Video: Riding Very Steep Chutes in Farwell Canyon
Each year, a select group of riders descend on Farwell Canyon to test their skill and grit on the legendary chutes, high above the stark blue of the Chilcotin River.
Before I even knew this place existed, I saw a headcam video of a rider blasting down the main line with the yellow trees and blue river down below. It was insane. The geography, the colours, the sheer skill and guts to ride this incredible line. I couldn't believe it, and I knew I needed to one day film it.
A few months later I was in a bar downtown Vancouver and started chatting biking with some friends of friends. I told them about this footage I had seen and asked if they had ever heard of this place. They both piped up, "oh ya dude, we ride out there!" Perfect. "Was there a guy named Eric Hartley out there with you?" I asked as it was the Instagram handle of the rider I had seen the headcam shot from. "Bro, that's me!" said one of the boys.
Well, excellent.
I told them that I needed to come out and film this madness, and the plan was in motion. Almost two years later it finally came to pass, and on Thanksgiving Long Weekend 2020 I drove into Farwell Canyon for the first time to meet up with 15 rowdy boys ready to send, and finally shoot this place in all its glory.
It was an epic three days where everyone laughed and nobody died. Many chute runs - several of the boys hitting it for the first time, a few good crashes, a full-blown Thanksgiving dinner featuring a turkey cooked in a garbage can by Ryan Bush (@rbushy23), dance parties in the Chinchilla huts, and two of the fellas ripping up the mainline on skis!!! The stoke was through the roof all weekend and everyone brought their A-game to the canyon.
All filming and editing done by yours truly (@rivirsawyer). Headcam footage provided by Bryce Piwek, Adam Studholme, and Eric Hartley.
RIDERS:
Dylan Sheffer @dylan_sheffer
Bryce Piwek @bryce_piwek
Ewan Fafard @ewanfafard
Eric Hartley @erichartley93
Ryan Bush @rbushy23
Isaac Giib @isaacgiibAdam Studholme @adamstudholme
Andrew Helton @heltron3030
Mac Fiesel @fiesel_fawker
Rob Gardner @gobradner
George Amos @george_amostc
Author Info:
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I'm no local up there and have little right to say what's right or wrong, just saying I'm concerned about the spot's future. Signs discouraging mountain biking popped up this year that weren't there last year, and some hikers were sort of concerned, making me worry about this epic location's future. I'm not saying it's some sort of elite super secret zone, but I think until recently it's been visible but not named much if you catch my drift.
I'm still very stoked on the video and I was really happy running into these guys up there and not having to drop in first haha, I'm just genuinely worried we may lose access to it.