Abby Cooper's trip to Revelstoke with her dog Rubble, the Rhodesian Ridgeback
Ears wobbling out the window in the warm wind cruising at 1000 sniffs per hour as we entered Three Valley Gap, a sure sign of adventures on the horizon for myself and the hound. The unofficial west entrance to Revelstoke stirs my excitement. There’s something about this perfectly placed town that beckons me back multiple times a year through the various seasons. Beyond the ridiculous snow amounts in winter, the plethora of alpine bike trails, the tasty collection of restaurants and the easy access to literally every kind of outing - the friendly locals make this place so special to me. Kind, willing to chat and passionate about their home, many acquaintances have grown into authentic friendships over the years. It always feels right to visit Revelstoke.
Despite having a hefty punch card of visits, Rubble, our two-year-old Ridgeback was having his first proper summer experience in Revelstoke. A tailgate lined with bikes, a backseat turned into a dog travelling oasis, and a copilot with solid DJ skills made the quick trip from Squamish to Revelstoke a breeze. Navigating to the Glacier House Resort in the evening light set the tone - we were ready to relax and set ourselves up for a weekend of riding. Lucky for us, a hot tub was situated on the front porch of our picturesque log cabin. The pet-friendly cozy quarters came kitted with dog bowls, a kitchenette with everything I could possibly need, a fireplace, a large bathroom and *key* comfortable beds - it was going to be easy to call this home base for the next few days.
day one
The Glacier House continental breakfast had all the right ingredients to fuel us for a big day of biking including fruit, waffles, sausages, eggs, hash browns and even a few snacks to put in your pack. Not only were we set up for success, but the friendly staff greeted Rubble with a freshwater dish - way to melt a dog mom’s heart.
We had our eyes on the Frisby Ridge trail that was directly overhead of our weekend home base. The trail is a 24km round trip with an option to extend further. As much as Rubble would have loved to join us, that’s just too much biking for a weekend filled with biking in one shot for a dog, so we decided to take him for his own adventure. A quick jaunt to the also nearby riding zone on Boulder Mountain led us into a perfectly paced dog lap on loggers leftovers and a home run. A warm-up lap for us, enough of a ride to tucker out Rubble. Into his dog crate, he went with the AC on and up Frisby the humans went.
The smooth grade made for a pleasant up only requiring breaks to take in the big views. Alpine meadows, wildflowers and valley vistas kept us entertained for the 12km up. Quick side note - this is a two-way trail so good etiquette is required for both bikers and dogs. Its hypnotic rhythm was a breeze to climb and even more fun to cruise down. A few braided lines give options for spicy rock rolls or small chutes - a fun adventure if you’re still feeling fresh after the climb!
No doubt about it, we worked up an appetite and were ready to be out of the saddle. A quick shower at our home-away-from-home and we were en route to one of my favourite Revelstoke restaurants - The Taco Club. Dogs are welcome to be tied outside of the patio here and have fresh water for them. After gorging on nachos and tacos we went for a town stroll and picked up a few bike accessories from the well-equipped and pet-friendly Skookum Gear shop.
day two
Sunnyside was on the agenda. To beat the heat we got on the trails as quickly as we could. Another perfectly built-up track led us to the top of Upper Haulin’ with ease. The lush green trails offered peek-a-boo views of Mt Begbie across the valley - which we had eyes on for tomorrow’s riding zone. The phrase “flow trail” seems to mean something different to each biking community across BC, but both Upper and Lower Haulin’ didn’t disappoint. The friendly flow blue trail had smooth berms, one playful rock roll, jumps (that you can roll) and a few exciting corners - it was so entertaining and begged for seconds.
After getting our biking fix, we grabbed handcrafted sandwiches from Modern Bakery and drove to Martha Creek Provincial Park for an afternoon on the lake. Swimming, paddle boarding and beach lounging made the yin to our morning yang. A dog-friendly beach was Rubbles paradise, with sand to rip around it and dog friends to do it with.
A trip to Revelstoke isn’t a trip to Revelstoke without an awesome local beer. Whether at one of the local breweries (Begbie or Rumpus) or at a local establishment it’s always on the to-do list when in town. We raised our glasses to another great day on the Village Idiot patio with a delicious Begbie brew.
day three
Morning hot tub? Holiday mode was treating us well. After checking out we snagged a quick and delicious coffee from Dose Cafe and headed to the Macpherson Trails. Running thin on time we did a quick weave of trails for a 7km loop before beginning the drive back to reality. The endless linking trails in the MacPherson zone are a tease every time - anyone at any ability could easily be entertained with trails for days on end here and it’s sincerely hard to leave them.
Revelstoke is a place of discoveries. You hear of one trail, one zone, or one adventure and the instant you embark on it, you realize that the same area hosts ten more experiences worthy of being added to the checklist. At this point, the list is so long, I may need to move here to check them all off. In the meantime, Rubble and I will keep visiting. See you in winter!
Written by Abby Cooper
Abby is a creative director specializing in the outdoor industry. Usually, snow-starved and looking for a remote powder paradise, she pretends to love mountain biking in the summer.
Rubble is a two-year-old Rhodesian Ridgeback who doesn’t pretend to love mountain biking, he lives for it. This young good boy is already a seasoned traveller, a savvy patio pup who enjoys a well-earned ice cream treat and is a big fan of snoozing when not biking.