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rockie
Jan 11, 2009, 7:18 AM
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Which is best for climbing and XC Mountain biking?
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slavetogravity
Jan 11, 2009, 9:03 PM
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Ever pick up a Mt. Biking Magazine and notice how many times there's some centerfold of Mt. biking shot in little ol' Nelson. I'm not much of a Mt. Biker my self but the main difference between Nelson and Jasper, and why Nelson is a better place for Mt. Biking is Nelson, and the sorounding communities are not in a National Park. This translates to no user fees and little to no restriction to your Biking. As for climbing. The climbing in Nelson blows serious ass. It sucks that bad, seriously. And this is coming from the guy who's writing the guide book for the area. Fortunately for Nelson Climbers the community of Castlegar is just 30min down the road. Castlegar is host to the some of the best easily accessible climbing in the province. It will never be as good as Squamish. But at the current rate of development I predict that Castlegar could be the number 2 climbing destination for BC. From the front step of my home I have a view of crags so numerous, that when they are developed they will dwarf Skaha by 3 fold. If climbing's your game, it's an exciting time to be in the West Kootenays.
PS. the weather in Jasper blows.
Aaron.
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climber_for_life78
Jan 11, 2009, 10:52 PM
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I live in Nelson and its amazing definitely would recommended it the biking is of the hook and climbing as well
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erick
Jan 31, 2009, 1:58 AM
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In reply to: PS. the weather in Jasper blows.
ahhhh but the climbing there is sooo good!
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rockie
Feb 10, 2009, 4:02 AM
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erick wrote: In reply to: PS. the weather in Jasper blows. ahhhh but the climbing there is sooo good!
And the mountain biking 
Well so the locals there were quick to inform me anyway.
(This post was edited by rockie on Feb 10, 2009, 4:02 AM)
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gargrantuan
Feb 21, 2009, 4:09 PM
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the weather, climbing, and the XC mountain biking is awesome in jasper.
we climb rock, ice, mixed, and alpine here, which means that you can climb year round. the trails start coming in by about april and are bikable until mid november. if you live in the town you don't pay user fees and you don't have to deal with the unwashed masses of smelly hippies, like in nelson.
seriously though, i LOVE nelson, it is an awesome town and there is tons to do. it isn't nearly as pretty as jasper and the climbing can't be as good. the skiing is FAAAAAR better and i'd think if you really want good XC biking jasper is hard to beat.
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oda_drew
Feb 22, 2009, 2:35 AM
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Nelson is one of the top places in Canada to rip the mountain bikes, and I have heard some awesome stuff about Castlegar for climbing. The attitude of Nelson area is hard to beat. Everyone wants to help eachother out a great environment.
Jasper is gorgeous and everything seems so wild. I have heard some pretty friggen good stuff about the alpine climbing. The mountain biking is good.
Jasper better alpine and multi pitch
Nelson Mountain biking is amazing
Sidenote- red mountain and whitewater are amazing for skiing
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rockie
Feb 23, 2009, 8:26 PM
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gargrantuan wrote: the weather, climbing, and the XC mountain biking is awesome in jasper. we climb rock, ice, mixed, and alpine here, which means that you can climb year round. the trails start coming in by about april and are bikable until mid november. if you live in the town you don't pay user fees and you don't have to deal with the unwashed masses of smelly hippies, like in nelson. seriously though, i LOVE nelson, it is an awesome town and there is tons to do. it isn't nearly as pretty as jasper and the climbing can't be as good. the skiing is FAAAAAR better and i'd think if you really want good XC biking jasper is hard to beat.
Interestingly the local bike shop in Jasper did tell me this when I visited, and I do love Jasper!!
I have not however yet been to Nelson and equally I hear good things and how much people love that area too.
Maybe I need to mtbke at both locations to find out for myself, but I believe Jasper is good for XC biking as they told me so, and a lot of trails right? 
If the hostel is as good as Banff and Lake Louise were, then it's a big winner!
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rockie
Feb 23, 2009, 8:30 PM
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oda_drew wrote: Nelson is one of the top places in Canada to rip the mountain bikes, and I have heard some awesome stuff about Castlegar for climbing. The attitude of Nelson area is hard to beat. Everyone wants to help eachother out a great environment. Jasper is gorgeous and everything seems so wild. I have heard some pretty friggen good stuff about the alpine climbing. The mountain biking is good. Jasper better alpine and multi pitch Nelson Mountain biking is amazing Sidenote- red mountain and whitewater are amazing for skiing
Thanks for all the feedback everyone.
Nelson for XC mtbing right? And Castlegar for climbing near by.
Nelson and Jasper for XC mtbing I presume if Nelson is also good for XC.
And Jasper for both XC and climbing
Just I am not a fan of downhill and am never getting into DH biking, everyone I know who did that broke a collar bone, leg, or something like that and seriously too. One had metal in his leg, he took off and went further than his friends who were a lower BMI basically. Rule of physics came into that one. I told him to sell that bike! He had just bought the thing, not cheap either. And from what I gathered, he did sell it after that. A sad state of affairs I know.
One more qu. How many hours drive is Nelson from North Vancouver, and how many hours drive again to Jasper from North Vancouver? How many hours from Nelson to Jasper?
If I remember it was around 12 hrs drive to Jasper from North Vancouver but can't remember exactly..
(This post was edited by rockie on Feb 23, 2009, 8:39 PM)
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gargrantuan
Feb 23, 2009, 9:14 PM
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12 hrs to Jasper from North Van is being VERY conservative. i'd say closer to 10.5.
Nelson to Jasper via Cranbrook is about 9 hrs.
Jasper doesn't really have much in the way of DH trails, but the network of XC trails is unmatched. Jasper has to be considered one of the best places to ride XC in Canada. there is simply an excess of options.
oh and the climbing is good (as in, no lines at crags) as well.
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rockie
Feb 23, 2009, 10:36 PM
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gargrantuan wrote: 12 hrs to Jasper from North Van is being VERY conservative. i'd say closer to 10.5. Nelson to Jasper via Cranbrook is about 9 hrs. Jasper doesn't really have much in the way of DH trails, but the network of XC trails is unmatched. Jasper has to be considered one of the best places to ride XC in Canada. there is simply an excess of options. oh and the climbing is good (as in, no lines at crags) as well.
Heh! Then jasper it is again, I can visit Nelson for a weekend another time, but mtbing I am sticking to Jasper in this case.
I don't like the sound of those unwashed masses of smelly hippies in Nelson anyway, which someone referred to 
(This post was edited by rockie on Feb 23, 2009, 10:39 PM)
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coastal_climber
Feb 24, 2009, 2:26 AM
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rockie wrote: gargrantuan wrote: 12 hrs to Jasper from North Van is being VERY conservative. i'd say closer to 10.5. Nelson to Jasper via Cranbrook is about 9 hrs. Jasper doesn't really have much in the way of DH trails, but the network of XC trails is unmatched. Jasper has to be considered one of the best places to ride XC in Canada. there is simply an excess of options. oh and the climbing is good (as in, no lines at crags) as well. Heh! Then jasper it is again, I can visit Nelson for a weekend another time, but mtbing I am sticking to Jasper in this case. I don't like the sound of those unwashed masses of smelly hippies in Nelson anyway, which someone referred to
You're from Vancouver.
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rockie
Feb 24, 2009, 6:53 AM
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erick wrote: In reply to: PS. the weather in Jasper blows. ahhhh but the climbing there is sooo good!
I'll defo join you for some climbing as I mentioned before Erick
Will be in Skaha last weekend of April, a small group of us, good crowd! come too if you can!
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