Panorama’s Earliest Bike Park Opening – Ever
Old Man Winter's icy breath hangs on. Photo Credit: Stephan Malette
The snow has been hanging on as Old Man Winter refuses to pry his cold dead hands from the stock of his favorite season. His grip has not been loosening fast enough and we mountain bikers are getting riled up like petulant children refused their favorite toy. Aching to get out on the trails, we sit drooling over bike edits on Pink Bike and other enablers.
The Trail Crew doesn't know if they should smile or not. Stoked to be open but tons of work to do.
The East Kootenays have been open for riding for almost two months. The shuttle activity at Swansea on the weekends has seen an unprecedented number of 4x4’s with out-of-province plates shuttling legions of die-hard riders eager to leave their snowbound trail systems for browner pastures.
The dirt will be epic in some places and a little greasy in others.
Panorama Mountain Resorts feels the pain of both you and your shuttle truck and wants to help scratch that itch. Park the weary pickup and exchange your seat in the box for one of our comfy chairs.
We are stoked to announce that we will be opening the Bike Park for the first time ever in the month of May. The lift will be spinning for the long weekend, May 20 and 21. We will have discounted tickets, cold beer, hot food, and, oh yeah, ribbons of fresh tacky spring trails. Spring is prime riding time in the East Kootenays as the notoriously dry and dusty conditions are improved by the dampness afforded by winter melt water.
Early season fun 2016
The selection of trails is still a bit of moving target but you can plan for Let It Ride, Mercy Me, and Hell’s Bells with more trails still to be determined. The trail crew is working diligently to crack as many lines as possible and has needed to add snow cats and snow shovels to their trail building arsenal. Drainage is an issue. The later and deeper snow pack accompanied with a compressed melt window has seen water show up and flow in very unexpected places. Rest assured the guys are on it. The long-range forecast (but we know how reliable they can be) bodes well with regards to drying up the wettest spots.
So break out the new whip, dust off your trusty old one, wash your gloves, find your helmet and make your way to Panorama for May long. Your addiction and your truck will thank you.
Let'r rip.
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A friend of mine who works as a park ranger in Canmore told me something about the provincial government not being down with a lot of summer activity in the resorts around the Banff area.