In Fernie, winter doesn’t stop bikers from getting out on the trails.
Many gathered together at the Elk Valley Nordic Centre to celebrate Global Fatbike Day on December 1. After a day out on the trails, everyone gathered together back at the hut for a warm fire, hotdog roast and hot chocolate.
This was the fifth year the Fernie Mountain Bike Club (FMBC) has celebrated Global Fatbike Day. Fernie Trails Alliance (FTA) member Troy Nixon said that fatbiking is an excellent way to keep spinning all year long and keep your fitness up.
“I like the tranquility and the solitude of the forest,” he said. “I really like riding my bike and this is just another way to extend the season.”
A fatbike committee, under the FTA, has brainstormed some options for fatbikers this season, considering the closure of all Ridgemont Trails.
This committee, comprised of members from the FTA and the FMBC, hopes to expand their budget this year to offer more trail grooming options for riders.
So far this year, Lazy Lizard will be groomed, as well as potentially Swine Flu, Phat Bastard, Mushroom Head, Red Sonya, Blue Betty, as well as some Montane trails. Once Swine Flu is groomed, the FTA would like to remind riders that there are no dogs allowed at Mt. Proctor.
The FTA would also like to remind riders that Ridgemont trail network remains closed for the 2018/19 winter season. However, Nixon added that they have big plans for the Ridgemont area for the 2019/20 season.
