In the past 25 years since Sun Peaks Resort LLP (SPR) opened the bike park, those instrumental in its beginning continue to see growth, enthusiasm for the sport and a culture that brings adventure, excitement and talent to the community.
While the hard work that went into building the very first, hand-built trails were done with a vision of creating a place for mountain biking in the Interior, the distinct growth of the park astounds even its creators.
“In 1999, if you had told me 25 years later we’d be doing this and talking about this, it probably wouldn’t have resonated at all,” Barney Mouat told SPIN. “To watch it grow, it’s been humbling.”
Mouat was an original trail crew member in 1999 when the park first opened. He’s still with SPR as the senior manager of the bike park, a testament to the park’s growth in itself.
For Mouat, the evolution of the sport was the catalyst and motivator for the creativity and passion that inspired many of the trails.
“As the bikes and the technology of the bikes changed, what people could do changed, which then in turn changed the way people approached building trails,” he explained. “People constantly reimagined what was possible, and then we tried to deliver that.”
As the evolution of mountain biking brought more talent to the sport, Sun Peaks saw more interest in racing and competitions, prompting events like the B.C. Cup and the Canadian Downhill Championships. It was during this time Mouat really saw the benefits of the trails he and many others were working so hard to craft.
During one of the competitions, a local rider named Dustin Adams once again inspired Mouat. In one of the most challenging sections of a trail, dubbed Twisted Sister, Mouat and the other locals who hiked up to watch the competition saw Adams gracefully handle the technical and steep terrain.
“We were just so amazed at the skill of [Adams], who went on to win,” Mouat recalled. “That’s what made this memory so special. As I stood there and watched it, I’m like, man…I wish I could do that.”
He described the moment as one of collective emotion and amazement. In another story of grit and skill, he recalled the World Masters Cross-Country Championships when he saw rider Marie-Hélène Prémont make easy work of one of the most challenging sections of one of the trails built specifically for the competition.
”It was just kind of deflating to watch somebody do something so perfectly without looking like it even took much energy,” he laughed. “Those things are so motivating to see.”
It was moments like this that pushed Mouat and his team to do more, creating more technical and challenging terrain to entice the best of the best to Sun Peaks. It is to the team of dedicated trail builders that he attributes the bulk of the bike park’s success— people like Jordan Petrovics and Trevor Marshall.
Petrovics now lives in Golden, B.C., but was instrumental in the start of the bike park as one of the first mountain bike patrollers. He and Mouat worked together closely, ensuring the safety of riders and maintaining the trails.
“I just finished up an adventure tourism program, and at the time I think I was all of 19 and I landed my dream job,” Petrovics said of his time in the bike park. “It’s been quite an evolution to see where the whole sector has gone now in terms of the downhill industry and the biking industry in general.”
To see some of his original visions come to life in the park is one of the more satisfying experiences as he looks back on the park’s 25 years. His ambitions of machine-built trails and developments that kept SPR on track with Whistler and SilverStar are primarily what stands out.
“Having these visions and now going back and seeing these trails that have been built fully in line with some of the ideas that people like Barney [Mouat] and myself were floating around 22, 23 years ago…it’s really neat.”
Specifically seeing the development of Sundance mountain, which Petrovics calls an “anchor” for the SPR in terms of mountain biking.
Taking in the new goes hand-in-hand with admiring the old. Giving him the warm and fuzzy of nostalgia, while enjoying the bike park, Petrovics has spotted areas of the trail he built around 25 years ago.
“There’s still some stuff in there that has stood the test of time, specifically some on trails like Sweet One and Sugar and those areas,” he said. “It’s one of those things that gives you a good feeling when you’re out there seeing how it’s evolved, but how some things have also kind of stayed the same.”
For him, some of the best memories are of camaraderie and the connection only a shared passion can bring. He recalled being one of the only patrollers on the mountain, trying to wrangle 15 or so local riders off the trails at the end of the day, and during that “cat-and-mouse game” all showing off and developing more skills as the sun set.
“Then obviously rolling onto a patio after shift and sitting around drinking jugs of beer and reminiscing on what was going on,” he added. “There was always this cool vibe of excitement that this product was going to grow and become something big.”
That evolution is something Marshall, who was contracted to build some trails, including Honeydrop, spoke to.
“Sun Peaks has progressed as the sport has progressed,” he said. “When we were doing the trail building, it was still a very aggressive cross-country, as well as downhill type, single-tracks with a lot of obstacles.”
While he contributed to the first trails, which he said were the product of “a lot of blood, sweat and tears…some hard work and young guys,” he’s inspired by the newer options in terrain.
“As far as Sun Peaks goes, I think it’s definitely proving the ability of these riders,” he said. “I think a lot of high-end riders enjoy Sun Peaks because of its versatility.”
That versatility and quality of trails in the Sun Peaks Bike Park is the result of hard work and dedication of many, all three agree. As Mouat acknowledged the emotion of reminiscing on the past, he shared his appreciation for those people.
“The energy and the amount of people that care about this…” he said in wonderment. “It’s just really an honor to be lumped in with these people, and it’s given me the chance to share how special it is – not just to me, but to a group of people.”
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