I’m planning to do another Burnabop XL day in late October this year (24/25th), and mixing things up a bit with a new single loop route. It’s a bit shorter than last year’s double loop version (53km instead of 74, approx) but the elevation is only slightly less and most of the extra miles were flatter and paved. So it’s still pretty challenging!
The route now starts at this gazebo at Confederation Park, providing shelter in the event of precip, and washrooms nearby as well. Doesn’t quite have the ambiance of the green gate, but it’s overall an upgrade.
The first section is still somewhat work-in-progress; for this iteration I kept it simple but found it to be a little too boring. Regardless, it will lead to the trail network in Discovery Place Park, which feels a lot bigger than it is when riding through.
The route then passes near Deer Lake before climbing over Burnaby near Metrotown on a bit of a funky series of connections that worked out quite well. After this the route dumps into Central Park – where the maples were already putting on an autumn show!
A leading reason for the change from the previous route was that I wanted to include Kaymar ravine, pictured below. There is a staircase into it, but then it’s just this beautiful and hidden bit of nature where you wouldn’t expect it. The creek seems to be running even in the midst of summer, and when it’s hot out you can still count on it to be cool down here. I came here during a heat wave and couldn’t believe it.
Kaymar ravine pretty seamlessly connects to a really good series of trails down to Fraser Foreshore, then the route loops back northwards along Byrne Creek. This rail track crossing is the same as previous Burnabop XL and kinda sketchy, but trains are pretty uncommon on this route.
Then the ascent of Byrne Creek ravine begins, and this one’s also from the previous route. I love how it starts out quite difficult but slowly eases into less rooty and less steep. Cleaning the south section is quite the feat.
Another reason I love the Byrne ravine climb is that it culminates with this creepy courtyard. Ideally, this would be reached around dark, but the new route places this at around the half-way mark so that’s not a good idea. Lots more sketchy trail to come that is probably best avoided in the dark.
The next bit is new to this iteration, but a section I’ve come to quite enjoy when traversing this area of Burnaby – you can follow the powerlines diagonally across a bunch of blocks. It’s quite silly. But then it turns into a descent into Robert Burnaby park which is quite fun.
Once in Robert Burnaby, it’s the tried-and-true double ravine route. I never tire of this section; it’s not entirely rideable but it’s beautiful, and there are some of the most beautiful sections of trail in all of town here.
I tried something new after this section and it worked out really nice. The route now goes over this pedestrian bridge and drops into the Inter-Urban ROW trail network that cannot be missed. A section that was uphill in last year’s route is now downhill, and it’s a blast!
I tried a few entry options to this section and rest assured, the below left photo is an example of something that did not make the cut! It was so narrow I had to walk behind my bike, and even still I was getting grabbed by blackberry tendrils constantly. Ugh. But once into what will make it, it was a super fun loamy descent down to the old rail bed.
Below-left shows the state of growth on the Inter-urban ROW trail; nearly overgrown but quite passable. Honestly, pretty much perfect.
The route then continues on to loop around Burnaby Mountain, but I was short on time this day after a late start so I opted to grab beer at Dageraad and head home from there.
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