New Host - TransRockies Spending Night at K2 Ranch

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

It's appropriate that the 2008 TransRockies will be spending a night at a ranch named for a fearsome Himalayan peak. Over the last six years, the TransRockies has established itself as a true international adventure, pushing mountain bikers to their limit with epic riding and the full spectrum of Rocky Mountain weather.

K2 Ranch, our host for the evening of Stage 1, is one of the oldest ranches in the Invermere area, founded in the 1890s during the initial settlement surge in the Columbia Valley. While the 9,200-acre ranch is just a 10-minute drive from Invermere on the Westside Road, it offers a truly pristine setting along the western edge of the majestic Columbia River valley at the base of the Purcell Ranges which contain some of the highest and most spectacular peaks in the Canadian Rockies. Bob and Barb Shaunessy bought K2 Ranch in 2000 and have undertaken extensive restoration and conservancy efforts to restore the land to its original 1890s state.

"We're really pleased to be able to spend our first night at K2 Ranch," said TransRockies Event Director Aaron McConnell. "It's an absolutely spectacular setting and will be a really authentic Rocky Mountain experience for the 600 racers who will be coming from all over the world to participate in this year's event."

To recognize the generosity of the Shaunessy family in allowing the TransRockies riders and support crew to spend a night on their land, the TransRockies will be making a donation in the name of 'SRL K2 Ranch - Bob and Barb Shaunessy' to the Mount Nelson Athletic Park in Invermere, which serves the entire region with a wide range of sport and recreational facilities.

2008 Stage Locations Announced!

Since the last edition of the TransRockies finished in downtown Fernie, British Columbia, organizers and trail crew members have been hard at work planning the 2008 route. So, when 600 riders from over 20 countries roll up to the start line in Panorama Resort this August, they will be facing seven days of mountain biking which includes more singletrack, more vertical and more distance than before.

Throughout the route development process, rider feedback was foremost in mind and the seventh edition of the TransRockies which takes place from August 10th until August 16th will mix in the classic TransRockies routes and stopovers which received high rider marks with new trails and host locations to improve the riding experience. This will be the third year that the TransRockies has run mostly along the British Columbia side of the Continental Divide, and each year more trails and routing options through the Kootenay Rockies are developed and discovered.

One of the key new elements for 2008 is a new, longer Day 7 routing which will see the riders travel from Crowsnest Pass through to Fernie, crossing the Continental Divide one last time. "We received feedback from many riders that Stage 7 was a bit too short," said Event Director Aaron McConnell. "So, for 2008 we've added another 35km or so with lots of new singletrack to the route. Those beers in Fernie are going to taste even better after another classic TransRockies day."

Sometimes, circumstances force unexpected changes which turn out to be for the best. In 2007, extreme forest fire risk meant that the TransRockies was unable to make its traditional overnight trip to Crowsnest Pass. The extra night was spent in the gorgeous surroundings of Nipika Resort, marking the first time that the TransRockies has spent two consecutive nights in the same place. The day gave riders a day with no bags to pack, no tents to find and turned out to be so popular that it has been brought back for 2008. With an extra year to prepare, the routings through the Nipika area have been developed to offer even better riding.

While final routings are always subject to conditions such as snow melt, fire conditions and wildlife risk, the stopover locations for 2008 are listed below. As they have been in the past, maps and exact course information will not be announced until the start of sign-on in August.

2008 TransRockies Stage Locations

Stage 1 - August 10: Panorama Mountain Village to K2 Ranch
Stage 2 - August 11: K2 Ranch to Nipika Resort
Stage 3 - August 12: Nipika Resort to Nipika Resort
Stage 4 - August 13: Nipika Resort to Whiteswan Lake
Stage 5 - August 14: Whiteswan Lake to Elkford, BC
Stage 6 - August 15: Elkford, BC to Crowsnest Pass, AB
Stage 7 - August 16: Crowsnest Pass, AB to Fernie, BC