more stats
1.7 miles
Distance
-1,742 ft
Descent
00:33:31
Avg time
-1,742 ft
Altitude change
2,452 ft
Altitude min
4,194 ft
Altitude max
4,194 ft
Altitude start
2,451 ft
Altitude end
-19%
Grade
-57.8%
Grade max
1.7%
Grade min
59 ft
Distance climb
2 miles
Distance down
00:33:31
Avg time

Dark Crystal Details

  • Activities
    • Mountain Bike
    • E-Bike
  • Riding Area
    Blackcomb CRA
    Whistler, British Columbia
  • Difficulty Rating
    Black Diamond Rate
  • Voted Difficulty
    Black Diamond (12 votes)
  • Local Popularity
    90 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • 100 in E-Biking
  • Global Ranking
    #139 in Mountain Biking [+]
    • #1136 in E-Biking
  • Trail Type
    Singletrack
  • Bike Type
    DH, AM
  • Direction
    Downhill Only
    Popular Direction Shown
  • Climb Difficulty
    Black Diamond
  • Physical Rating
    Hard
  • Season
    July - November
  • eBike Allowed
    Yes up to Class 1
  • TTFs on Trail
    Rock Face
  • Year Opened
    2015
  • Land Owner
    Whistler Blackcomb

This trail is NOT SUITABLE for wet weather riding. Please choose other trails during periods of rain or extended wet weather.

Now officially a part of the Blackcomb trail network, Dark Crystal descends from the bottom of the Crystal Ridge Express chairlift to the Blackcomb Access Road next to Micro Climate. Built by Scott Veach and Ben Haggar, Dark Crystal was designed to use as much natural terrain as possible with low angles to keep riders from having to use their brakes, and as a result, ensure the trail has longevity. It integrates as many rock slabs and faces as possible throughout and overall the descend is a lot of bang for your buck.

Disclaimer

Please follow these trail guidelines: - Respect spring and fall seasonal closures, due to trail conditions and black bear hibernation. - No Dogs. - No access above Microclimate before 9:30am daily.

Trail Supporters
Local Trail Association
Traditionally Indigenous Territory

Recent Activity on Trail

Past Week
  • 12 rides
  • 11 miles average
6 Months
  • 239 rides
  • 11 miles avg distance
All
  • 1,761 rides
  • Last: Sep 13, 2026
c1c2c3c4
January
February
March
April
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August
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Status:
on Sep 6, 2026
Variable
Avg: 4.75 (102 votes)
Your vote: 0

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Trail Conditions
  • Unknown
  • Snow Groomed
  • Snow Packed
  • Snow Covered
  • Snow Cover Partial
  • Freeze/thaw Cycle
  • Icy
  • Prevalent Mud
  • Wet
  • Variable
  • Ideal
  • Dry
  • Very Dry
Trail Flow (Ridden Direction)
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The colour categories are based on what percentage of users are riding a trail in its intended direction.
  • > 96%
  • > 90%
  • > 80%
  • > 70%
  • > 50%
  • < 50%
  • bi-directional trail
  • no data
Trail Last Used
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  • < 2 days
  • < 1 week
  • < 2 weeks
  • < 1 month
  • < 6 months
  • > 6 months
Trail Ridden Direction
The intended direction a trail should be ridden.
  • Downhill Only
  • Downhill Primary
  • Both Directions
  • Uphill Primary
  • Uphill Only
  • One Direction
Contribute Details
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  • Description
  • Photos
  • Description & Photos
  • Videos
Trail Popularity ?
Trailforks scans activity logs 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. Think of this as a heatmap, more activities = more kinetic energy = warmer colors.
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Jump Magnitude Heatmap
Heatmap of where users jump on trails. Zoom in to see individual jumps, click circles to view jump details.
BC Backroad Status

Service Road Atlas is a free to use, community-driven service for viewing and creating reports on the numerous back-country service roads around B.C. and Alberta.

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Slope Aspect
Direction the slope faces
Flat N NE E SE S SW W NW
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        Directions to dark-crystal-49978 trailhead (50.119120, -122.906950)
        View on Discover Map

        Photos

        189 more »
        mtb
        1,819 |
        Oct 7, 2017 @ 4:30pm
        Oct 7, 2017
        mtb
        1,502 |
        Aug 21, 2016 @ 10:55pm
        Aug 21, 2016
        mtb
        36 |
        Aug 27, 2026 @ 7:15am
        Aug 27, 2026
        mtb
        36 |
        Aug 27, 2026 @ 7:15am
        Aug 27, 2026

        Videos

        34 more »
        youtuber The Most Popular Mountain bike trail in...
        mtb
        19:27 | 935 | Jul 28, 2024 , Whistler
        youtuber E-Bikes are... well... Something! - With...
        mtb
        17:55 | 1191 | Oct 17, 2019 , Whistler
        youtuber The Loam is Real With This One! - The Iconic...
        mtb
        13:32 | 2719 | Sep 25, 2019 , Whistler
        youtuber Fat Biking on Dark Crystal Part 1 ...
        mtb
        7:36 | 767 | Sep 20, 2019 , Whistler

        Articles

        Video: A Rip Down Blackcomb's Dark Crystal in 'Crystallize'
        Jan 1, 2020 from pinkbike.com
        Lucy Mackie takes a ride down Dark Crystal.

        Technical Trail Features (TTF)

        Trail Lists

        Routes with this trail

        1251
        Whistler Triple Crown
        ★ 5.0 • 37 miles • 8,991 ft • 24 •
        Whistler's three classic runs in one ride. If you complete this you are a beast.
        367
        Whistler Relive Your Rides Blackcomb Classic
        10 miles • 3,164 ft • 10 •
        Whistler Relive Your Rides Blackcomb Classic Dark Crystal and Hey Bud For other ride suggestions for this...
        483
        Blackcomb up to Dark Crystal down to Comfortably Numb
        ★ 2.8 • 10 miles • 2,717 ft • 22 • Loop •
        Up to with a couple of little detours, down, climb up to Comfortably Numb and descend the Foreplay Descent...
        4.8 ★★★★★
        102 Ratings
        5 ★ 88%
        4 ★ 6%
        3 ★ 4%
        2 ★ 1%
        1 ★ 1%

        41 Reviews & Comments

        middleagedmediocremtber middleagedmediocremtber
        This trail is 10/10. First third has some awesome slabs. Middle third gets a little techy. Final third has some gnarly chutes but all so fun. Solid black with a few double black spots and options. Riding pretty good right now. Note: climb up is a challenge!
        MikelHPvSE
        Way above my skill level, was absolutely brutal. A lot of very steep mandatory descents, and it's quite dusty too. If you're not a very confident slab and tech rider skip this one. I only rode it because microclimate was closed
        misterjohn123
        nothing too crazy, but the sustained jankiness and roots keep you on your toes the entire time

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        Nearby Trails

        Blackcomb CRA

        • By robfxpTF Pro & contributors
        • #49978 - 59,327 views

        Frequently Asked Questions

        ▼ Where is Dark Crystal located?
        Dark Crystal is located in Blackcomb CRA, Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. It is part of the Blackcomb CRA trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 50.11912, -122.90695.
        ▼ How hard is Dark Crystal?
        Dark Crystal is rated as Black Diamond difficulty. The physical rating is Hard. The average grade is 19%. The climb difficulty is rated Black Diamond.
        ▼ What is the elevation gain for Dark Crystal?
        The trail has 1,742 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 2,452 ft to 4,194 ft.
        ▼ Is Dark Crystal a point to point trail?
        Yes, Dark Crystal is a point to point trail. The direction is Downhill Only. The trail type is singletrack.
        ▼ How long is Dark Crystal?
        Dark Crystal is 1.7 miles long. The trail type is singletrack.
        ▼ Are dogs allowed on Dark Crystal?
        There is no information about dogs being allowed on Dark Crystal. Check with local trail managers or the trail page for the latest access rules.
        ▼ When is the best time of year to ride Dark Crystal?
        Dark Crystal is best visited during: July - November.
        ▼ How do I access Dark Crystal? Where is the closest parking trailhead?
        The closest parking and trailhead locations to Dark Crystal are: View all parking locations in the area.
        ▼ How long does it take to ride Dark Crystal?
        Based on recorded activities, it takes an average of 28 minutes to ride Dark Crystal. The trail is 1.7 miles long. Actual times will vary based on fitness level, conditions, and pace. View recent activity logs for more details.
        ▼ How busy is Dark Crystal?
        Dark Crystal is a very popular trail. There have been 10,098 recorded activities on this trail. The trail has received 9,810 check-ins. View recent activity on this trail.

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