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Dale's Loop

A fantastic rocky loop on Mount Fromme's new school side.

Mountain Biking Severe

Distance
7.1 km
Ascent
336 m
Descent
336 m
Duration
0-1 hrs
Low Point
151 m
High Point
480 m
Gradient
Dale's Loop Map

This loop on Mount Seymour, anchored by the Dale's Trail, embodies the North Shore's new school side.

Description

The ride begins by climbing a modern singletrack climbing route up Mount Seymour that has been stitched together in recent years. The route required some new trail additions as well as the maintenance and modification of some existing trails to create a mostly-climbable route through the trail system. The grade reversals and fairly-smooth trail tread are a pleasure compared to grunting up a steep forest service road. Even so, the final push to the top of Dale's follows an old road grade.

The initial drop-in to Dale's is a fast, berm-filled flow trail that swoops down the mountainside, further exemplifying new school trail building. It's evident that not all local riders are a fan of this new trail design. The sign at the top, which has a black diamond and once read, "Dale's Trail - Very Difficult," was modified to read, "Dale's Trail WAS Very Difficult."

Even so, after the initial drop on Upper Dale's, you'll plunge into Dale's Trail proper. Gone are the berms, and in their place, you'll find rocks, rocks, and more rocks. Dale's features extended rock gardens, rocky chutes, and a plethora of rock slab rolls. In fact, it might be one of the most full-on rock-filled trails on Mount Seymour. A few of the rock slab features are absolutely fantastic, and on the hardest ones, you'll get to choose from multiple lines of multiple difficulties. Perhaps the rocks stand out even more because there are almost no wooden features on this trail, allowing the rocks to take the spotlight.

Dale's flows seamlessly into Forever After, which continues the same theme of interesting rock features and high-speed ripping.

Finally, you'll finish the descent on a flowy romp down the North Shore High School League trail, which features some fun jumps and a few berms for a sweet finish to this great loop.

Difficulty

Severe

Widely variable, narrow trail tread with steeper grades and unavoidable obstacles of 15in/38cm tall or less. Obstacles may include unavoidable bridges 24in/61cm wide or less, large rocks, gravel, difficult root sections, and more. Ideal for advanced-level riders.

Medium Exposure

2 out of 4

The trail contains some obstacles such as outcroppings and rock which could cause injury.

Remoteness

2 out of 4

Away from help but easily accessed.

Best time to visit

between April and November

Features

  • Technical
  • Singletrack
  • In the forest
  • Drops
  • Jumps
  • Roots
  • Rock Rolls
  • Rock Slabs
  • Rock Gardens

Similar routes nearby

Guidebooks in this area