Biking Cronin Pass

Serious mountain bikers will be familiar with the black diamond trail in Babine Mountains Provincial Park in Smithers, BC: Cronin Pass.

This single-track trail is not for the faint of heart, but it will get your blood pumping. At a distance of 22.2 kilometres, a climb of 1,077 metres and a descent of -665 metres, the direction of the trail is primarily downhill. It takes the average biker over five hours to complete, but the views are unlike anything you’ll bike through ever again.

Because you’ll be biking so far off the beaten path, be sure to pack everything you might need –clothing, food, tools, supplies and a medical kit.

The trail follows an old mining road for much of the ascent, and then coming back down you’ll follow a single track to the Joe L’orsa Cabin. This is a great spot for a break before finishing the remaining eight kilometres down another mining road along the edge of the park.

Tourism Smithers has a great video available, but be forewarned: Once you watch it, you’ll probably want to pack up and head to Cronin Pass immediately. We don’t blame you one bit! Find the video here: http://www.tourismsmithers.com/about/gallery/cronin-pass-mountain-bike-trip.

Cronin Pass isn’t the only mountain biking game in town. Babine Mountains Provincial Park is home to several other mountain biking trails, keeping enthusiasts coming back for more. For more information, go to http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/babine_mtn/.