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ATV/ORV/OHV Filter
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Activity Recordings
Trailforks users anonymized public ridelogs from the past 6 months.
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Activity Recordings
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Jump Magnitude Heatmap
Heatmap of where riders jump on trails. Zoom in to see individual jumps, click circles to view jump details.
Trails Deemphasized
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Only show trails with NO bikes.
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
59 trails
- E-Bike
8 trails
- Hike
58 trails
- Trail Running
58 trails
- Dirtbike/Moto
2 trails
- ATV/ORV/OHV
2 trails
Region Details
- 18
- 5
- 34
- 2
Region Status
Open as of May 14, 2022
Stats
- Avg Trail Rating
- Trails (view details)
- 59
- Trails Mountain Bike
- 59
- Trails E-Bike
- 8
- Trails Hike
- 58
- Trails Trail Running
- 58
- Trails Dirtbike/Moto
- 2
- Trails ATV/ORV/OHV
- 2
- Total Distance
- 38 miles
- Total Descent
- 4,584 ft
- Total Vertical
- 827 ft
- Highest Trailhead
- 981 ft
- Reports
- 1,735
- Photos
- 341
- Ridden Counter
- 15,139
Popular The Abyss / Extension Ridge Trails
Mountain Bike Routes
| title | rating | distance |
|---|---|---|
| Marban Loop | 7 miles | |
| EXTENSION TO GATEKEEPER | 17 miles | |
| Loaves and Fishes - Hurt Ride race | 123 miles | |
| VMC 120k - Van Isl - presented by Gorge Active Wellness race | 70 miles | |
| 117 miles | ||
| 5 mile The Abyss / Extension Ridge All-Mountain Ride | popular ridelog | 5 miles |
| 6 mile The Abyss / Extension Ridge Ride | popular ridelog | 6 miles |
| 5 mile The Abyss / Extension Ridge Cross-country Ride | popular ridelog | 5 miles |
| 6 mile The Abyss / Extension Ridge Ride | popular ridelog | 6 miles |
| 10 mile The Abyss / Extension Ridge Ride | popular ridelog | 10 miles |
Photos of The Abyss / Extension Ridge Mountain Bike
trail: Ninja Connector
17 |
Feb 2, 2022 @ 4:15pm
Feb 2, 2022
trail: Connector
39 |
Jun 11, 2020 @ 11:17am
Jun 11, 2020
trail: Bottlerocket
49 |
Jun 11, 2020 @ 7:23am
Jun 11, 2020
trail: Chicken Dinner
108 |
Apr 30, 2020 @ 9:43pm
Apr 30, 2020
trail: Chicken Dinner
152 |
Apr 25, 2020 @ 10:50pm
Apr 25, 2020
trail: Bottlerocket
43 |
Jul 30, 2019 @ 9:58pm
Jul 30, 2019
trail: Humility
341 |
Mar 29, 2011 @ 10:57pm
Mar 29, 2011
trail: Humility
281 |
Mar 29, 2011 @ 10:54pm
Mar 29, 2011Videos of The Abyss / Extension Ridge Mountain Bike
trail: The Abyss
0:28 |
154 |
Jul 6, 2020
trail: This Bud's 4 U
0:24 |
46 |
May 1, 2020
trail: The Abyss
4:05 |
884 |
Mar 14, 2016
trail: Bottlerocket
2:51 |
1992 |
Mar 6, 2012
trail: Inside Out
2:12 |
26 |
Oct 19, 2011
trail: Inside Out
2:12 |
160637 |
Oct 18, 2011
trail: Bottlerocket
1:58 |
9203 |
Oct 6, 2011
trail: Inside Out
2:49 |
106447 |
Aug 31, 2011
Current Trail Warnings
| status | trail | date | condition | user | info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fu Manchu | May 14, 2022 @ 9:57am May 14, 2022 | Wet | Jbrassard98 | ||
| Rusty Nail | May 6, 2022 @ 10:03am May 6, 2022 | Wet | Jbrassard98 |
Recent Trail Reports
| status | trail | date | condition | info | user |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HMR19 | May 14, 2022 @ 9:57am May 14, 2022 | Variable | Jbrassard98 | ||
| Extension secondary road | May 14, 2022 @ 9:57am May 14, 2022 | Variable | Jbrassard98 | ||
| Keiths | May 14, 2022 @ 9:57am May 14, 2022 | Variable | Jbrassard98 | ||
| Nookie | May 14, 2022 @ 9:57am May 14, 2022 | Wet | Jbrassard98 | ||
| Sticks and Stones | May 14, 2022 @ 9:57am May 14, 2022 | Wet | Jbrassard98 | ||
| Honey Brown | May 14, 2022 @ 9:57am May 14, 2022 | Wet | Jbrassard98 | ||
| Diggler | May 14, 2022 @ 9:57am May 14, 2022 | Wet | Jbrassard98 | ||
| Connector | May 14, 2022 @ 9:57am May 14, 2022 | Wet | Jbrassard98 | ||
| Poker Run | May 14, 2022 @ 9:57am May 14, 2022 | Wet | Jbrassard98 | ||
| Chicken Dinner | May 14, 2022 @ 9:57am May 14, 2022 | Variable | Jbrassard98 |
Activity Feed
| username | action | type | title | date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | fOezmkBR | wishlist | region | The Abyss / Extension Ridge | May 17, 2022 @ 12:37pm 1 day |
| Stellaaaa | vote | poi | Abyss Earthquake Fissure | May 14, 2022 @ 5:11pm May 14, 2022 |
 | Jbrassard98 | add | report | HMR19 and 10 more | May 14, 2022 @ 3:56pm May 14, 2022 |
 | cemoorelife | add | report | Water Pipeline Spur 1 and 8 more | May 8, 2022 @ 8:33pm May 8, 2022 |
| Jbrassard98 | update | trail | Carcass | May 6, 2022 @ 3:53pm May 6, 2022 |
Recent Comments
| username | type | title | comment | date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | report | Thanks Keith for using our leverage to remove... | Apr 24, 2022 @ 1:06pm Apr 24, 2022 | ||
| report | Thanks for clearing the trees! | Feb 19, 2022 @ 1:22pm Feb 19, 2022 | ||
| trail | A work of art. Bravo! | Jan 29, 2022 @ 1:04pm Jan 29, 2022 | ||
| trail | If I were a local I would probably obsess over... | Sep 10, 2021 @ 5:36pm Sep 10, 2021 | ||
| trail | If you like fast, flowy trails with jumps and... | Sep 9, 2021 @ 9:37am Sep 9, 2021 |
Nearby Areas
| name | distance | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water District Lands | 3 | 13 | 1.6 km | ||
| Ridge Runner | 10 | 60 | 1 | 1.6 km | |
| South Benson / Wolf Mountain | 2 | 8 | 18 | 2 | 2.5 km |
| Westwood | 3 | 19 | 6 | 2 | 3.7 km |
| North Benson / Jameson | 1 | 4 | 1 | 6 km |
Local Badges
-
Completionist6 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 | 59 | 38 miles | 4,583 ft | 17 miles | 827 ft | #397 | #52 | 325 | 1,733 | 8 | 10,864 | |
| E-Bike | 8 | 4 miles | 853 ft | 2 miles | 489 ft | #1,117 | #79 | 1,532 | 2 | 158 | ||
| Hike | 58 | 38 miles | 4,583 ft | 17 miles | 827 ft | #263 | #44 | 16 | 1,725 | 611 | ||
| Trail Running | 58 | 38 miles | 4,583 ft | 17 miles | 827 ft | #265 | #44 | 1,725 | 1 | 450 | ||
| Dirtbike/Moto | 2 | 5,059 ft | 33 ft | 427 ft | #248 | #20 | 720 | 16 | ||||
| ATV/ORV/OHV | 2 | 5,059 ft | 33 ft | 427 ft | #137 | #10 | 719 | 6 |
- By canadaka
Trailforks & contributors - Admins: Jbrassard98, NMBC
- #1354 - 22,560 views
- the abyss / extension ridge activity log | embed map of The Abyss / Extension Ridge mountain bike trails | the abyss / extension ridge mountain biking points of interest
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