20 Years!
2002-2022
Big Mountain celebrates 20 years of exploring global riding destinations, designing expertly crafted trips and travelling the world with amazing people!
Here are a few milestones that we thought you’d enjoy…
2001
Big Mountain Bike Adventures is born. Whistler-based Chris Winter finds Swiss explorer Francois Panchard via dial-up internet who sells CD-rom trail maps. On a snowy night over bubbling fondue and a bottle of Chasselas at Panchard’s cosy chalet high in the Alps they devise a recon trip the following year. In 2002 Panchard hosts Winter and friends PK and Ryan Bowland on the first official trip. Minds are blown and Winter starts planning the future…
Left: Panchard in his element, in the high alpine as the sun sets.
2003
10 wild Canadians descend on Switzerland’s Valais region for a ridiculous 10-day exploratory trip where we rode from sunrise to sunset. A legendary journey that set the tone for Big Mountain with a cast of legendary characters. Panchard and Winter hatch the now defunct C.C.F.C., the Crazy Canuck Freeride Challenge.
Right: High on life packed in a tram heading up to the alpine for another night of revelry. Photo Sterling Lorence
2003
Journalist and entrepreneur Mitchell Scott names the now-famous Brazilian trail near Nax inspired by its trimmed grasses and super-buffed singletrack. It was a beautiful moment and one hell of a ride. Regrettably the trail exploded in popularity from Brussels to Berlin and is now closed to mountain bikers due to to much traffic.
Left: The path to Nax, officially renamed: The Brazilian
2004
Bike Magazine’s March 2004 issue hits the stands with a feature written by Mitchell Scott dubbed Swiss Bliss with the cover of Simmons and Shandro riding Zermatt in the setting sun. This story launches a decade of epic trips for Big Mountain in the Swiss Alps. The 10-page story begins with: “The acrid stink of burning brake compound, purpled steel and seared flesh rises through a cloud of man-sweat.” How could you not delve deeper?
Right: Zermatt with the setting sun on the Matterhorn, still one of the best places to mountain bike in our opinion. Photo Sterling Lorene
2005
Our 1st Costa Rica bike trip with all-star group of beauties including Thomas Vanderham, Dave Watson and Wade Simmons. Many Imperials where drank, waves surfed, volcanos ridden and sunburns had. Paulo Valle (sitting, bottom right) joins the Big Mountain team, the preeminent guide in his country, and one hell of a rider and all-around great person.
Left: The group in front of the cosy Hotel Milvia in central San Jose.
2006
Really, it wasn’t just 2006 but every summer in the Alps Panchard would pour over maps and he and Winter would explore big new loops like this meaty hike-a-bike up the Dent du Morcles with the Rhone Valley far far below. Disclaimer: this ‘ride’ never made it into a trip itinerary!
Left: The Champ Chad Onyschuk hugging the clifside.
2004-2014
A decade of epic guided trips in the Swiss Alps with great people led by amazing guides Joe Schwartz, Wade Simmons, Stephen Matthews, Myriam Saugy, Raphael Faisse & Winter. Legendary experiences! In those days riders carried little more than a toothbrush and a bottle of wine to an alpine hut for the night. Some summers would see six back to back trips in a row…hard work for the guides. Oh, the good ‘ol days!
Right: arriving to the Cabane du Mont Fort on the slopes of Verbier.
2004
Winter meets the Pellissier family hoteliers in the beautiful Val de Bagnes, a lifelong friendship begins and many fine raclettes enjoyed by our groups at their private mountain hut and flaming meat feasts in their cosy property, Hotel La Vallée. To this day riders return from our trips gushing about their time spent at this hotel and hosted by this amazing family.
Left: Jean-Marc with a wheel of local Bagnard cheese at his mayen high above their hotel in the village of Lourtier.
2005
The Collective film company joins us in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains to film an acclaimed segment that resonates today with riders Matt Hunter, Andrew Shandro and Thomas Vanderham. The trip was orchastrated by guide David MacDougall who expertly delivered a trip of a lifetime in this fascinating country. Morocco is one of our favourite destinations.
Right: Thomas Vanderham whipping it Moroccan-style.
2007
Big Mountain Freeride Bike Adventures briefly launched. Freeride was fun at the time, but it didn’t last long. Now, its enduro baby! Oh, and eMTB’s too of course…
2014
A love affair with northern countries begins with an amazing adventure riding the Landmannahellir trail in Iceland, one of the most spectacular riding destinations on the planet. Next up on the love affair, Norway’s Lofoten Islands and then, faraway Greenland.
Left: Straight up dreamy captured by the master, Mattias Fredriksson.
2014
Two-page Smith Optics ad of Big Mountain founder Chris Winter from Kathmandu Nepal.
Right: Stairway to heaven. Photo Leslie Kehmeier.
2017
Winter meets brothers and expert guides Nico and Chente in Cusco’s Plaza De Armas. In 2017 it had been 10 years since our first Peru trip and the brothers take this worldclass adventure to another level of amazing with their passion, warmth, kindness and super rad lodge in the Sacred Valley. Trust us, if you haven’t been to Peru with yet, put it on your list!
2017
Trek launches the Rail eMTB equipped with Bosch's 4th gen motor. The potential of power-assist on our trips begins to take shape and the planning begins as the technology advances. Will these bikes allow our riders to pedal six or more big days consecutively and have some gas in the tank to enjoy a glass of wine with dinner?
Left: fresh battery change in Italy’s Aosta Valley. Photo Margus Riga
2017
Riding Reinesfjellet while jetlagged in Narvik Norway, loosing track of time and realizing that we returned to our seaside lodge at 4:00AM. Unforgettable! This ride is the ultimate granite rock slab garden, over 20km of velcro rock and amazing riding to the sea shore.
Left: Sometime around 1:00AM the sun was still high in the sky. Amazing photo by Leslie Kehmeier.
2018
A 110-foot ship dubbed The Love Boat, a Turkish crew, Greek guides, 27 women from Whistler; what could go wrong? A hell of a good time! Guide extraordinaire Emily Slaco manages the impossible in Greece and hits the trip out of the park. On one night the boat had to be moved to a quiet cove out of a small village as the party was too ruckus for the locals. Party-on, sailor!
Right: Are you kidding?! Photo Angela Percival
2019
After the success of our Share the Ride Peru event that brought bikes to disadvantaged school kids to a remote school, our office manage Crystal, Winter and photographer Ben Haggar head to Botswana with a crate of Trek Bikes.
Kids dressed in traditional wears eye up some sweet mountain bikes. Photo Ben Haggar.
2019
With the help of adventurer and photographer Ben Haggar we launch the world’s first guided mountain bike trip in Greenland. Partially bike packing, partially based in coastal towns, an amazing trip like no other. Uncharted territory!
Right: Gazing out over the Ilulissat Icefjord in western Greenland. Photo Ben Haggar
2019
Recon eMTB traverse route from Zermatt to Verbier, across the Aosta Valley and around Mont Blanc to Chamonix. Three countries, three languages, two batteries, one hundred bottles of wine and one hell of a trip! After nearly 20 years of ‘acoustic’ bike adventures in the Alps could this one have raised the bar to another level.
Left: Dropping down to the foot of Mont Blanc. Photo Margus Riga
2020
We are honoured with Outside Magazine’s Trip of the Year for our Greenland adventure. Very grateful and honoured to be presented with this prestigious award by such a renowned magazine.
2022
Big Mountain survived its toughest challenge yet, a pandemic! We are back on our feet doing what we love planning and running mountain bike trips in dreamy global destinations with amazing people!
Right: One of those trips where an exceptional group of people come together! Early June 2022 in Croatia.
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Unlock the thrill of the trails with our incredible mountain bike tours. Leave the planning to us and immerse yourself in exhilarating rides through stunning landscapes, top-notch accommodations, and experiences that resonate with every pedal stroke. From challenging singletracks to serene mountain vistas, Big Mountain Adventures offers an unforgettable journey for every mountain biker.
