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- Snow Groomed
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Trail Popularity ?
Trailforks scans ridelogs to determine which trails are ridden the most in the last 9 months.
Trails are compared with nearby trails in the same city region with a possible 25 colour shades.
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ATV/ORV/OHV Filter
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LEGEND
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- White
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- Significant Issue / Amber
- Closed
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- Wilderness (typically no bikes in USA)
- BLM (public)
- USFS (Wildlife sanctuaries darker than usfs)
- State land
- Indigenous
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Trail Conditions
- Unknown
- Snow Groomed
- Snow Packed
- Snow Covered
- Freeze/thaw Cycle
- Icy
- Prevalent Mud
- Wet
- Variable
- Ideal
- Dry
- Very Dry
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Extension Ridge is an XC trail network between Harewood and Extension, in the south of Nanaimo. The area is primarily singletrack on rock that runs north to south on successive parallel ridges with connecting trails between ridges. It has seen significant logging activity in recent years, but still has many beautiful spots worth visiting, including the locally famous "Abyss", an earthquake fissure that you wouldn't want to fall into.
Primary Trail Type: Cross-Country
google parking directions Access Info:
There is a trailhead on the north end of the network up Harewood Mines Road a little ways past the highway overpass and another on Extension Road to the south.
North entrance: When you reach some cement barriers on your left park and ride up beside the steps on the right a little ways down the logging road. Keep right until you see a sign for the Trans Canada Trail. This is the start of the Abyss.
South entrance: Following Extension Road west you will pass Cinnabar Drive to your left. Continue 500m along Extension Road until you see a gate on your right. Park along the road by gate and head along gravel road west to enter Hootenanny or north under the powerlines to enter Potsticker.
North entrance: When you reach some cement barriers on your left park and ride up beside the steps on the right a little ways down the logging road. Keep right until you see a sign for the Trans Canada Trail. This is the start of the Abyss.
South entrance: Following Extension Road west you will pass Cinnabar Drive to your left. Continue 500m along Extension Road until you see a gate on your right. Park along the road by gate and head along gravel road west to enter Hootenanny or north under the powerlines to enter Potsticker.
Links
Files
- abys trail map.pdf (507 KB)
Activities Click to view
- Mountain Bike
57 trails
- E-Bike
7 trails
- Hike
57 trails
- Trail Running
57 trails
- Dirtbike
2 trails
- ATV/ORV/OHV
2 trails
Region Details
- 18
- 3
- 34
- 2
Region Status
Open as of 2 days
Stats
- Avg Trail Rating
- Trails (view details)
- 57
- Trails Mountain Bike
- 57
- Trails E-Bike
- 7
- Trails Hike
- 57
- Trails Trail Running
- 57
- Trails Dirtbike
- 2
- Trails ATV/ORV/OHV
- 2
- Total Distance
- 38 miles
- Total Descent
- 4,857 ft
- Total Vertical
- 829 ft
- Highest Trailhead
- 982 ft
- Reports
- 1,420
- Photos
- 318
- Ridden Counter
- 11,744
Popular The Abyss / Extension Ridge Trails
Mountain Bike Routes
| title | rating | distance |
|---|---|---|
| Marban Loop | 7 miles | |
| Loaves and Fishes - Hurt Ride race | 123 miles | |
| 117 miles |
Recent Ridelog Activity in Region
Today
- 0 rides
- 0 m avg distance
Yesterday
- 7 rides
- 10.4 km avg distance
Past Week
- 69 rides
- 13.6 km avg distance
Photos of The Abyss / Extension Ridge Mountain Bike
trail: Connector
23 |
Jun 11, 2020 @ 11:17am
Jun 11, 2020
trail: Bottlerocket
36 |
Jun 11, 2020 @ 7:23am
Jun 11, 2020
trail: Chicken Dinner
85 |
Apr 30, 2020 @ 9:43pm
Apr 30, 2020
trail: Chicken Dinner
121 |
Apr 25, 2020 @ 10:50pm
Apr 25, 2020Videos of The Abyss / Extension Ridge Mountain Bike
trail: The Abyss
0:28 |
110 |
Jul 6, 2020
trail: This Bud's 4 U
0:24 |
31 |
May 1, 2020
trail: The Abyss
4:05 |
833 |
Mar 14, 2016
trail: Bottlerocket
2:51 |
1981 |
Mar 6, 2012
Recent Trail Reports
| status | trail | date | condition | user | info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Abyss | Apr 20, 2021 @ 11:03am 2 days | Ideal | poonces | ||
| Poker Run | Apr 20, 2021 @ 11:03am 2 days | Ideal | poonces | ||
| Extension Spur road | Apr 20, 2021 @ 11:03am 2 days | Ideal | poonces | ||
| Easy Peasy | Apr 20, 2021 @ 11:03am 2 days | Ideal | poonces | ||
| Fuzzy Bunny | Apr 20, 2021 @ 11:03am 2 days | Ideal | poonces | ||
| MCR11-14 | Apr 20, 2021 @ 11:03am 2 days | Dry | poonces | ||
| Sticks and Stones | Apr 20, 2021 @ 11:03am 2 days | Ideal | poonces | ||
| Honey Brown | Apr 20, 2021 @ 11:03am 2 days | Ideal | poonces | ||
| MCR11-8-1 | Apr 20, 2021 @ 11:03am 2 days | Dry | poonces | ||
| Never Stop | Apr 20, 2021 @ 11:03am 2 days | Ideal | poonces |
Activity Feed
| username | action | type | title | date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | poonces | add | report | The Abyss and 11 more | Apr 20, 2021 @ 2:55pm 2 days |
 | Miker246 | add | report | Chicken Dinner and 4 more | Apr 18, 2021 @ 2:46pm Apr 18, 2021 |
 | Loamrangerandsilver | ridden | trail | Chicken Dinner and 1 more | Apr 17, 2021 @ 9:57pm Apr 17, 2021 |
| party-marty | wishlist | trail | Humility and 1 more | Apr 15, 2021 @ 1:07am Apr 15, 2021 |
| uterbraten | ridden | trail | Cliffhanger | Apr 14, 2021 @ 4:48am Apr 14, 2021 |
Recent Comments
| username | type | title | comment | date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| trail | Collapsed mineshaft beside trail, currently... | Mar 7, 2021 @ 3:55pm Mar 7, 2021 | ||
 | report | Thank you nice work | Jan 31, 2021 @ 7:41am Jan 31, 2021 | ||
 | trail | Large tree blocking trail. Needs chainsaw worj | Dec 20, 2020 @ 2:13pm Dec 20, 2020 | ||
| trail | A fun trail along the edge of a (sandstone?)... | Oct 29, 2020 @ 11:28am Oct 29, 2020 | ||
 | trail | Loved this trail first time ride quite... | Oct 4, 2020 @ 11:36am Oct 4, 2020 |
Nearby Areas
| name | distance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water District Lands | 4 | 12 | 1.6 km | ||
| Ridge Runner | 6 | 48 | 1 | 1.6 km | |
| South Benson / Wolf Mountain | 2 | 9 | 16 | 2 | 2.5 km |
| Westwood | 3 | 19 | 7 | 2 | 3.7 km |
| North Benson / Jameson | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6 km |
Local Badges
-
Completionist3 awarded
Local Products
Activity Type Stats
| activitytype | trails | distance | descent | descent distance | total vertical | rating | global rank | state rank | photos | reports | routes | ridelogs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain Bike | 57 | 38 miles | 4,856 ft | 16 miles | 830 ft | #358 | #54 | 306 | 1,418 | 6 | 8,418 | |
| E-Bike | 7 | 4 miles | 827 ft | 2 miles | 489 ft | #790 | #66 | 1,249 | 2 | 75 | ||
| Hike | 57 | 38 miles | 4,856 ft | 16 miles | 830 ft | #246 | #47 | 12 | 1,410 | 306 | ||
| Trail Running | 57 | 38 miles | 4,856 ft | 16 miles | 830 ft | #249 | #47 | 1,410 | 1 | 225 | ||
| Dirtbike | 2 | 5,059 ft | 33 ft | 427 ft | #60 | 718 | 13 | |||||
| ATV/ORV/OHV | 2 | 5,059 ft | 33 ft | 427 ft | #19 | 718 | 5 |
- By canadaka
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