2015 Fernie Alpine Resort Bike Crew Update Early June
Fernie Alpine Resort Bike Crew Update #2 - 50 Shades of Dirt - June 1, 2015
Summer is a cruel temptress and we are but her feeble slaves. The Bike Crew is now swinging well into a singletrack spring fling with Mother Nature; toiling amidst her layers of shapely bedrock and velvety loam. Shower drain dirt stains, bruises, and blisters all serve as testaments to an unwavering passion for a life behind mountain-bike-bars. To receive such daily punishment yet still crave more is truly a labor of love and commitment to provide the ultimate guest experience. Twenty-six days and counting down until we submit these trails to you Loam Rangers for another #legendarysummer at Fernie Alpine Resort.
Mother Nature has administered us a few lashings of scorching sun and lashing rain, yet we remain committed to deliver our 42 trails back from winter’s choke hold. As promised, we are taking the disciplined approach, proving sustainability is not just a buzzword through thoughtful trail design, grade, and drainage. And it is working. Instead of repairing run off damage down steep, old, fall-line trails this year our time is better served ensuring the resort has the perfect buffed-out ride for you on opening day no matter what trail predilection you may have.
Novice Riders – Mountain biking is not just for the hardcore. If keeping things slow and smooth is your thing, make sure to check out last years new trail Duff Dynasty. We have completed the remaining section of machine work ensuring a top to bottom wide flowy ride. Both Eville and Honey Bee also deserved a bit of drainage ditch clean up and re-flow-erizing. Nervous? Try doing it with a group this year – check out the new FAR summer website for details on our lessons and bike camps.
Intermediate Riders – For those who have mastered the basics – loosen your inhibitions and don’t be a slave to gravity! Get some airtime on Top Gun or Bin Logdin. One of our first tasks this summer was to amp up a few select berms, jumps, and rollers. Don’t worry – there’s more of that to come! Ready to show off your new tricks (and costumes)? Our Thursday Night Race series continues this year with the first event on July 2nd.
Advanced Riders – Enjoy dabbling a little deeper the dark side? – Make sure you check out Alternate Flight Pattern; the lower section earned a bit of a facelift this week. Keep tapping into FAR’s Facebook or Instagram pages in the coming weeks for sneak-peaks as we start tackling our new Timberside Trail called ‘Neverland’.
With much work to do, we are reminded that every bike ride begins with a single pedal stroke. The same is true, for our Trail Crew to-do list. And while we cannot control Mother Nature, we can negotiate the terms to truly decide who is in charge around here. See you in a few short weeks…we can’t wait to share our dirty world with you.
~ Sincerely, Your Fernie Alpine Resort Bike Crew
MENTIONS: @FernieAlpineResort-BikePark / @nicknault
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Also how about speeding up the Elk chair, even like 5%?
I go to Fernie almost every weekend in the summer, but because of this I only ride the ski-hill maybe once or twice. Instead I hit other trails in town, like Swine Flu, Brokeback, P9 etc. I may have to ride uphill, but at least I'm riding. I would absolutely love it if FAR decided to run the Elk chair at winter speed (travel time would then be 9 minutes).
Anyways I know this has nothing to do with the trail crew (more so with RCR upper management) so keep on doing a good job you guys! Maybe I'll have to check out the ski-hill more than once this summer.
I'm curious if this meant they were abandoning some of their steeper trails that have erosion issues (TNT, Playground, lower Holo Bike, etc..) altogether by closing them, or if they're just choosing not to spend time and resources repairing them, but keeping them still open for people who's trail predilection includes steep, old, fall-line with deep ruts, roots, and bomb holes.