One of the most popular mountain bike websites in the world has rated a Castlegar trail as the best on the planet. In a story that ran on the last day of December 2023, PinkBike listed the top 10 rated mountain bike trails around the globe, as reviewed by users of Trailforks, the de facto map and tracking app for all mountain bikers.
Called “The Top 10 Rated MTB Trails 2023” the story ranks trails from Tasmania and the Czech Republic to New Zealand and the US but it is the Captain Kangaroo trail in the Merry Creek area of Castlegar that won the top spot.
Founded in 1998 in the basement of a Radek Burkat’s house in North Vancouver, BC, Pinkbike has grown to become the world’s largest global cycling website and it is no stranger to Castlegar riding, having featured the region before in such articles as “Exploring BC’s Lesser Known Riding Areas.” But this is the first time a Kootenay, BC trail has showcased so prominently in a ranking of this nature.
Captain Kangaroo is a 4.4-kilometre-long black-diamond downhill trail that features rock roll downs, boardwalks, slabs, and a steep forested section with a few log skinnies. The author of the Pinkbike article, Holly Duncan, writes, “Ranked as the undisputed champ of 2023, Captain Kangaroo isn’t just a trail – it’s a rite of passage. Its flawless flow and ridiculously smooth sections make it a trail masterpiece that showcases jaw-dropping alpine views along the way – that is, if you can even tear your eyes away from the trail.”
We’ve featured the Merry Trail system before on this site in such articles as “The Top Mountain Bike Trails in Castlegar” and many of its signature runs are thanks in large part to trail builder Dave Sutton who we interviewed for our story, “An Expert on Why Mountain Biking in Castlegar is so Good.” Dave grew up riding in Castlegar and is now recognized as one of the most talented trail builders in the province. For example, Kootenay Mountain Culture Magazine featured him in an article that labelled him a “visionary” and “boutique builder of burl” who is making his mark “by building beautiful trails on and around natural features.”
In a recent post on the Castlegar Parks and Trails Society Facebook page, Dave wrote, “Hey everyone, I think I can speak for everyone who was involved in building Captain Kangeroo. We are honored to have been rated best trail in the world for 2023 on Trailforks by user feedback. I thought I would give the history of this trail and some of the stars behind it. In 2018 Green Jeans trail was almost complete and we wanted to have a descent from the top. Many scouting missions later by Sarah Meunier and myself we chose a line. David J Hall was able to secure some funding to hire a crew specifically for this trail construction. The crew was composed of crew leader Sarah Meunier and 4 young, eager men: Evan Dux, Jason Carmichael, Jack Allen, and Clarke Morris. Four months later working through many extreme weather conditions this 4.4 km trail was completed. Sarah Meunier and myself would have our ‘date outings’ building much of the woodwork on the weekends. Others to mention are Eileen Senyk and the rest of the CPTS directors. It takes many people to create these trails and we are very proud of what we have accomplished!”
The world has taken notice of Castlegar’s mountain biking with this latest ranking and the CBC show Radio West recently interviewed executive director of the Castlegar Parks and Trails Society Sarah Meunier to ask more details about the trail. The interview can be listened to here and the segment starts at the 54:00 mark.
To read the full Pink Bike article, visit the story “Top Rated MTB Trails 2023.“