Fat biking is worth checking out at Mount Washington Alpine Resort

By Keith and Heather Nicol

    Fat biking is new to Mount Washington Alpine Resort this season and before it got too slushy out we decided to try it. Since you need snow temperatures below zero and firm snow- the whole month of February and early March has pretty much been ideal for a test run. With warmer temperatures in the forecast we decided to head out on Sunday, March 10 since early morning temperatures showed -5 C at Raven Lodge.

The scenery is impressive from West Passage

      Fat bikes are pretty much like a regular bike except that they come with huge tires for reducing the pressure on soft surfaces like sand or snow.  For our test trip we just ventured along the West Passage trail which is an all purpose trail between Raven Lodge and the Hawk Chairlift. It is wide and although it is groomed for skiing many people also snowshoe or walk on it. It has just a few ups and downs so it is an ideal place to try fat biking out.  We were impressed by the fact that the bike left just a slight track in the snow and that it climbed up the hills just fine.  Given that fat bikes have brakes they must give way to all other users but this trail is so wide that it isn’t really an issue most of the time.  Braking on the downhills was also easy and the bike handled very well with no sign of skidding out on this dry firm snow.

The West Passage trail is a perfect place to try out fat biking

 Next time out I want to try Raven’s Revenge which is a steeper, longer trail and it will provide a good workout.  Mount Washington has fat bikes (and helmets) to rent at Raven Lodge (the cross country ski centre) but cyclists are invited to bring their own bikes as long as they meet the tire and pressure standards.  Also remember that unlike skiing or snowshoeing you are not allowed on the trail when temperatures climb above zero since slushy snow, bikes and skiers don’t mix.  So check the temperatures before you head up.  For more information see:https://www.mountwashington.ca/

The bikes left just a light imprint on the snow surface