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1.7 miles
Distance
-1,742 ft
Descent
00:33:31
Avg time
-1,742 ft
Altitude change
2,452 ft
Altitude min
4,194 ft
Altitude max
4,194 ft
Altitude start
2,451 ft
Altitude end
-19%
Grade
-57.8%
Grade max
1.7%
Grade min
59 ft
Distance climb
2 miles
Distance down
00:33:31
Avg time
Dark Crystal Details
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Activities
- Mountain Bike
- E-Bike
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Riding AreaBlackcomb CRA
Whistler, British Columbia -
Difficulty Rating
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Voted DifficultyBlack Diamond (12 votes)
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Local Popularity90 in Mountain Biking [+]
- 100 in E-Biking
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Global Ranking
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Trail TypeSingletrack
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Bike TypeDH, AM
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DirectionDownhill OnlyPopular Direction Shown
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Climb DifficultyBlack Diamond
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Physical RatingHard
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SeasonJuly - November
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eBike AllowedYes up to Class 1
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TTFs on TrailRock Face
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Year Opened2015
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Land OwnerWhistler Blackcomb
This trail is NOT SUITABLE for wet weather riding. Please choose other trails during periods of rain or extended wet weather.
Now officially a part of the Blackcomb trail network, Dark Crystal descends from the bottom of the Crystal Ridge Express chairlift to the Blackcomb Access Road next to Micro Climate. Built by Scott Veach and Ben Haggar, Dark Crystal was designed to use as much natural terrain as possible with low angles to keep riders from having to use their brakes, and as a result, ensure the trail has longevity. It integrates as many rock slabs and faces as possible throughout and overall the descend is a lot of bang for your buck.
Disclaimer
Please follow these trail guidelines: - Respect spring and fall seasonal closures, due to trail conditions and black bear hibernation. - No Dogs. - No access above Microclimate before 9:30am daily.
Trail Supporters
dirt shifter
since 2015Maintainer
benhaggar
since 2015Maintainer
Local Trail Association
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Please consider joining or donating to the local trail association to supportDonate to earn trail karma!
trail development & maintenance.
Traditionally Indigenous Territory
Recent Activity on Trail
Past Week
- 1 rides
- 7 miles average
6 Months
- 5 rides
- 8 miles avg distance
All
- 1,525 rides
- Last: Jun 23, 2026
| c1 | c2 | c3 | c4 |
|---|---|---|---|
January | February | March | April |
May | June | July | August |
September | October | November | December |
Dark Crystal Trail Reports
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Trail Conditions
- Unknown
- Snow Groomed
- Snow Packed
- Snow Covered
- Snow Cover Partial
- Freeze/thaw Cycle
- Icy
- Prevalent Mud
- Wet
- Variable
- Ideal
- Dry
- Very Dry
Trail Flow (Ridden Direction)
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The colour categories are based on what percentage of riders are riding a trail in its intended direction.
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- > 90%
- > 80%
- > 70%
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- < 50%
- bi-directional trail
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- < 6 months
- > 6 months
Trail Ridden Direction
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- Downhill Primary
- Both Directions
- Uphill Primary
- Uphill Only
- One Direction
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Directions to dark-crystal-49978 trailhead
(50.119120, -122.906950)
Photos
176 more »
Videos
33 more »
Articles
Video: A Rip Down Blackcomb's Dark Crystal in 'Crystallize'
Jan 1, 2020 from pinkbike.com
Lucy Mackie takes a ride down Dark Crystal.
Trail Lists
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Liam's whistler 2023 hitlist
1 trails
Routes with this trail
★ 5.0 • 37 miles • 8,991 ft • 24 •
Whistler's three classic runs in one ride. If you complete this you are a beast.
10 miles • 3,164 ft • 10 •
Whistler Relive Your Rides Blackcomb Classic Dark Crystal and Hey Bud For other ride suggestions for this...
★ 2.8 • 10 miles • 2,717 ft • 22 • Loop •
Up to with a couple of little detours, down, climb up to Comfortably Numb and descend the Foreplay Descent...
38 Reviews & Comments
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Nearby Trails
- Crystal Ridge Express 308 ft
- Crystal Exit 1,831 ft
- Backstage Pass 3,658 ft
- In The Spirit 4,993 ft
- Zig Zag Connector 1 mile
- By robfxp
& contributors - #49978 - 56,969 views
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Frequently Asked Questions About Dark Crystal
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Where is Dark Crystal located?
Dark Crystal is located in Blackcomb CRA, Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. It is part of the Blackcomb CRA trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 50.11912, -122.90695.
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How hard is Dark Crystal?
Dark Crystal is rated as Black Diamond difficulty. The physical rating is Hard. The average grade is 19%. The climb difficulty is rated Black Diamond.
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What is the elevation gain for Dark Crystal?
The trail has 1,742 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 2,452 ft to 4,194 ft.
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Is Dark Crystal a point to point trail?
Yes, Dark Crystal is a point to point trail. The direction is Downhill Only. The trail type is singletrack.
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