ADV BC. Exploring British Columbia

Want new adventures outside the usual destinations, but limited by time or distance? Consider the western Canadian province of British Columbia (B.C.). Vast and often extremely remote, you can choose between B.C.'s rugged coastal ranges, the scenic Cassiar Highway to the north, or the subject for this article, the majestic western slope of the Canadian Rockies, generally known as the Kootenays.

- Ian Schmeisser

B.C.’s southeast is just hours north of Spokane, WA, and very close to Banff and Jasper—two of Canada’s most spectacular national parks. With a landscape bisected by long lakes and rivers flowing south into the U.S., the roads range from single track to sweeping riverside turns and twisting sinews tracing mountainsides. And while the entirety of British Columbia is an adventure riding paradise, this section offers some of the world’s best.

BMW Motorrad chose this locale for the 2014 GS Trophy, a week-long international adventure competition. BMW’s Canadian partner, Motorcycle Expedition Hosts, is now sharing the GS Trophy’s routes in a week-long catered adventure called the GS Trophy Re-ride. This article describes several of their routes—there are countless more.

One Big Loop or Several Smaller

The GS Trophy Re-ride is a single 1,500 km loop that’s ridden in five long days. You could also choose a central location then ride out and back. And if you enjoy remote and primitive motorcycle camping, this rugged backcountry has everything you could want.

Rocks, washboard, potholes and erosion ruts make for more than just a ride in the park. Careful preparation is essential, and solo travel is for the experienced only. Prepare your motorcycle thoroughly, bringing a complete tire/tube repair kit, a first aid kit, and a personal locator beacon. Forestry is a huge industry here, so beware of logging trucks.

Both GPS and printed maps are essential. The Backroad Mapbooks are an excellent resource. While they also offer GPS maps, both Garmin and Google Maps have good detail and accuracy. Other resources for local expertise are DualSportBC.com and