What’s in a name? Ride down Cumberland’s trail-blazing mountain bike history

Located in the heart of the Comox Valley lies a paradise for adrenaline seekers.

With 200 miles of managed trails, covering more than 6,500 acres, the hills surrounding Cumberland have become a mecca for mountain biking in North America over the years.

Each of the more than 200 trails in this natural park has a name that hides a rich history, full of camaraderie, laughter and stories.

Dougal Browne, executive director of the United Riders of Cumberland (UROC), who has built more than 40 mountain bike trails in his lifetime, explained that most of the time, those who lead the building of the trail get the honor of baptizing the latter.

“Choosing a trail name is often a fun, light-hearted, not-so-serious aspect of trail building,” Browne said.

Builders are typically inspired by memorable events, humorous anecdotes, historical stories, or any meaningful experiences they encounter during their journey of creating a new path.

One of Browne’s favorite track names is called Two and a Juice.

“A long time ago, there was a mine (in the mountains) and the miners would go out for their lunch break when they were allowed to stop,” Browne explained. “There was a rather enterprising man who went up to that mine head with portable lunch packs containing sandwiches and juices. (He) said he could hear the workers shouting their order across the forest saying, ‘Two and a juice.’ about me ! “

However, riders should not be swayed by whimsical trail names when choosing their next trail.

“Probably the steepest road in Cumberland is called Cupcake,” added Browne. “The main trail builder decided to call it that, he had some leftover cupcakes from his baby shower and took the trails (and shared them) with others.”

Some other bike paths carry the burden of an interesting local tradition.

Bucket of Blood pays homage to a shuttered Cumberland bar that was the scene of numerous booze-fueled feuds in its heyday.

“Going down to that bar on a Friday night was considered a night with a bucket of blood because it often ended in a fight,” Browne said.

Perhaps one of the most famous trails in the network, Space Nugget, has a long history dear to the community.

“Before (Space Nugget) even existed, there was a trail called the Black Hole (named after some riders) found a large mining hole near a log-covered path,” Browne said. “When they threw a rock into it, it resonated in the hole, (hence the name). When Space Nugget was built, people said it was in this ‘really beautiful nugget of forest.’ They nicknamed it Space Nugget in line with the space theme of Black Hole”.

In the early 2000s, the Cumberland Community Forest Society managed to raise enough funds to buy the land through which the path runs, ensuring its protection from being registered. This effort was part of a larger campaign known as Save Space Nugget, which was featured in a 40-minute documentary.

Mountain biking in BC has its origins in North Vancouver in the late 80’s.

Influenced by their experiences riding the trails in the mainland metropolis, a group from Cumberland returned home in the early 1990s, full of enthusiasm, and began to create a community of their own.

What started as a small initiative blossomed into a trail network with 15 mapped trails in the early 2000s.

Today, Cumberland offers one of the largest networks of trails in North America, receiving more than 220,000 visits last year.

However, the success of Cumberland’s mountain bike culture is largely due to a group of dedicated community players.

Volunteers and grassroots organizations are engaged in discussions with logging companies that own the surrounding forest, namely Mosaic Forest Management and Manulife Investment Management, as well as the Village of Cumberland. Together, they spearheaded a landmark land access agreement, making it the first of its kind in Canada.

Administered by the UROC, this pioneering partnership has set the standard for collaboration between private landowners and recreational users, thanks to the effectiveness of community-led initiatives.

“The reason Cumberland is so prominent on the map is that it is, it has all these wonderful things attached to it,” Browne said. “The network is huge, it’s right next to the village, it’s organized, it’s well maintained, it’s basic, it’s organic. Everyone is happy to go into that forest and come out of there happy. It’s just a positive space in the world and that’s hard to come by these days.”

For more information on mountain biking in Cumberland or to find out more about upcoming events, visit the UROC website via unitridersofcumberland.comfollow the group on Instagram, or join their Facebook page.

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