Mountain Biking FAQs

Retallack caters to intermediate to expert riders who are in good physical condition. You don’t need to be an expert rider, however, our terrain and trails are not for the meek and inexperienced. You should consider yourself an intermediate mountain biker and be proficient with tight corners and steep hills. If you ride on trails more than two times per week and have previously ridden a lift-accessed bike park or trail marked as intermediate to advanced you will be fine. Our guides take it upon themselves to inform you of what to expect on each upcoming section of trail and will offer you coaching and instruction on the best way to negotiate challenging sections. Some sections may be more difficult, but your guide will warn you beforehand.

We will not be asking you to point yourself down super steep, rugged, loose and plunging trails, but some of our trails vary towards the advanced. However, all our trails are well designed, and don’t feature any mandatory drops or bridges. The trails we ride are very diverse, but we try to offer our guests as consistent trail quality and difficulty as possible. We find that riding less difficult trails is actually more fun!

Riders are encouraged to bring their own personal bikes and gear which they are familiar with providing they meet the following criteria:

1. 1. Full suspension bike with at least 6″ of travel (Like a TRANSITION Patrol) AND
   2. A recently serviced and well-maintained bike and equipment.

Riders are also asked to bring a spare set of brake pads, Full Face Helmet and ensure your bike is equipped with dual ply (pinch resistance) downhill tires (e.g. Maxxis Minion). For additional questions or information feel free to contact us.

We have a limited number of mountain bikes from TRANSITION BIKES to demo. These must be requested at the time of your initial booking.

This really depends on your level of physical fitness and budget, but the majority of our guests stay for our standard package duration of three days. Retallack can offer custom packages and you can always stay for longer if you’d like! For additional questions or information feel free to contact us.

There are plenty of things to do in and around Retallack. Some of the nearby towns – such as artsy, laid-back Nelson, history-rich New Denver or up-and-coming Kaslo – are well worth a visit. Or you can take a long, relaxing soak at Ainsworth Hot Springs, visit local scenic spots such as Kootenay Lake, go strolling among our 800 year-old cedars, or just chill out at the lodge. For additional questions or information feel free to contact us.

Retallack guests have a range of options. The nearest major Canadian cities are Calgary, Alberta, to the east and Vancouver, British Columbia, to the west. Driving to Retallack from these destinations will take you approximately eight and 10 hours respectively. If you are travelling from the US you may want to consider Spokane, Washington, which is about a five-hour drive from Retallack. Alternatively, you may choose to fly into a regional airport such as Castlegar (approximately two hours’ drive), Trail (about a two and a half hour drive), or Kelowna (about a five hour drive).

Check out our location map or our how to get here page for detailed instructions on how to find us. To arrange ground transportation to and from Retallack Lodge please contact Queen City Shuttle & Charters. For additional information check out our comprehensive Trip Planning section or feel free to contact us.

Retallack is accessible by car on well-maintained highways – so you don’t have to worry about baggage limitations on helicopter flights, boats, or other vehicles. For detailed information on what to bring – and what not to bring – check out our comprehensive Trip Planning section.

Unfortunately, no. By law all alcohol on the premises must be purchased under our liquor license. However, we have a well-stocked cellar of excellent wines and serve a full selection of beers and spirits. And if you have any special requests – such as a specific bottle or wine or liquor – we are happy to accommodate wherever we can.

Retallack Lodge is equipped with wireless internet access throughout, so you can bring your laptop if you need to contact family, friends or business colleagues during your stay. We also have a VOIP satellite telephone that you can use if you need to make a call. Alternatively, the nearby townships of Kaslo and New Denver have mobile phone reception.

Retallack provides Emergency Medical Coverage including Ambulance/Evacuation insurance as part of your package purchase. This coverage will only be in place while you are our guest. All claims do require that you be seen by a physician.

We understand that occasionally events occur that prevent you from joining us for your ski or bike vacation. Please pay special attention to our Cancellation and Refunds Terms.

To avoid any financial hardship that an unexpected cancellation or interruption could cause, we strongly recommend purchasing Trip Cancellation/Interruption to protect your trip investment. Trip Cancellation/Interruption costs about 5% of your trip cost and it’s worth the peace of mind!

Contact our preferred provider Lifestyle Financial and they can provide you with a quote for Trip Cancellation/Interruption insurance.

Trip Cancellation & Interruption

Cancellation will insure the prepaid non-refundable travel costs before you depart. Interruption covers off your lost trip and unexpected out of pocket costs if your trip is interrupted after you start your trip.

What can happen? Missed connections, schedule changes, your own accident or injury, a travel companion or family member becomes ill, or even loss of employment. These events could cause you to cancel your trip or cause a disruption. Generally, Trip Cancellation costs about 5% of your trip cost and it’s worth the peace of mind. It is highly recommended that all guests purchase Trip Cancellation/Interruption.

Important Notice:

Backcountry or regional restriction/closure or evacuation due to avalanche risk, state of emergency or civil authority, that cause you to interrupt or cancel your vacation is not covered by insurance and will not be reimbursed or refunded by Retallack.

Note that inclement weather, poor conditions that impact the quality or enjoyment of your trip is not covered by insurance providers.