By Geof Harries
Riding your mountain bike in the Yukon is for many cyclists, a bucket list item.
This September can be your chance to finally check that goal off your list or make a return: Cycling Association of Yukon is hosting the 2023 Canadian Cross-Country Marathon Mountain Bike Championships in Whitehorse. This will be the first time the Yukon hosts a national cycling event, making it a truly unique event.
The first person to cross the line will be awarded the coveted maple leaf jersey and become the new Canadian Champion. Race course options span from 20 km up to 90 km in distance. There are Elite, Masters, Open and Youth categories.
What’s it like to ride in the Yukon?
With over 1,200 km of trails spread across trail networks in Whitehorse, Carcross and Dawson City, the Yukon mountain bike experience is revered for its unique landscape, culture and history. Whitehorse itself is home to 900 km of trails.
As for the riding? Uncrowded singletrack, breathtaking panoramas, First Nations footpaths and historic gold and silver mining routes mix history in with the adrenaline of the Yukon mountain bike experience.
What’s the race course like?
The marathon course is 31.5 km with about 500 meters of elevation per lap, and is located on the traditional territory of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation and the Ta’an Kwäch’än Council.
The course for 2023 Canadian XCM MTB Championships is already online on Trailforks. It ranges from fast green and blue trails to sections of black and even a technically challenging stretch of double black, all in the Mt. McIntyre network.
On course, you’ll ride a combination of fast, swoopy singletrack atop narrow, exposed ridges and rocky, rooty trails deep in the boreal forest. Look up and you’ll be treated to huge sweeping vistas of boundless mountains, winding creeks and forested valleys on each lap.
What’s there to do around Whitehorse?
The Yukon’s capital city is a small place – just under 35,000 people – and the Mt. McIntyre race course is about a 10-minute drive from downtown or 20 minutes by bike.
Locally-roasted coffee, microbreweries and a plethora of restaurants and cafes are all nearby, as is the famous Yukon River running through the Whitehorse city centre.
Cycling Association of Yukon and its partners know that for many people, making the trip to Whitehorse is…
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