The Perfect Yukon Mountain Bike Tour Itinerary

The Top 5 Riding Destinations in the Yukon.

The Yukon Territory is quickly becoming a Canadian mountain biking hotspot. There is a lot of competition on the west coast of Canada for world class riding destinations; you would think a Territory with a population lower than the enrolment of the University of British Columbia would struggle to stay in the running. Thankfully Yukon trail builders are focusing on what the Yukon does best, ruggedness.

There isn’t much to speak of when it comes to flow trails (apart from the awesome Hammerstrand in Dawson City) so If you’re looking for kilometre after kilometre of jumps and drops, maybe stay further south. However, if you’re looking for something to test that do it all 160mm bike that is begging for some natural tech, load it in on the rack and make the beautiful drive up the Alaska Highway.

If you don’t have the time to drive, there’s no better way to get there than on The Yukon’s airline, Air North. Voted the best airline in Canada and one of the best in the world for customer satisfaction, a bike packed down into a bag will set you back $52.50 and your checked baggage is free! If you need help rebuilding your bike or getting packed away, look no further than our friends at Cadence Cycle at 505 Steele Street.

Day 1

Whitehorse - Classic Mountain bike tech with 360 degree views.

Whitehorse offers exceptional views on exceptional trails. We start our multi day Yukon MTB tours in the Territories capital. A quick scenic route along the Yukon river is our favourite way to wake up the legs after a flight and to give the bike a shakedown before heading up to Grey Mountain

Riding above the Yukon River within Whitehorse city limits

Once on Grey Mountain, we can head to mid mountain if you’re a beginner to intermediate rider or if you’re an advanced rider and want to get straight down to business we can take you straight to the steeps. Signage is limited so a guide is recommended! End the first day of incredible riding with a quick dip in the lake.

Day 2

Carcross - Single track to make you smile

Formerly known as Caribour Crossing, Carcross offers some of the funnest riding around. There’s such a diverse mix of trail and surfaces to ride on Montana Mountain that you’ll feel like you’ve ridden in 3 different bike parks in one day. From grippy rock slabs, to loose, 2 wheel drift, ear to ear smile including sandy single track to fresh loam that see’s less than 1/100th of the traffic of southern trails that it feels like its a brand new secret trail in the Sea to Sky corridor. If you’re in the Yukon for multiple days, you simply cannot miss this gem of the north. If you like to climb, you can earn your turns. If you like to get as many laps as possible, we have our dependable shuttle truck available to get you to the top quicker.

Day 3

Mountain Hero - Carcross

IMBA named this trail an IMBA Epic for a reason, it is truly an epic day of climbing, vistas, wilderness and descending. This trail is remote, get things wrong and you’ll want someone with you. That someone should have wilderness first aid training, bear training and a sound knowledge of the area. We suggest you take one of our qualified Yukon Mountain Bike Guides.

Day 4

Active Rest Day - Yukon River

You may not be expecting us to suggest this on a mountain bike itinerary but, an active rest day after an IMBA Epic trail is probably a worthwhile investment of your time to make sure you can be at your riding best for the rest of the trip. Our Yukon Canoe Guides can take you on your choice of day trip on the Yukon river or one of the many beautiful lakes nearby.

Day 5 & 6

Dawson City

The home of the Klondike Gold Rush, Dawson City’s newest rush is ripping down the Dome. If you’re into shuttling, this is one of the best days in the north. Coupled with the historic buildings, great food and accommodation and steeped in gold rush history, a 2 to 3 day trip to Dawson City is well worth the investment. Its possible to descend over 22,000ft in one day here. After that much abuse, you’re body will need some R n’ R at one or more of Dawson City’s famous establishments such as Diamond Tooth Gerties.

There are 2 options to get here (well, 3 if you include the 8-10 day canoe trip), flying with Air North or a 6 hour journey through the Yukon Wilderness on the Klondike Highway. If you’re a small group, we have a smooth and quiet GMC Yukon Denali to get you and your gear there.

Bonus Days

If you’ve got the time to stick around a little longer, there are many more trails to experience and views to soak in. Local knowledge will help you squeeze the most out of every kilometre you have in your legs.

Make 2022 the year you venture north to strike it rich on 2 wheels in the Klondike.

Beginner Aurora Photography Tips

For most people, viewing the Aurora is a once in a lifetime, bucket list kind of trip. We here in the Yukon are fortunate enough to see them on a semi regular basis. For those of you who live south of the 60th parallel, its a rare treat to see the best show over Earth so you don’t want to waste time trying to figure out your camera while you miss the celestial phenomenon going on over your head. Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your Aurora viewing tour:

What you need:

Stability!: Any image you capture of aurora while holding you camera in your hands is not going to be worthy of your bucket list experience. Some will try and balance their camera on a bench or prop it up with a rock but chances are, most surfaces will probably be covered in snow. You’re going to need a tripod. There are many types, the most basic being a gorilla pod style, they work great for phones paired with a phone holder tripod mount. Make sure that it can cope with the weight of your camera if you’re rocking a full frame DSLR though. You can buy a rigid style tripod for anywhere between $50 and a $1000. For our Aurora tours, portability is key. Consider weight and how small it packs down.

Camera: You don’t need the latest and greatest camera to capture a decent image of the aurora but it should at least have manual settings (sometimes called “pro” on smart phones. Obviously the better the quality of your camera/phone/lenses will have an impact on the outcome of your images.

Warm clothing: Even on our Aurora tours in August, the overnight temperatures can get a little chilly, if you’re doing one in mid winter, you can expect extremely cold temps, come prepared!

Spare batteries: Speaking of the cold, sub zero temperatures can severely limit your camera or phone battery capacity. If you can bring a spare battery or power bank, this should help you avoid disappointment.

Lenses: You can leave the mega zoom lens behind. Wide angle lenses can be great but often struggle to capture the available light. Especially on phones. Something in the 18-60mm range should suffice.

Enough with the gear, lets talk about how to set up your camera to get the best shot with the gear you have. We’re mainly focusing on shutter speed, ISO and focus. You’ll see a few screen shots as we go to see where you can adjust these settings. Although there are many phones and cameras, most will use the same terminology.

Quick tip: Use a 2-10 second timer so your camera has a chance to stop moving after you touch it, any movement on a long exposure image will leave it blurred.

Shutter speed: This setting, obviously changes the length of time your camera’s shutter stays open. The longer you leave it open, the more light will enter your camera. Leave it too long and the image may become over exposed and lose definition. If the Aurora is bright consider leaving the shutter open for 4-6 settings. If its faint you’re going to need to leave it longer, try 8-15 seconds. Anything over 30 seconds will start to leave star trails on your image, not enough to look cool, just enough to make the stars look blurred.

ISO: This setting also adjusts the amount of light that enters your camera but does not adjust the shutter speed. If the aurora has a lot of movement and you want a shorter shutter speed to capture the definition, consider increasing your ISO. Be careful though, too much ISO could leave you with a grainy or noisy image.

Focus: You will need to switch to manual focus (MF) and set it at the infinity or mountain symbol. Set the focus point too close and you will end up with a blurry image.

Wrap up:

These are just some very basic tips to help you at least get an idea of hat settings to adjust. There are many more that you could play with such as; aperture, EV, white balance but what we covered will set you on the right track.

Tours we offer:

We have a few different options for incredible aurora tours in Whitehorse. Fall offers amazing opportunities for aurora viewing by canoe in the Yukon, nothing beats floating on a silent lake with the Northern lights glowing around you. Winter and early spring brings ice to the lakes of the Yukon. We offer Whitehorse Fat bike Tours and Yukon Snowshoe tours at a pace that suits your group. Transportation for customers within city limits is provided.

Yukon Mountain Biking - A Varied Landscape

We in the north consider ourselves lucky to live in this vast wilderness, especially during a pandemic. Physical distancing is pretty easy to maintain in 442,400 square kilometres with a population of just under 43,000 people. I suppose mathematically you are more likely to bump into a moose than another person.

Don’t take that as us being crazy isolationist prepper’s though, we love to show visitors around our incredible territory. Without a local to show you around, you can miss some of the best things The Yukon has to offer, and in our case, we’ll show you the best trails and vistas around.

Ride where we ride:

We offer tours and guided trips as well as shuttling and transportation services to help you make the most of your trip. Our experienced guides (wilderness first aid and mtb instructor qualified) will tailor your trip to your groups needs and abilities. Whether you’re a single track shredder that would rather shuttle to the top, a seasoned climber that likes to earn your turns or if you’re just starting out in the world of mountain biking we know the routes that will make your adventure truly memorable.

Whitehorse: A mix of climbing and technical descending on green trails to world class double black diamond downhill trails. Trails through the valley floor all the way to high alpine provide epic scenery with stunning 360 degree views.

High above Whitehorse on Grey Mountain

Carcross on Montana Mountain: Super fun trails ranging from techy to flowy, easy access for shuttles or beautiful scenery for an extended climb. Take the climb further and ride the IMBA Epic “Mountain Hero Trail” with stunning scenery over Carcross, Bennet Lake and Tagish Lake as you climb and descend the historic trail of Sam McGee.

Dawson City: Experience the history of the Klondike while shredding some awesome trails. Easy shuttle access and great restaurants and bars make for an awesome couple of days of riding!

Terra Riders Air Base!: Our very own indoor skills and trials park, air bags, wood features, trials and dirt jump bikes. Stop by and push your riding to the next level in a lower risk environment.

Haines Junction: We’re in the process of researching bike packing routes and the potential demands on the local environment in possibly the most beautiful place in the Yukon, Kluane National Park. watch this space!

If you’re looking for a half day, full day or a multi day and even a multi sport package for mountain biking in the Yukon for 2022 season, please send us a reservation inquiry!

Whitehorse Summer Camps 2020

It’s January and parents are already starting to plan their families summer so to help make life a little easier for you we’ve released the dates and made registration available for our 2020 Kids and Teens Summer camps in Whitehorse.

Alongside our 10+ Pedal & Paddle Camps and our 7-9 Outdoor PEDucation camps, for 2020 we’ve got a few new additions!

Outdoor leadership Development Camp Grade 10+

We’ve got lots of programs for kids and younger teens and this year we wanted to provide a valuable experiential camp for students entering grade 10 or higher. At Terra Riders we take leadership seriously. As staff we are always trying to improve our leadership ability, taking courses, reading and learning from others in the outdoor sports industry, business, education and even the military and we would love to pass on some of the knowledge and experience we have gleaned and pass it on to those teens who are showing leadership potential.

They’ll have the opportunity to refine and polish their mountain biking and paddling skills in and round the Whitehorse area including Carcross. We’ll set up scenarios for them to learn the skills needed to take the lead in outdoor sports which we believe will transfer to their approach to school, family, work and beyond.

They’ll have opportunities to experience leadership under pressure, how to lead up and how to lead down the chain of command, to teach others, how to plan for the risks and unforeseen circumstances involved in outdoor pursuits and much more. Expect a week of adventure and growth.

Camp runs from 8am til 5pm daily with one over night trip.

2020 Outdoor Leadership Development Camp

Siblings Mountain Bike Camp age 7-14

Some of us at Terra Riders are parents too and we understand the need for simplification sometimes. Our camps have defined age parameters to make sure we keep learning relevant to each group but we know that siblings will at some point span the age groups in the camps we offer. We came up with the idea of running 2 smaller camps simultaneously to so that you can drop your kids off in one place. They will meet together, ride in the same areas but we’ll have the ability to separate the group to allow for age and skill related differences. We’ll also give those older siblings a chance to help their younger siblings progress in their riding from time to time. There will be an outdoor education element to this camp but not as much of a feature as in the 7-9 year old camps. There will also be a midweek canoe day to help their legs rest and recover.

All in it should be a fun week for your kids and help ease your summer logistics by keeping them in the same place.

Intermediate to Advanced Pure MTB Camps 12+

We’re running two Pure MTB camps this year, one 4 day and one 2 day. We’ll work on taking our riding ability to the next level in the skills park and apply them to the harder blue trails and progressing onto the black trails in Whitehorse and on Montana Mountain in Carcross. Aimed at riders 12+ but we may consider younger riders with a proven track record that we feel can maintain the pace. No canoeing this week, just Pure MTB.

Are E-Bikes the scourge of Mountain biking as we know it?

E-bikes; its easier for Americans to debate the merits of Trump vs Sanders without falling out than mountain bikers to discuss whether E-Bikes have a place in todays mountain bike culture without a shoot-out at high-noon.

“They’re glorified mopeds” or “they’re for old people”(we’re not sure how old is old) are typical quotes from the naysayers, “you still get a work-out, you just go further!” shout the the E-bikers.

Our thoughts? After a season with the 2019 Specialized Turbo Kenovo and fleet of its traditionally powered counterpart, the 2019 Specialized Enduro, we feel like we have a little more insight than we did last year and those who have yet to swing a leg over the high voltage steeds.

2019 Specialized Turbo Kenevo Comp 27.5 and 2019 Specialized Enduro Elite 29

The main purpose for Terra Riders e-bike was to assist in shuttle runs at Montana Mountain in Carcross and at Grey Mountain and Mt Mac in Whitehorse. We had the benefit of driving clients to the top of the hill, riding down with them and letting them catch some r n’ r at the nearest coffee shop while one of us rides the e-bike back up the mountain to retrieve the shuttle vehicle. It cuts our climb times by at least a third which means our customers and campers get a lot more time riding down the fun sections than climbing the gruelling bits.

But we’ve found a lot more to love than expediting our customers uphill in the shuttle vehicle…

Be honest, you love going down hill!

With the rise of bike parks around the world, north shore racks and truck tail pads, slack head angles and low bottom brackets, its clear that the majority of mountain bikers are in it for the thrills of ripping down hill, the up hills are how we “earn our turns” but given the option of a free ride up it seems most of us would take it. So why is there so much hatred for e-bikes that make climbs faster and/or easier?

The actual E-Bike experience

I’ve just dropped the clients off at their vehicle at the end of another epic lap of Blown Away to Kid Vicious and now its my job to ride the 2500 vertical ft back to the top of Mt. Mac. At 100% power, the Kenevo gets me there in 23 minutes, on my Enduro it would take me over an hour. My heart rate on both is averaging around 160bpm. Obviously I get a longer workout on the Enduro but I was still putting in the same effort on the E-assist Kenevo.

It seems a common misconception about E-bikes is that you don’t need to put the work in to ride them but if you don’t pedal, they don’t go anywhere. How much you rely on the motor to help you is pretty your choice. The Turbo Kenevo has three factory power settings, selected by the push of a button. 20%, 50% and 100%. That doesn’t mean it does 100% of the work for you, it means it is working at 100% of its (legal) capacity.

You can tune the power options through the Specialized Mission Control app, our lowest custom tune is set at 15% which I think just about makes up for the weight penalty of an E-bike. A typical Enduro sized E-bike weighs in at around 55lbs (25kg) and with all that coil sprung travel with no lockout, I think 15% assist levels the field with a regular mountain bike. 50% gives you a solid advantage on the climbs while retaining a long battery life. 100% keeps the momentum high on the climbs and gets you to the top in no time but don’t expect to stay riding all day on one charge.

#dadlife

I’ve got 2 little kids and I run a business which doesn’t leave me with a whole lot of time to ride for pleasure. From my house I can get a decent ride on local low level trails within an hour or two on my regular bike. On the E-bike I can do an epic high alpine ride from my house in 2 hours or do the lower level trails in 20 mins to an hour. I get a work out still but I get to ride so much more terrain within my time constraints - #dadwin

Handling

Pro’s

Stability; The additional weight can be an advantage,. With the weight of the motor and batter low and central in the frame, point this thing straight downhill and it stays on track with whatever the terrain throws at it. You may wonder how it performs in the air? It gains downhill momentum quickly, even without pedalling due to extra mass so you may need to check your speed upon approach. While in the air its stable and predictable.

Con’s

There’s a reason gravity oriented bikes are getting lighter all the time, “flickability”. Throw your leg over a modern enduro bike and it changes direction a fast as a hare. The same is not quite true for an enduro e-bike. The additional mass is certainly noticeable while pushing hard downhill and sometimes you fell the front end wanting to push on through the corners. This said though, its not entirely unenjoyable, you just have to adjust your riding style but it will never be as flickable as a bike 28lbs lighter. The same can be said in the air, although stable and predictable, an e-bike isn’t going to be winning the Crankworx Whip-Off anytime in the near future.

Try an e-bike tour with Terra Riders

If you’d like to put one of these steeds for the digital age to the test on the epic trails around Whitehorse and Carcross in 2020, get in touch with us! Whether you’re new to the sport or a seasoned single track slayer, we think you will come away from your ride on a Specialized Turbo Kenevo with a Terra Riders bike guide with a huge grin!

High above Fish Lake on Mt. Mac

Aurora Borealis Canoe and Fat Bike Tours

There are a lot of options when in comes to aurora tours (northern lights viewing) in whitehorse, what sets us apart? Adventure.

If you’re up for putting in a little effort and getting off the beaten track we can offer you the most unique northern lights viewing experiences in Whitehorse.

Aurora Canoe Tours

This fall we have already had some fantastic aurora displays in the Yukon, there’s no need to wait until winter to see them. Before the ice sets in on Lake Laberge, we’re offering night time canoe trips on a sheltered bay. Imagine floating on the water while the the aurora floats in the sky above you.

We provide you with headlamps and illuminated canoes as well as a safety boat following. We will paddle across the bay to a secluded viewpoint where we’ll have a fire pit with hot chocolate and marshmallows ready to be roasted. After watching the aurora we’ll make our short paddle back to where we launched and drive you back to your accommodation.

As with all northern lights tours in Whitehorse, we unfortunately can’t guarantee that you will indeed see the aurora borealis but our local guides do their very best to assess the aurora forecast to give you the best chance off seeing this incredible phenomenon. If you shouldn’t get the chance to see them, we hope that the experience of being out in a canoe in our Yukon wilderness after dark will still be a memorable one.

These tours are weather dependent, cloud cover, strong winds and an unpredictable freeze date can put pay to our plans, any tours booked in advance that are not able to carried out due to weather conditions will receive a full refund.

Winter brings more adventure opportunities…

Whitehorse Fatbike Tours

Once the ice fully sets in, the canoes get packed away for the winter and then the fat bikes come out to play! If you’ve never ridden a fat bike before, the Yukon is the best place to experience the amazing traction these bloated mountain bikes posses. As well as offering daylight singletrack mountain fat bike tours, we’re taking them out on the lake at night to ride under the aurora on the thick ice of Lake Laberge. Our fully trained guides will provide an exciting opportunity for you to try cycling in a different light, ice thick enough to drive a truck o provides ample support for our late night adventures. As with our Canoe Aurora Tours, we’ll have fire, hot chocolate and marshmallows on hand to keep you warm as you gaze upon the lights.

Those of you who are keen to try this experience out should be of good physical fitness with good bike control skills. Bring the appropriate clothing for the temperature, if you have any concerns about the gear you have, please get in touch and we can provide you with a couple of rental options in Whitehorse.

Should the sky be overcast or the temperature below -25 celsius then we will not be offering the tour to avoid disappointment and cold related risks.

We hope you can join us this fall and winter on one of our unique adventures in Whitehorse!

Why hire a guide?

Why would you hire a mountain bike guide in Whitehorse or Carcross?

1. Efficient use of time

   We’ve put in the leg work and figured out the best trails and the best routes in Carcross and Whitehorse to give you the best experience possible with the time you have visiting the Yukon. No taking a wrong turn or missing the trail head, just straight up single track fun!

2. Safety

   Not only do our mountain bike guides know where they’re going but they have the training to back up their local knowledge. All guides have a minimum of Red Cross Advanced Wilderness First Aid and Level 1 PMBI mountain bike instructors training as well as emergency action plans for each riding location in our area. Senior guides also carry Inreach GPS location and satellite communication devices to make sure we’re always in touch when venturing out of cell coverage.

3. Work on some skills

   Yes, yes, we know you’re an awesome single track shredder but hey, maybe you could ask us to help you get past a skill plateau. Whether you need to work on cornering speed or mastering drops we can help you polish up your skills set and get you riding faster.

4. Fun!

   We’re pretty fun, we promise! Between Grey Mountain, Mount Mac and Montana Mountain, you’ll be grinning from ear to ear and if you’ve still got some energy left, we’ll hit up the hot springs at the end of a long day!

So, if your looking for the best activity in Whithorse or Carcross, reserve your mountain biking tour with Terra Riders now!

guides carry garmin inreach devices to make sure we’re always in touch, regardless of cell coverage

We can help you get past a skill plateau

Whitehorse Kids & Youth Summer Mountain Bike Camps

Its only just turned February but in the hustle and bustle of family life parents seem to be setting their sights on the summer break earlier than ever. To ease your planning woes we have released our Whitehorse Summer Camp dates early.

Our summer 2018 calendar was just straight up biking for kids age 10 and over. This year we have opened up to those little ripper riders in the 7-9 age bracket.

Check out the three options for Terra Riders Camps in 2019 below.

Outdoor PEDucation Whitehorse Summer Camp (age 7-9)

We’ve found that a full 7-8 hours in the saddle isn’t super productive for the younger riders due to less stamina than older kids so this year we have designed an outdoor education style week. We‘ll mix in some outdoor & survival skills among a few lessons on the local geography, flora and fauna. Check out the schedule below for a typical week in our Outdoor PEDucation camp (see what we did there?)

Each day will start with a skills session in the bike park, Monday will be the longest to give the coaches time to assess each rider and place them into a group that matches their skill and endurance level and to help polish up their fundamental skills, helping to make the most of their week.

Bike skills lessons will also be held on the trail to help them learn how to apply them to trail rides. The schedule may differ from day to day depending on the weather.

Everyday we will do a trail ride and an outdoor lesson on route.

• Monday: Map reading and Compass skills, GPS skills, plotting a path, setting waypoints etc

• Tuesday: A visit to and ride around the Wildlife Preserve with lessons on animal migration

• Wednesday: Shelter building, fire lighting (dependent on fire restrictions) using a "leave no trace" mentality.

• Thursday: Plant identification and invasive species lesson

• Friday: Basic flat water canoeing skills, knot tying and rope skills

Pedal & Paddle Mountain Bike Camp (age 10+)

Our Pedal & Paddle camps are 5 days long and focus most of our time developing riders skills and trail riding ability but midweek we switch it up to give the legs a rest by jumping in some canoes and exploring one of Whitehorse’s amazing waterway’s before heading out on our epic ride day in Carcross on Thursday.

The riders are split up into groups of 5 based on age, riding ability and fitness levels. We’ll do our level best to keep a maximum 5:1 rider to coach ratio to help maintain a safe and effective learning environment.

Riders can expect to hit up the best features and trails at Mount Mac, Pilot Mountain, Grey Mountain and Montana Mountain during our week of riding and paddling.

Pure MTB Camp

Our Pure MTB camps are as they sound, 4 days of pure un-interuptted mountain biking. Typically run during the week before or after a long weekend, riders will have the chance to learn new skills, polish existing skills and shred down some of the best single track in Whitehorse and Carcross. Expect to become a safer, more analytical and ultimate better and faster rider. Appropriate for riders who are capable of riding green to easy blue trails with a view to progress to more technical blue trails and features within the bike park. Groups will be split into two to allow for a range in riding ability and fitness.

Start Summer Right - Spring After School Clubs

Let us help you get your kids summer off to a healthy start; learning and developing fundamental riding skills to help them ride with more confidence and better judgement, register them with our spring after school bike club running from May 21st to June 13th for $199.

With Terra Riders, your kids don’t just go out for a ride, they will be coached and their riding developed to the next level. We follow proven teaching techniques from years of experience in youth work and out door instruction. Certified by the PMBIA (Professional Mountain Bike Instructors Association) and as of February, the NCCP also (National Canadian Coaching Program).

What happens at a Terra Riders Whitehorse After School Club?

Good times, coaching and skill development to last a lifetime! We meet at Mount Mac Bike Park at 3:45 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, we’ll split into a couple of ability based groups of no more than 5 riders to 1 coach and focus on a fundamental skill each week or tying those skills together. Followed by a trail ride to put those skills to the test in real world trail situations. We can arrange rides to Mt. Mac from the Porter Creek area with advanced notice.

What do you need?

• First and foremost, a well fitting helmet in good condition. No Lid - No Ride. Knee and elbow pads recommended.

• A good and teachable attitude (if you can’t find one, we’ll help you look).

• A mountain bike in good working order with 2 functioning brakes and tuned gears. It doesn’t need to be a race winning trail weapon but an unmaintained Canadian Tire special unfortunately won’t make the grade. If your not sure, take it into one of our fine Whitehorse bike shops, Icycle Sports or Cadence Cycles before club starts in the spring.

• Appropriate riding gear for the weather. We ride whatever the weather so come prepared!

• Either a Camelpak (or similar) or a drinks bottle full of water attached to the frame. A couple of snacks would be a good idea too.

Teaching Whitehorse children and youth to pursue an active lifestyle and maybe find a few athletes along the way.

Terra Riders ultimate aim is to help young people to develop their riding skills and fitness to help them find a fun and challenging way to keep them active for life. Fun is the name of the game with the side effect of making safer, faster riders who make better decisions on the trail. Occasionally though, real talent and drive shows itself in young riders. If they want to pursue mountain biking as a sport, we can help them chase that goal.

The following image from Sport Canada is a great visual for seeing the path to an “active lifestyle” or “training to win” and "being “competitive for life”. Either way your kids wants to go, with a Terra Riders after school club we’ll help you set on the right path.

10% Off 2019 Whitehorse Summer Camps for after school club participants

To show our appreciation, participants will receive 10% off one of our week long or day long summer camps in Whitehorse and Carcross in 2019. Choose from one or more of the following:

• Advanced Mountain Biking Techniques and Trail Riding

• Girls Only Bike Camp Whitehorse

• Pedal and Paddle Combo Camp

• Beginner Mountain Bike

• Intro to Mountain Bike Day Camp

• 7-9 Year Old Outdoor PEDucation

Great ride from the top of Grey Mountain to Chadburn lake. Over a 1000 meters descent on awesome technical trails. #cometomyyukon #exploreyukon #iamspecialized #wearespecialized #greymountain #chadburnlake #moneyshot #rideyukon #ridewhitehorse #mtblife #stumpjumper #stumpyevo #turbokenevo #specializedbikes #yxy #singletrack

Our local trails are drying out nicely. Full blown bike season is almost upon us! The Specialized Stumpy Evo is bringing more smiles with each ride. #cometomyyukon #exploreyukon #iamspecialized #rideyukon #ridewhitehorse #terrariders #whitehorsetours #mtblife #mtbcoaching #mtbskills #stumpyevo #stumpjumper

Isaac giving a nice demonstration of balance on the skinnies at Mt. Mac. #cometomyyukon #exploreyukon #yukonmtb #rideyukon #mtbcoaching #mtbskills #whitehorsemountainbike #iamspecialized

A beautiful night for a ride on the Yukon River Trail. It's one of the first trails to dry out and it's prime for a first test on the dirt aboard the new Specialized Stumpjumper Evo 29er. We're stoked to get some more miles on these trail weapons! #iamspecialized #cometomyyukon #exploreyukon #ridewhitehorse #rideyukon #terrariders #stumpjumper #stumpyevo #mtblife #mtbskills #whitehorsetours #mountainbikeguide #yxy #tourismyukon

It's going to be great weather for a scenic fat bike tour this week! It's almost time to break out the flip flops! #cometomyyukon #exploreyukon #yukon #yukonlife #ssklondike #whitehorsetours #biketours #whitehorse #whitehorsetourguide #fatbike #fatbikeyukon #whitehorsefatbiking

Yukon winters be like. #cometomyyukon #exploreyukon #yukon #yukonlife #terrariders #whitehorsetours #auroraborealistours #neverstopexploring #atlassnowshoes #whitehorse #yxy

A tiny bit of Aurora... It's still great to be outside, snowshoeing in all our deep powder! #cometomyyukon #exploreyukon #yukon #yukonlife #terrariders #whitehorsetours #auroraborealis #northernlights #astrotourism #yukontours

Riding in a winter wonderland. Merry Christmas from the Terra Riders crew! #moosebicycle #cometomyyukon #exploreyukon #fatbikeyukon #yukontours #fatbike #olightflashlights #yukontourism #fatbiketours #neverstopexploring #northofordinary #northof60 #whitehorsetours #whitehorse #yxy

Looking for adventure during your visit to Whitehorse? Come on an epic snowshoe tour with us! 📸 @willreddaway #cometomyyukon #exploreyukon #greymountain #whitehorsetours #yukontours #yukonsnowshoe #northof60 #northofordinary

Some nice aurora reflections on the ice tonight, the upside of our snow melting in unseasonably warm temperatures. #cometomyyukon #exploreyukon #auroraborealis #northernlights #reflection #yukontourism #whitehorsetours #whitehorseauroratours #astrotourism

Tis the season to give a bike lesson - Christmas Sale

Terra Riders Locals Christmas Sale

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It’s only 20 days til chubby old St. Nick squeezes through your HRV unit…

…and you still haven’t found the perfect gift for that special someone. Give them something they want this year! Maybe your husband needs some tips on how to keep up with you or your one mate who always goes over the handlebars is one concussion away from forgetting his name? Maybe you’re fed up with receiving socks for Christmas and would like to suggest this to the serial sock buyer as an alternative? These people and many others beside them are the perfect candidates for a 2 hour skills lesson from Terra Riders!

But mountain bike lessons in Whitehorse are for summer? Try an Intro to Fat Biking lesson.

We have the pleasure of riding year round using fat tire bikes. You’ve probably seen them around town and thought you’d love to try one but don’t fancy splashing out the cash to procure one. For the winter we are offering 2 hour “Intro to Fat Biking” lessons for Whitehorse locals to help you learn the differences of riding in snow from riding a regular mountain bike in the summer.

If you choose, we can also go through other elements of riding in the winter including; gear, pre-ride planning, setup, maintenance and the cold weather considerations.

Not a local? Don’t feel left out, we have plenty to offer those of you just visiting Whitehorse this winter! Head on over to our Winter Activities page to see whats on offer. Don’t see exactly what you want? get in touch and we’ll see if we can help you plan your perfect trip.

Sale Pricing (until December 25th)

Lessons bought as gifts will be sent a gift card so you can give something physical on the day!

For inquiries send us an email at info@terrariders.ca or drop us a line at 604-906-1063

Intro to Fat Biking (offered until the snow melts)

With Rental - $105 per person (regular $135)

with own bike - $75 per person (regular $95)

Discounts available for groups of 3 or more

Spring Skills Lesson (once trails are firm/mid May until June 16th)

With own bike - $75 per person

With rental - TBA

Discounts available for groups of 3 or more

FAT BIKING TIME - WHY YOU SHOULD GET FAT THIS WINTER

Summer spells the end of Mountain Biking in Whitehorse…?

Summer has come to an end and in the North, its time to hang up the mountain bike and hibernate… NOT! Hang up the mountain bike and bust out the Fat Bike!

If you’ve never ridden one of these monster truck wheeled, obese snow bikes then now is the time. Geometry is getting closer to a modern mountain bike with features like 1x drivetrains, tubeless tires, dropper posts, front suspension and even the occasional bike with a shock out back; its no longer the sport of diehard lycra clad cyclists but a legitimate way to extend your mountain bike season into a year round pursuit.

So what is Fat Biking like?

Obviously with all that extra rim and rubber rolling underneath you its never going to perform quite like your race-bred single track weapon. The increased rotating mass and rolling resistance will mean you have to put more effort through your pedals but hey, it makes you fitter and stronger for when its time to pull out those “skinny” 2.4 inch Minions.

That extra mass means turning is slower too and the low pressure (around 5psi in the snow) means the tires are always playing “catch-up” as you lean the bike. This may sound like negatives but it brings a new challenge to a sport you thought you had wrapped up.

Why you should try Fat Biking

Its fun

There are many legitimate forms of motorsport, Formula 1, Dakar Rally, Moto GP but why do Monster Truck Monster Jams keep selling out stadiums? Because pretty much everyone has an inner Red Neck that loves big tires with the ability to roll over anything! Its so much fun riding over surfaces and obstacles that you never thought of tackling on a regular bike

Fitness

As mentioned before, not only will it keep you fit in the “off” season but it could actually build your cycling fitness and help you start the summer season stronger than ever. Bonus.

“Girls only want Boyfriends who have great skills” - Napoleon Dynamite

Skills

Even with those big fat silica tires, you’re never going to have the same levels of grip as a nice loamy trail in the summer which means technique is key!

If you’re intention is to shred snow packed trails then your cornering, braking and trail scanning skills can only get better by riding a fatty. Correct bike/body separation is key to keeping the bike rubber side down. If you’re not sure what that even means or you want to improve your technique then give Terra Riders a shout, we’ll have you railing snowy corners in no time.

Other

A Fat Bike’s use isn’t restricted to just riding on snow so If you’re looking for a reason to convince your significant other that you should add “another” bicycle to your quiver then I have prepared the following list.

• Hard Tail - You’ve always wanted a hardtail bike, now you can have a hard tail and a fat bike in one, its basic economy.

• Sand - Those big ‘ol squishy tires work great in sand too! Live near a beach or vacationing in the Sahara next summer? It just makes sense.

• Touring - If you’re considering a touring trip that will take you off the beaten path then Fat Bike could be a great option in-spite of the added rolling resistance. Those tires roll over pretty much anything and will get you through pretty much any surface you happen upon.

• Winter Commuting - What better way is there to spend money than on something that may (or may not) lower your yearly commuting costs! Sure it might take 10 years to pay that off in gas money but who’s counting?

In Conclusion

Fat bikes are definitely a decent chunk of change so if you’re curious and would like to give it a go before splashing out, go ahead and give us a shout at Terra Riders and we can hook you up with an intro lesson and a bike for a few hours and you can make a more informed decision.

If you’re passing through Whitehorse or coming to check out the Northern Lights and would love to see our epic scenery from another point of view then shoot us an enquiry and we’ll see if we can provide you with a cycling tour that you’ll remember for life. Whether you’re a novice or seasoned rider, we have you covered.

Dan Sams