Outerbike: Guided Rides in Whistler

Scott Aitken has been a Whistler local for twenty-six years and working as a mountain bike guide for six of them. As Lead Guide for Whistler Bike Guides, he will be organizing the guiding services at Outerbike next weekend. He and many other guides will be showing Outerbike participants around the Whistler Valley trails, “Outerbike riders will find lots of challenge in the trails around the valley. These are purpose built MTB trails.” Scott goes on to describe the location as “beautiful, rugged geology, which gives Whistler the character it has.”

Outerbike offers a stacked line-up of profession guides from Whistler Bike Guide, Bear Back Biking, and Western Spirit. This great crew will be on-hand to show you the local terrain in the best way possible. They will highlight their favourite trails to best test your demo bike’s performance and keep rides to less than two hours in order to keep the bike turnover high enough for everyone to experience the bike they want. Groups will be self-seeded into different riding levels, and there will be a guided ride to suit everyone’s interests and abilities. In addition there will be a dozen pre-set routes available through the Trail Forks app for those riders who want to go it alone. Examples of the guided and self-guided routes are: Comfortably Numb (an IMBA top list pick), Danimal and West Side Classics, Riverside Trails, and, of course, the Lost Trails of Lost Lake. There will also be guided sessions in the Whistler Bike Park.

The world-class trails that Outerbike participants will experience have been created and maintained by the Whistler Off-road Cycling Association (WORCA) in partnership with the Resort Municipality. WORCA is a powerful force in the local mountain bike community, boasting a membership of 1800 people strong and has been in operation for nearly twenty-five year. “WORCA has become one of the largest cycling advocacy groups in North America.”

“Whistler is a great place to host Outerbike because it is a ‘bike town’,” says Scott. “The biking culture is alive and well, and in full force here, from Ironman, to Crankworx, the Granfondo to the Whistler Bike Park, after work rides, before work rides and bike weekend rides. We have it all!”

It is this level of commitment from such a bike-centric community that has supported Outerbike to flourish in its first year and be able to offer everything from lift passes for participants to breakfasts and afternoon beers. Even local businesses like Scandinave Spa and Whistler Air will be giving away some amazing prizes each day. So if you are bike shopping this season, or just looking for a great vacation without having to pack your bike, don’t miss out on Outerbike!






OUTERBIKE SCHEDULE

Thursday, June 4
7:30 - 10:30am - Breakfast Buffet at Longhorn
9am - Check in begins at Longhorn
10am - Outerbike Demo Opens
10am - Whistler Bike Park Opens
10-10:30am Morning tours depart from Lot 2
1-1:30pm Afternoon tours depart from Lot 2
4pm - Demo closes
4:30pm - Longhorn/Pinbike Happy Hour
6:30pm - WORCA Twoonie hosted by Summit Sport

Friday, June 5
7:30 - 10:30am - Breakfast Buffet at Longhorn
9am - Check in begins at Longhorn
10am - Outerbike Demo Opens
10am - Whistler Bike Park Opens
10-10:30am Morning tours depart from Lot 2
1-1:30pm Afternoon tours depart from Lot 2
4pm - Demo closes
4:30pm - Longhorn/Pinbike Happy Hour
8pm - Pinkbike Party featuring 'Builder' movie

Saturday, June 6
7:30 - 10:30am - Breakfast Buffet at Longhorn
9am - Check in begins at Longhorn
10am - Outerbike Demo Opens
10am - Whistler Bike Park Opens
10-10:30am Morning tours depart from Lot 2
1-1:30pm Afternoon tours depart from Lot 2
4pm - Demo closes
4:30pm - Longhorn/Pinbike Happy Hour
8pm - Outerbike/WORCA Dream Trail Fundraiser at Longhorn

Sunday, June 7
7:30 - 10:30am - Breakfast Buffet at Longhorn
9am - Check in begins at Longhorn
10am - Outerbike Demo Opens
10am - Whistler Bike Park Opens
10-10:30am Morning tours depart from Lot 2
1pm - Demo closes


Words by Danielle Baker.
Photos by Sean St. Denis.

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MENTIONS: @OuterbikeWhistler @dbaker

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