Ridgeback – R1

Ridgeback was built and is maintained by the Calgary Mountain Bike Alliance. It's a mix of machine-built and hand-built construction, designed to provide an alternative to the perpetual wetness of the Tom Snow trail.

Ridgeback has a bit of everything - smooth dirt, roots, rocks, berms, boardwalks and views - providing a significant challenge for beginners and a fun rip for more advanced riders.

Ridgeback and Tom Snow come together at three points, dividing both trails into four sections, all of which are good in either direction. The parts of Tom Snow that Ridgeback bypasses are almost always wet & muddy.

The first short hand-built section of Ridgeback ("R1") starts at the junction with the Diamond-T loop. It kicks off with a 250' long boardwalk to avoid the mud of Tom Snow (which runs alongside for a stretch before the two trails diverge). At the north end, R1 merges back into Tom Snow for 10m before R2 peels off to the left again.

Access Info

Best accessed from Station Flats. Turn right at the trail head and ride up Tom Snow (aka Diamond-T). Cross the bridge after ~800m and shortly after you'll see the sign marking the start of the trail.