Ride Levels

Our rides are posted in Spond and accessible to members only. Every ride is posted with a trail difficulty and pace rating so you can find the right group for your day. Here’s how it all works.

The spirit of the ride

We measure skill against our own membership — you might be an intermediate rider in the wider world and advanced with us, or vice versa. Either way, you belong here. We all have stellar rides and days where everything feels off. It’s always okay to ride with a lower or slower group; if you do, stay with the group and match their pace.

Everyone progresses differently, and that’s the whole point. When stepping up a level, start at the slower end and build from there. Know your limits and ride within them — our hosts want everyone rolling back to the parking lot in one piece, ready to ride again.

If anything happens on the trail, a buddy will always escort the rider out. If you head back solo, please message the host as soon as you reach the parking lot so they know you’re safe.

Trail difficulty — skill level

The skill level on a ride posting reflects the primary trail difficulty — not every trail on the ride will be at that level.

Green
Green trails, with some less technical blue. Great for building confidence and flow.
Blue
Blue trails, with some less technical black. Intermediate terrain with engaging features.
Black
Black trails are the primary terrain. Technical riding with steeper, more challenging features.
Double Black
Double black is the primary terrain. Expert-level technical riding.
Pace rating — speed & rest breaks

The pace rating is based on rider capability relative to number of stops, using Hartland’s common starting trails as the benchmark.

Pace What to expect
P1
 Many rest breaks. Zero-expectation ride — as many stops as the group needs.
P2
 A fair number of rest breaks throughout. You can climb Skull with a stop at the bottom and at the top.
P3
 Few or shorter breaks. Moderate pace. You can climb all of Skull from the parking lot without stopping — expect a stop at the top.
P4
 Little to no breaks. Faster, more consistent pace throughout. You can reach the bottom of Middle Earth from the parking lot with one or two short stops.
P5
 Consistent pace, no stops. Still a no-drop ride. You can ride from the parking lot to the top of Middle Earth (at the bench) without stopping.
How rides are posted

Every ride posting includes the trail colour, pace (P1–5), and location in the title. For example:

Blue P2 Jordie Lunn
The description will include the specific trail and pace ratings, plus any trails planned, distance, elevation, and other details from the host.

Sessioning rides and NSFRP (North Saanich Freeride Park) events may vary slightly in format — they involve all skill levels and a non-specific pace.