Mountain biking in the Cariboo is front and centre on a billboard located at Britannia Beach, 10 kilometres south of Squamish.
Strategically placed in the Lower Mainland-Whistler corridor, this 10-foot by 20-foot billboard is designed to catch the eye of mountain bikers heading to and from Whistler.
The billboard was erected this year on July 29 and will remain up until the end of August. It was strategically placed to catch BC Day long weekend traffic as well as those travelling to and from Whistler’s 10th annual Crankworx Mountain Bike Festival. This event attracts international riders and visitors, who travel this corridor to get to the event.
Not only does the billboard feature the sky berms, a visually stunning and extremely fun feature on one of Williams Lake’s more popular trails called Snakes and Ladders, but it is ridden by James Doerfling — a local rider that has made a name on the international scene in events such as the Redbull Rampage. It is also no surprise that the photo was taken by local photographer and mountain bike enthusiast, John Wellburn.
The Cariboo Chilcotin Coast Tourism Association administered a grant from Destination BC (formerly Tourism BC) for this prominent advertisement and these funds were matched by the City of Williams Lake and the Cariboo Regional District (CRD).
“We see more and more mountain bikers coming to town and that stimulates our economy,” said Williams Lake mayor Kerry Cook. “It is important to support endeavours that bring people to the Cariboo.”
“The Cariboo has long been known in the mountain biking community as a premiere destination and we want to let everyone else know what we have to offer,” said CRD Central Cariboo co-chair Joan Sorley. “We take every opportunity to work with our partners to promote the important resource that we have to share.”
The Cariboo Mountain Bike Consortium (CMBC) has been working with the CRD and the City of Williams Lake for a number of years to market the Cariboo as a must-ride region with easy access to an extensive and diverse trail network.
“Not only are we seeing countless new faces on the trails, but we are seeing people returning to discover more of what this region has to offer,” said Justin Calof, executive director of the CMBC.
Williams Lake has been receiving provincial, national and international attention as a mountain biking destination.
The Peel Out and Pedal by the Puddle have been successful at drawing out-of-town riders as has the reopening of Snakes and Ladders. This summer, the Cariboo was the chosen destination for Mountain Biking BC’s 7-Day Giveaway 2013 contest. Riders from around the globe entered to win this contest which helped in building the reputation of riding in the region.
Ride the Cariboo is the buzz in the mountain bike community, and the Britannia Beach Billboard reinforces the notion that Williams Lake is a must ride destination and the Shangri-La of mountain biking.
