The EPIC 979
The Cumberland EPIC Trail is the culmination of more than five years of planning, collaboration, trail building, and stewardship by the United Riders of Cumberland. Set within Cumberland’s world-renowned trail network, the EPIC 979 experience showcases the scale, quality, and diversity of riding that has made Cumberland an internationally recognized mountain bike destination.
Built through strong partnerships with Mosaic Forest Management, Manulife Investment Management, and the Village of Cumberland as the landowners, community, volunteers, and the trail using community, the project reflects a long-standing commitment to sustainable recreation within an active working forest landscape and municipal forest lands. The EPIC trail was made possible through the support of the Destination Development Fund, BC and marks a major milestone not only for Cumberland, but for mountain biking in British Columbia, celebrating the trails, people, and partnerships that continue to shape one of North America’s most successful trail networks.
The Climb
Sobo no Michi
Sobo no Michi, translating from Japanese as Grandmother’s Path, is the official name of Cumberland’s primary climbing trail. Most riders simply refer to it as the climbing trail or affectionately shorten it to Sobo. This trail marks the start of all the Epic 979 route.
Above and Beyond
Above and beyond continues directly from Sobo no Michi and serves primarily as a roadbed-style climbing trail leading into single track trail onwards up the ascent to join the Switchback access road and onwards to Okey Dokey
Okey Dokey
As the idea of the Epic project began to take shape, one of the big considerations was where to put the climb line towards the Beaufort Range. Thus Okey Dokey was born to bypass the grueling nature of Grunt and Grind to continue towards the highest point in the network. You find Okey Dokey by going a short way past the entrance to Mumbo Jumbo.
Climb and Punishment
Much like Above and Beyond, Climb and Punishment is split into three sections and primarily follows an old roadbed, beginning at roughly 650 meters above sea level and climbing to the network’s highest elevation. The 5-kilometre route crosses one land boundary, transitioning from Mosaic Forest Management land at the start to Manulife Investment Management land up to the summit of 995m.
The Viewpoint
The Viewpoint marks the highest point in the Cumberland trail network at 995m, offering a truly spectacular vantage of Vancouver Island’s rugged beauty.
From this summit, riders are rewarded with sweeping views down the Beaufort Range, across the Comox Glacier, beyond Mount Washington, and over the rolling expanse of Forbidden Plateau. On a clear day, you can trace your gaze from Courtenay and Comox to the Spit, across Quadra Island, and out toward the distant Sunshine Coast – an almost full 360 degrees of classic British Columbia scenery. Plus, being the reward for where the downhill all starts where the experience begins to get even more real!
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The Descent
979 – The Name Behind the Number
For years, 979 was thought to be the network’s highest point. Later, we learned the true summit sits 18 m higher at 995 m which is a surveyor’s tale in itself. That said the whole project had been to find 979 and build a trail to it, the lure, the lore, and now the legend behind the EPIC 979 name. 979 was the overall quest to reach the legitimate summit as marked on the map.
Revenge of the Trees
After a short connecting climb from 979, Revenge of the Trees drops into one of the raddest and fun sections on the descent. Twisting through varied sections of forest and negotiating rocky outcrops, with steep side-cut, sharp lines, and plenty of technical character, it serves up raw single-track joy. It’s the kind of section that spikes your heart rate and leaves your eyes wide and your grin from ear to ear.
Skinny Lane
Skinny Lane earned its name for two reasons.
First, it’s a short, narrow section of trail connecting Revenge of the Trees to the next section, Dirt Luge. Second, it runs near the headwaters of a small, unusually thin body of water – shaped like a sausage – which we never confirmed had an official name. We nicknamed it Skinny Lake, and the trail alongside naturally became Skinny Lane.
Dirt Luge
Dirt Luge is exactly what it sounds like – think Olympic-style luge, but on dirt! This section of forest revealed a natural corridor packed with high-banked turns, huckable rollers, humps, and bumps that practically begged us to shape it into a seriously wild ride.
Unlike anything else in the descent section, Dirt Luge has its own rowdy personality. Thanks to easy access via double-track service roads, we were able to bring in a small excavator to supercharge the natural feature – turning it into a flowing, fast, single-track blast that threads perfectly through the heart of the descent section.
Josh’s Rock
Known as Josh’s Rock, this stretch marks the final leg of the 979 loop before reaching the Trent River Main. The trail unfolds in two distinct sections: after Dirt Luge, a classic Cumberland short climb sets you up for a punchy downhill through steep rock and deep forest, finishing the first section with one of the only man-made features on the line – a drop (or roll if you like) off a rock outcrop. After crossing a small service road, you enter the true Josh’s Rock segment and known by another name to the local trail building community who found it and later created the experience. This section soaks up sun-rays and it often shines bright as you pick your way down another steep, rocky descent, leading into a long, technical finish that fires you out onto Trent River Main service road.
Poacher’s Trap
Poacher’s Trap connects the end of the Epic 979 loop to the start of the four optional Epic endings. The idea behind Poacher’s Trap was to create a line that directs connects you to existing trails as an alternative to riding the service road. Poachers Trap has earned itself many ‘campfire stories’ with a rich history of past shenanigans in that area.
Ultimatum
One of the biggest quandaries in shaping the Epic 979 Experience was figuring out how to reach the backcountry high point and then, once we’d mapped the descent, where the downhill line would reconnect with the network to complete the experience. The Ultimatum line is the continuation of the EPIC 979 black diamond experience. While the three other ending experiences are all double black diamond designated trails.
The Epic Endings
1. The Ultimatums Route
This is the primary continuation for a Black Diamond experience, taking riders from Upper Ultimatum to Lower Ultimatum, across Bear Buns, over Sykes Bridge, and onto Off-Broadway, returning riders to the starting point at the base of the climbing trail.
2. Chunder – The Rowdy Downhill
For those seeking more downhill action riders can continue past Upper Ultimatum onto Chunder, enjoying an exhilarating descent that connects to Prohibition and delivers them to China Creek Trail, where an exit to Cumberland near the Coal Creek disc golf course is possible.
3.Grub, Strub and Pity the Fool – The Spicy Free Ride esq. downhill
Riders can take Wookie Toothpicks north to the Queso Climb, then turn onto Grub, Stub, and Pity the Fool. This route provides a challenging downhill with gap jumps, drops, roll-downs, and extremely steep terrain, culminating in a full Epic Experience.
4.Queso Grande – Extended Epic
For those with extra energy, continuing up the Queso Climb to the start of Queso Grande offers an additional 7 km of technical downhill, interspersed with climbs for variety. This is the longest route and represents the ultimate completion of the Epic Experience.
The Trailforks Cumberland EPIC Challenge
The Cumberland Epic Challenge requires riders to complete all four versions of the EPIC 979 over the course of the season and collect the Trailforks badges associated with each route.
Once all four EPIC routes are completed within the set timeframe, riders earn the overall Epic Challenge badge, recognizing the completion of roughly 120 kilometres of epic riding in Cumberland, BC.
At the end of the season, riders who complete all challenges can claim an exclusive EPIC Challenge sticker pack. Five lucky winners will also be drawn to receive a copy of the EPIC 979 storybook, celebrating the adventures and journey behind the five-year project.
Entry into this first-year free challenge requires a current UROC membership, and all challenges must be completed on a mountain bike. E-bikes are welcome to participate; however, they are not eligible for the storybook prize draw.
Stay tuned for the registration information!