Burke Mountain - Coquitlam River Connector

Giving this trail a bit higher rating. The top two thirds of the trail is definitely a blue but the bottom third has some tricky steep sections that aren't quite blue (most have a ride around).

I thoroughly enjoyed riding this trail but do remember a steep section that was clay based and I did a 360 on a rainy day on it. Seems the trail might have been redirected. I highly recommend this trail for all. It reminds me of the trails me and my friends used to pour over maps to find and then go out and ride. A gem of a trail.

Me and the boys usually have to plan to ride this trail. It's either a double trucker or park it at the top of Shaughnessy and cycle up David to Coast Meridian and then up Harper. By this point we just ride a couple of the lower trails before hitting the Coquitlam River Connector.

The entrance to this trail is via The Woodland Walk, and the entrance is beside one of the steel wire holder giants. The first three quarters of the trail are absolutely a newbies wet dream of what mountain biking is all about. A few rocky sections and fallen logs to cross but mainly dirt and nice downhill. Here you can hold a chat with friends, read War and Peace, or write your memoirs. You get the picture great singletrack! Then comes the fun. The descent down a dirt section strewn with baby heads everywhere. If you miss the line you be bruised and scraped. Fun huh? And then you encounter what Wrong Way refers to affectionately as The Valley Of Death. You first hit the clay groove. Somebody in the group will bail in this (just a fact of life). Wet clay is like hitting black ice for a car, nasty when encountered and amusing (well not for the unfortunate). Generally your bike goes out from beneath you and you hit with a thud and slide the rest of the way on the side that hit ground first. Messy and fun to watch. Next you work your way towards the descent. The first one has two lines to choose from. The easiest is on the left and the hardest is on the right. The one on the right is best attempted via the log protrusion. When you get there you'll know what I mean, but not for the tame of heart or those on medication. So you've cleared this section and onto the next. Again two lines to choose from. Neither one is easy. And what are they. A steep section best attempted dry. During one of mine and Wrong Way's ride down this trail ended in near disaster. It was wet and I nearly rode the trail backwards as my bike decided it was boss and Wrong Way rode down without control and nearly took out a nice sized tree. Choose the line that is best for you and walking is an option if you're not up to it. Now onto the next quick clay section with the hard right turn on it. When wet control is best left to the trail and luck. So you've made the turn and into a quick drop and steep until you hit bottom. Now that you're at the bottom you have a stream to cross (good time to wash the muck off your rims) and in less than a minute you're at the Coquitlam River Trail. Head left to get to Shaughnessy. Don't need you to get lost in the watershed.