48 Hours
Prairie shredding near Regina and Moose Jaw
Southern Saskatchewan is a vast prairie. Native grasslands and fields stretch to the horizon. Even the sky appears larger. But hidden from sight across the expansive plains are forested valleys filled with aspen, alder and birch trees that drop to lakes and rivers. It’s in these areas with undulating hills where prairie mountain biking excels.
The Wascana Creek mountain bike trails, located 28 km northwest of Regina, have grown since hosting the 2005 Canada Summer Games. Today, there are 48 trails. The majority are rated as intermediate; however, there is a mix for all abilities, including 13 green and five black routes. They’re all interconnected, too, which means rides can be extended and varied by connecting different trails through the entire network.
Bert Seidel, the sales manager at Western Cycle in Regina, was quick to dispel the idea that Saskatchewan riding isn’t technical. It’s just different. The difficulty increases as riders find ways to carry speed through the constantly rolling terrain. “We typically ride for about two hours and cover a little more than 20 km,” Seidel says. “We repeat a few trails, but one I never miss is Phil’s. It’s a really nice flowy trail. Two other favourites are New Skool and Nogoats because they’re our longest downhill sections.”
Holy Rollers is short, measuring slightly less than 400 m with an elevation loss of 12 m, but it’s a prime example of how Saskatchewan’s trail builders use the available terrain to their advantage. “It’s built into the ridge,” Seidel says, “and has almost no elevation. But the trail builder did an amazing job. If you can hold your corners, you can carry amazing speed.”
Regina and Moose Jaw are both located on the TransCanada Highway, 73 km apart. Regina, as the provincial capital and second largest city in the province, has a busy economy. Although Viterra, the large grain-handling
company is located in the city, it’s no longer the economic force it once was. Now, the industries of public service and construction employ more people in Saskatchewan than agriculture. Oil and gas, and potash mining are key industries as well. Moose Jaw is Saskatchewan’s fourth largest city, with a population of roughly 35,000. Thanks largely to its climate, which is semi-arid with mostly clear skies, the city is a well-known flight training area. The cfb Moose Jaw is the Canadian military’s primary flight training centre and the home of the Snowbirds.
While neither area feels like a likely mountain bike destination, both have thriving cycling communities with tremendous local impact. Both the Offroad Syndicate Mountain Bike Racing Club and Moose Jaw Pavers Cycling Club, along with at least a half-dozen other cycling groups, are working to improve cycling in the region. “We’re pretty dedicated to supporting growth and making an impact in the mountain bike scene,” says Eric Lett, vice-president of development for Sask Cycling and a board member for the Offroad Syndicate. “We’re trying to make it clear that you don’t need to drive west to the mountains to have a good ride.”
Buffalo Pound Provincial Park – located just 32 km north of Moose Jaw and 84 km northwest of Regina – offers the area’s best mountain bike trail network. Its 40 trails lean heavily toward blue- and black-rated trails, but every trail is designed with diverse rider skills in mind. “We have support from Sask Parks,” says Lett, “who can really put in time and resources for maintenance and development. The future of biking is bright in this park. On weekends, Buffalo Pound is packed.”
The park has hosted every type of race, from Canada Cup cross country events in 2000 and 2002 to a cumulative five-lap downhill race. More recently, the annual Buffalo Pounder Sask Cup race is a highlight on the calendar; however, like most events in Canada, it was postponed in
“The trail builder did an amazing job. If you can hold your corners, you can carry amazing speed.”