented stuff on the Lakeview Side and the DH/Freeride stuff over on the Galbraith Lane side.

Image

The weather on both days turned out to be killer but both started somewhat cloudy and progressively got better. Once you get inside the dense forest it really does not matter wither the sun is out or not as the forest canopy renders the light in some spots just a few levels dusk. Nothing but yellow or clear lenses if you are going to ride here.

Image

The first day out here I started on the Lakeview side and rode a series of trails over to the Galbraith side. One fun trail was call Bob's Cedar Dust as there are a ton of skinnies of various difficulties to dare you into trying them. You see so much of this stuff you just have to give it a try.

Image

If you choose to, you can spent most of your climbing on forest roads and then catch a series of singletracks back down the mountain. Getting to the top of Galbraith is where the real fun starts. There are several north-shore style trails coming off the top that will get your fix on if you are into that kind of thing. Most of the riders I met heading up to the top where on beefy downhill and freeride rigs.

Image

The rewards for your efforts are some really killer black diamond level trails that will peg your stoke meter or scare the crap out of you. There is a good chance that both may happen at the same time. The first day out here I hooked up with a couple of local young guys. They were too old to be "groms" but they did talk about calling there mom to come pick them up near the end of the day. I'm guessing somewhere around 16-18. I bring it up because following these fearless young bucks was feeding my mojo and I started hitting stuff I would normally balk at or stop and think about first. Small to medium gaps, tabletops, kickers and 4 foot drops where just happening. Now I was not transformed into some hucker that day, but a new level of comfort was obtained on this type of terrain. Riding with these folks who were more than half my age certainly made me feel half my age. Mountain Biking is just freaking great!

Image

One of the most killer trails out here that I rode was Evolution. It has an incredible mix of ladders, berms, gaps, log rides and other BC inspired stuff that just rocks! The Korn song of that same name popped into my head and it has been stuck there ever since.

Image

I'm pretty sure you can not get all of the trails bagged in a single day out here. It would take at least three humps to the top of Galbraith to get in the really cool stuff near the top. The last section to the top gets steep and it will put some hurting on you. Granny and me had it going on during both of my visits here.
Image

As far as what trails to hit, the general consenus on the All-Mountain scene are: Evolution, Mullet, Cheech and Chong's Wild Ride, Not Shawns, Meth Lab, Scorpion and SST are "Da Bomb". I rode all of those and then some with the exception of SST. On the cross country scene, the Whoopsie Woodle trail way in the Southwest back 40 of Galbraith is pretty darn cool. Have no idea what I'm talking about? Well when you roll into Bellingham swing by one of the shops (I hit up Fantik) and pick up a map printed on waterproof paper. They were $8 and they are really nice and the profits help out the local advocacy group.

Bellingham is also a really cool town with an awesome vibe. The Boundary Bay Brewery and Bistro is not to be missed for post ride goodness. Thier IPA is killer and the Rueben sandwich is to die for. Killer trails, Great Brews and Yummy Food -- I'm digging this place!

_________________
www.MountainBikeBill.com


Top
 Profile  
 
The following 13 users would like to thank MTBBill for his or her post:
619m5, badkittyjing, bajamtnbkr, Big Clyde, Brian, hncreature, Ld00d, Los, Marla, moondogg, Robo, TCB, thrillride
PostPosted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 8:32 am 
Offline
Moderately Obsessed
Moderately Obsessed
User avatar

Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2008 4:51 pm
Posts: 1600
Given: 666 thanks
Received: 1790 thanks
Favorite Trails: teh gnar
That looks fun...I have to go to Bellingham WA for a wedding this summer :-(
Seeing this makes me more motivated, maybe I should take a day or two to ride and make it a better trip.

_________________
strava:instagram:activejunky


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 9:00 am 
Offline
Resident Hucker
Resident Hucker
User avatar

Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2008 11:11 am
Posts: 2007
Given: 50 thanks
Received: 1140 thanks
Bike(s): Reign X1
Favorite Trails: ...
SD trails = :flame:

WA trails = :thumbsup:


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 11:33 am 
Offline
Active Participant
Active Participant

Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 7:45 am
Posts: 359
Given: 173 thanks
Received: 240 thanks
The contrasts of the green and brown in the first pic including the mystery of the trail disappearing in both directions is amazing. Great pic of a gorgeous trail. Thanks for the trail stoke.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 1:23 pm 
Offline
Moderately Obsessed
Moderately Obsessed

Joined: Fri Nov 14, 2008 3:57 pm
Posts: 1159
Given: 2184 thanks
Received: 1791 thanks
Favorite Trails: Dirt
Sweet stuff. Thanks for the info. I've always wanted to hit up this place after hearing it was epic, but have a hard time making it. In that shot with all the purdy islands, the tallest one is Orcas Island and you can practically see the place I've been staying at every summer for about 15 years. But without a boat, it's a good two hour trip over to Bellingham.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 7:30 pm 
Offline
Active Participant
Active Participant
User avatar

Joined: Mon Apr 20, 2009 12:45 pm
Posts: 144
Given: 159 thanks
Received: 113 thanks
Bike(s): Ellsworth Epiphany
Favorite Trails: SDG&E easements
Thanks for the amazing pictures - can't wait to ride in the PNW.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Tue Apr 28, 2009 8:38 pm 
Offline
Obsessed
Obsessed
User avatar

Joined: Mon Mar 02, 2009 10:12 am
Posts: 2071
Location: San Diego, CA
Given: 1644 thanks
Received: 1322 thanks
Bike(s): Knolly Endo, Canfield Jedi
Favorite Trails: DH Trails
Damn... these trails look sa-weet!!

_________________
~I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.
~Nothing from nothing is nothing.
~I'm allowed to be a pussy because I have one!


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 8 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group