FloReka

I would consider this easier than the climb up Hyperventilation. Lovely changes of grade to make it challenging yet enjoyable, technical and challenging. Hyperventilation is more of a grind, FloReka is still hard on the legs and lungs, but filled with opportunities for a deep breath. Anyways, good trails deserve to be linked with challenging climbs, it makes the descent that much more gratifying. Looking forward to a more tech orientated descent trail to be linked up with it. Part three is completely overgrown and will need a bunch of work before it can be enjoyed to the fullest. Looking forward to coming back to ride it again!

Fernie has lots of double track and single track trails, but this is unique as a very ridable and challenging ½ track trail that winds between small growth trees, open areas with great views, around lots and lots of switchbacks. This is a classic trail for those who like to maneuver their bike with patience as they climb, control their breathing, go into their own headspace, and clean a series of left/right climbs that are safe and really, really, well designed. There are no killer death drops, jumps, flashes of speed, or rock faces here for this is not designed as a downhill playground. Especially with the lower two thirds, as an uphill climb FloReka is like taking the steady cardo climb of S-Bomb, reshaping it into a twisting ½ track trail through tight low growth forest and open areas, and adding 40 relatively small but entirely manageable switch backs. This is not for people who crave mega down hills, air and fast flow on single track. The lower two thirds of FloReka, which is more developed and maintained, provides brilliant, manageable, climbing and slow traversing through the forest. Ultimately, this is a rewarding uphill, for if you have the patience, you will end up cresting the top and realize “Wow, I really learned a lot about how to maneuver my bike, slowly climb through a tight trail, and take gentle features one at a time“. This gets a five bike wheel rating as this accomplishes exactly what the builders wanted. This is uphill ½ track slow flow at its best.