Fernie Singletrack Smorgasbord Weekend: Preparing for your trip

Required Forms

All of our Riders are required to complete the following forms:

Please download, print and complete the forms and bring them with you to your tour starting point. (note: the waiver is legal size - if you print it on 8 1/2 x 11, it will take two pages)

Getting to the Trip Starting Point

The starting point for this trip is the Red Tree Lodge in Fernie. Check-in is any time after 5 pm on Friday evening. Your guide will meet you for breakfast in the hotel restaurant at 8 am on Saturday morning. If you have requested a bike rental, your guide will bring the bike(s) with him/her.

The Red Tree is located on Highway 3 in Fernie, at the corner of 11th st. Click here for directions.

Trip Cancellations

You may cancel your reservation with no penalty within 7 days of booking. After the first week, our cancellation policy is as follows:

-14 days notice or more: $50 cancellation fee per person
-less than 14 days notice: the full trip price is forfeited.

Please note that our cancellation policy is strict, and we ask that you do not request an exception to our policy. For this reason we strongly urge you to purchase affordable trip cancellation insurance.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance, including emergency evacuation coverage, is compulsory for non-Canadians. We recommend that you purchase travel insurance that includes cancellation protection so that you will be covered in the event that you are unable to attend our tour (due to injury, illness or other unforeseen circumstances) or in the unlikely event that our tour must be cancelled.

You can purchase discounted comprehensive insurance from World Nomads directly via our site at our insurance page

Bike Rentals

If you don't feel like hauling your bike to BC, an alternative is renting a bike. We offer beautiful DeVinci Remix SL3 bikes for rent. These are quality cross-country bikes, purchased new each year, and built to handle the demanding terrain of British Columbia. This can be booked online when making your initial booking, or added later. We recommend booking your bike rental at least 2 months in advance to ensure we have your size available. Here are the specs:

FORK Marzocchi 44 TST2 140mm w/remote
REAR SHOCK Fox Float RP2
REAR DERAILLEUR SRAM X.9
FRONT DERAILLEUR SRAM X.7
PEDALS Crank Brothers Smarty
FRONT WHEEL Mach 1 MX Disc/DareDevil 15mm/DT Champion
REAR WHEEL Mach 1 MX Disc/Shimano M475/DT Champion
TIRE Maxxis Ignitor 26x2.1"
BRAKES Avid Juicy 3 160mm rotor hydraulic disc

please note: our rental bikes come with flat pedals. If you are used to riding with SPDs, we recommend bringing your pedals and shoes with you - we'll swap the pedals when you arrive.

Flying with your bike

If you've never flown with your bike, don't worry - it's much easier than you think! If you don't have a case for your bike, we recommend one of two options:

1) if you think you may be travelling more than once with your bike, then we recommend purchasing a purpose-made bike bag. This will protect your bike from damages, and makes shlepping your bike around a little bit easier than with a rigid box or cardboard box. We sell beautiful handmade bags by PikaPackworks in the United States. For more information, visit our online store.

2) If you think this is the only trip you'll take with your bike for a while, then you can pick up a cardboard travel box for your bike at your local store. Some stores will also pack your bike up for you for a fee.

Alternately, you can courier your bike to Ski Base in Fernie. For $40 they will take delivery of your bike and assemble it (there is no charge if you don't want them to assemble the bike). We will pick up your bike and have it waiting for you at our lodge. Please visit their website for contact information and notify them in advance that you are shipping your bike, and also notify our office.

What type of bike should you bring?

We recommend you bring a solid cross-country or light all-mountain bike with you on this trip, with at least 4-5" of travel, and no heavier than 30 pounds since there are several long climbs. A bike with at least 2 chainrings up front is mandatory, as is front suspension.

Spare Parts for your Bike and other gear to bring

Although there are some parts available locally, we recommend you bring the following parts and gear with you to avoid problems in case of breakdown or broken parts:

rear derailleur hanger (at least 1, preferably 2)
extra set of front and rear brake pads
extra chain if your chain is more than 6 months old
4 tubes
4 extra spokes
shock pump
chain lube
multipurpose tool for trailside repair (including chain break)

Assembling your bike when you arrive

We have bike stands and a full toolset available for assembling your bike once you arrive. You can build your bike the night you arrive, or the next morning. We will have a prearranged time for building bikes and our staff are on hand for assistance.

Accommodation

Accommodation during this trip is in the Red Tree Lodge, on a shared basis. You will be paired with a roommate of the same sex for the duration of the trip. If you would like a single room to yourself, you can pay the single supplement fee during the booking process.

Weather and Clothing

The weather in the Rocky mountains can be quite cool in the evenings, and at higher altitudes during the day, with lows between 10 and 18 degrees Celsius, so we recommend you bring long pants and a jacket for the evenings. Daytime highs are usually quite warm, with highs between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius. We recommend you bring some type of shell to keep you warm and dry at higher altitudes in case of inclement weather.

Packing List

comfortable clothes for riding, such as biking jerseys and padded shorts. 2+ sets are ideal, 1 is a must.
helmet
bike gloves (2 sets is ideal)
lightweight, weather-resistant outerwear for riding in inclement weather.
warm clothing such as sweaters and fleece jackets and pants for nighttime.
swimwear
sunglasses/eye protection for sunny and/or muddy days.
hydration system that can carry at least 2 litres (bottles and/or Camelbak)
toiletries i.e. toothbrush, shampoo, soap
towel
camera
sunscreen and insect repellent

Passports & Visas

All foreign travelers require a valid passport (with a minimum of 6 months validity). Citizens of some countries will also require a visa. For more information, please contact your local Canadian embassy, or passport office.

Emergency Contacts

If you need to contact us in an emergency, you can reach us during office hours at the following numbers:

Dialing within North America: 1 (888) 423-7849
Dialing outside of North America: +1 (647) 999-7955
If you feel that you need to contact us outside of office hours, our BC office can be contacted at +1.250.278-0364

If you do not receive an immediate answer when calling the above numbers, please leave us a detailed message and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Health Requirements

Vaccinations are not required for Canada, and Canada has one of the best healthcare systems in the world. Should you experience illness or injury while in Canada, rest assured that you will receive the best care possible.

Fitness Requirements

You should have a moderately high level of fitness and be able to bike for up to four hours a day in order to fully enjoy the spectacular scenery and riding on this trip. This is one of our most challenging trips, and you need to be prepared.

We recommend you train in advance of this trip, in order to get the most out of this trip. We have partnered with Fit for Trips to develop customized training programs for you in advance of your trip. We recommend beginning your training at least 2 months prior to your trip. For more information, please visit the Sacred Rides page at Fit for Trips.

Safety & Security

To maximize your safety during our tours you should exercise common sense and caution at all times. We recommend that you always stick to set travel arrangements, and avoid unknown areas. We also recommend that you wear minimal jewelry and that you keep valuable items safely stored. Always keep a copy of your passport, airline tickets, travelers checks and credit card numbers separate from where you keep the originals.

Meals

On this trip, all breakfasts and lunches are included in the trip price. Dinners can be taken in local restaurants. You should budget $15-$20 per dinner.

Other expenses

Aside from meals, there are no required additional expenses for this trip, but you might like to take spending money for such things as souvenir shopping, nightlife and Internet cafes. The easiest way to deal with spending money is to withdraw money from an ATM/bank machine, which are readily available.

Internet

Fernie has several internet cafés where you can check email.

Tipping

Gratuities of 10-20% at restaurants are common in Canada. We encourage you to tip your guides if you feel you have received excellent service and have had an enjoyable trip. A typical gratuity is $10-$50 per guide.

Useful Links

For additional information about traveling in British Columbia, visit:
Tourism BC website
Canadian Tourism Commission website

Currency exchange

The Canadian currency is the Canadian dollar (CAN). For the latest currency exchange information use the Yahoo! Currency Exchange Calculator

Our Guarantee

We're so sure you'll have an amazing time on this trip that we're offering a satisfaction guarantee. View more information about our guarantee.