FATMAP by Strava

Ladies Only -> Big Stupid

Ride the mega classic Ladies Only trail with an easier finish on Big Stupid.

Mountain Biking Extreme

Distance
5.8 km
Ascent
290 m
Descent
289 m
Duration
0-1 hrs
Low Point
317 m
High Point
585 m
Gradient
Ladies Only -> Big Stupid Map

If there's one trail that epitomizes classic North Shore mountain biking, it is Ladies Only. Built by the venerable "Digger," the upper section was first completed in 1992 and the lower section in 1995. Over the years, the entire trail required a rebuild, and modern trail maintenance and trail building is still ongoing to keep Ladies Only one of the best mountain bike trails in the world.

Description

The tale of this trail is a tale of the two sections. Upper Ladies is a challenging yet generally achievable trail, while Lower Ladies is quite possibly one of the most difficult mountain bike trails on the North Shore and, by extension, the planet.

Upper Ladies is now generally considered to be the heart of this classic line, and Digger's work on this trail has, in many ways, defined North Shore mountain biking. This trail was home to the first wooden roller coaster feature and wooden teeter-totter built for mountain bikes. Even today, the teeter-totter remains, and you'll enjoy some fantastic wooden roller coasters! However, the coasters have been rebuilt in recent years to be bigger and better than ever.

A modern-day ride on Ladies Only will reveal that the trail is veritably filled with tons of roots, steep drops, steep chutes, and an endless array of manmade wooden features. Above and beyond the aforementioned roller coasters and teeter-totter you'll find plenty of wooden rollers, skinnies, and drops. Some of the rollers lead straight into skinnies of varying sizes and difficulties. On your first ride down Ladies Only, you'll be amazed by the sheer variety and density of trail stunts!

One mandatory sniper drop between a couple of tight trees and over a root is quite techy, but Upper Ladies is, overall, quite achievable for a North Shore double black. Some of the alternate B lines help it still feel manageable, while the A lines still bring the heat.

Make no mistake: Ladies Only Exit and Lower Ladies Only are dramatically more difficult than Upper Ladies, to the point that only a few local mountain bikers ride these lower trail segments very often. They're that terrifying. Instead, for a slightly more reasonable route down this challenging mountainside, many riders choose to finish on Big Stupid instead.

The marquee feature on Big Stupid is a massive rock face with multiple line options rolling down it, one of which is known as "Big Stupid." However, this trail is far from being the most difficult black diamond on Mount Fromme. All of the jumps and technical sections feature ride-around options, and even the marquee rock slab features much easier lines down and around it. After the technical challenge of Upper Ladies Only, this could be a nice relief.

Follow the Baden Powell Trail to return to the trailhead for a mellow finish.

Sources: Digger: North Shore History X - Part I Digger: North Shore History X - Part II IMBikeMag.com NSMBA.ca NSMBA.ca OutdoorProject.com

Difficulty

Extreme

Very steep, difficult, narrow singletrack with widely variable and unpredictable trail conditions. Unavoidable obstacles could be 15in/38cm tall or greater, and unavoidable obstacles with serious consequences are likely to be present. Obstacles could include big rocks, difficult root sections, drops, jumps, sharp switchbacks, and more. Ideal for expert-level riders.

High Exposure

3 out of 4

Some trail sections have exposed ledges or steep ascents/descents where falling could cause serious 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
  • Gap Jumps
  • Rock Rolls
  • Rock Slabs
  • Rock Gardens
  • Wooden Feature

Similar routes nearby

Guidebooks in this area