Trailforks Trail of the Month: Dirt Merchant

Aug 20, 2014
by Brent Hillier  
Crankworx Whistler 2014 is a wrap. Although the festival is over, the mountain keeps on turning; The Whistler Bike Park remains open right through to the Canadian Thanksgiving Weekend loading the last bike of the season on October 13. The bike park and its many trails are what make a festival like Crankworx possible. Events like the FOX Air DH on the world famous A-Line or the the Whip-off Championships on the massive Crabapple Hits are just two examples of competition on some of Whistler's trails. One trail that sees no race or competition during the Mountain Bike festival but deserves mention, is a personal favourite: Dirt Merchant.

Trailforks.com

Dirt Merchant is a machined built jump trail. Not unlike Whistler's showcase trail A-line, it features multiple jumps and berms. The major difference between Dirt Merchant and other jump trails are the variations to the jump's take-offs and landings. Dirt Merchant features more hips, step-ups and step-downs then any other trail in the Whistler Bike Park.

During his visit during Crankworx, Cedric Gracia made sure to take a lap on one of the best jump lines in the world:
Views: 16,281    Faves: 55    Comments: 3


Ollie whipping photo by Nikifor

Photo by: Nikifor Rider: Ollie Jones


Nothing s better than early morning laps on dirt merchant when the dirt s damp and tacky.

Photo by: FreerideFanatik Rider: Chris Sager


For those who haven't been, it's hard to explain just how much terrain exists in the bike park. With 88km of trail and 1,140m of vertical, Whistler is huge!

Trailforks.com

The lower bike park alone can provide enough variety for an entire weekend of riding in itself, and it's there you'll find the trail Dirt Merchant, not to mention it's jumping counter-parts A-Line and Crank-it-up.


It's my opinion that one the best parts of the Whistler Bike Park is the trails surrounding it. The trail's of the Whistler Valley will keep any rider, expert to beginner, active and entertained for what seems like a lifetime, let alone a vacation.

Trailforks.com

Think you've got a trail worth featuring for the Trailforks Trail of the Month?

Send me an email at brent@pinkbike.com

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61 Comments
  • 65 2
 Claimimg it, dirt merchant to aline is the best bike park lap in BC...........
  • 48 1
 Pretty sure you haven't ridden flight deck at The Coast Gravity Park then Wink
  • 21 1
 *Coastal Cruz to Flight Deck= Best lap by far
  • 14 0
 If we're talking pound for pound it's hard to beat Coastal Cruise to Flight Deck, but DM to A-Line is a longer lap. Claiming it: the best bike park laps are in BC hands down.
  • 18 0
 So jealous of all you who get to ride in BC.
  • 35 0
 Claiming it. BC has the best riding in the world.
  • 27 2
 Freight train to dirt merchant to a line. Is coastal Cruz to flight deck better than that lap?
  • 2 0
 ^^^This is my favorite!
  • 19 0
 Claiming it, Easy Does It all the way down it the best trail in BC
  • 1 0
 Yes! Yes! Yes! What he said! Wait, I mean JoshJeffrey!
  • 2 0
 JoshJeffry sure that is a longer lap but Coastal Cruz to Flight deck has the added factor of the perfect coastal dirt with no brake bumps and no massive potholes on the berms(Aline). Further more if anything happens to the jumps.. they get maintain almost instantly after.
  • 1 0
 @jalin
I am asking our of curiosity. I want to try it. Just wanted to know it is better than that. Because it might be the most amazing thing ever.
  • 1 0
 @Joshjeffrey Oh it is! i did that lap like 3/4 of the day there. some of the best trails here.
  • 3 1
 Seems like none of above ever ridden Bukit Kiara in Malaysia.
  • 37 2
 Dirt Merchant to Del Bocca Vista FTW
  • 10 0
 This! And you can still hit the new lower A line jumps after it
  • 1 1
 weakSauce Pringle..
  • 5 0
 Exactly! This is the uber secret line most people miss. Dirt Merchant to Del Boca to ALine is my favorite line. Good variety.
  • 2 0
 I always loved that route. Not terribly difficult but fun. Nothing else matters.
  • 2 0
 Del Boca is cool. I must agree.
  • 9 0
 DBVista. Probably the best green run in the World.
  • 5 0
 Dirt Merchant, Samurai Pizza Cat, Crack Addict to Lower Aline FTW!!!!!! But ya DBV is a super fun combo after also!
  • 24 1
 They changed the entrance to flow better from freight train. The new upper section is actually bigger and more tech than the original. And the first new drop is bigger so it's keeping nubes away just fineSmile
  • 16 0
 SHHHH!! DM is the only trail in the bike park right now that wasn't completely beat to shit after Crankworx!!
  • 2 0
 Amen!
  • 9 0
 339 trails in Whistler and 87 in the bikepark? I need to move.
  • 5 3
 I dunno why they changed the filter leading into DM. It was an easy little drop but looked much nastier than it was. Everytime I've been to Whis there is usually a pack of new riders checking it out and many turned away. That's why DM was always in better shape than A-Line!
  • 5 0
 LOL.... It stopped me the first time I went.
  • 2 0
 I rode it for the first time before crankworx. I know it made me stop and think before I dropped in, but I'm so glad I did.
  • 1 0
 @stubby: Same here.
  • 2 0
 It's way higher up the trail now, which allowed for 7 new features to be added (mostly sick flowy hips), and it's also about 2.5x the size of the old one. I don't see what the problem is, the entrance is way more intimidating now than it used to be.
  • 3 0
 rode dirt merchant all weekend at whistler and the cameras do not do her justice. Big jumps, fast flowy corners, it was perfect. Except the breaking bumps killed
  • 1 0
 Watching Cedric makes me want to drive straight back up there! (I just drove home to Norcal Sunday/Monday)
All this on a single crown fork!?! Awesome! Must be works stuff as my butter smooth 40 still wears my hands out once I hit the A-line brakers. Great stuff
  • 3 1
 As Justin Hodgson already said. Dirt Merchant to A-Line, the best there is, hands down, full stop. No more fun can be had on a bike.
  • 11 0
 Unless you start it all off with Freight Train
  • 1 0
 Joshjeffrey I haven't ridden coast gravity park but I'd say that huge length of trail full of jumps would be hard to beat anywhere
  • 8 6
 This website is basically an advert for whistler, is this the only place to ride over there?
  • 3 1
 And you got neg-propped! Whistler is fun! Whistler is epic! Whistler is like Disneyland. But there is a lot of good stuff out there too ride that doesn't get more notice.
  • 1 0
 @MattyFive: I'm still looking for next month's trail. What's Wrexham got?
  • 1 0
 Nothing like this admittedly!
  • 2 0
 If someone wouldn't mind building something like this in britain that would be nice
  • 1 0
 Yup its A Line on steroids...so happy it opened when I got there in June. For those who like it big its Freight train - Dirt Merchant - Del Boca - A Line lower - BREATHE!
  • 1 0
 Brawo Niki, GBN na głównej stronie pinka
p.s trzymaj się stary wszyscy trzymamy za ciebie kciuki
  • 1 0
 How I know I'm a shit rider: POV footage of this trail is super intimidating to me, not to my friends.
  • 1 0
 LOL, I wanted to ride it faster than CG watching this video
  • 1 0
 "I love my life! I love my life!" Classic Garcia stoke
  • 1 0
 I should've said, best park lap I've ridden in BC lol
  • 1 0
 Why is it called dirt merchant?
  • 7 0
 Because A-Line was already taken.
  • 2 0
 Best trail in Whistler!
  • 1 0
 Not an easy trail really demanding
  • 1 0
 Cedric one-hands the Large Gap in DM. He's Crazy!!!
  • 1 0
 Freight Train / Dirt Merchant / A-Line all time fav.
  • 1 0
 I'll take renegade thanks
  • 1 0
 Yeeeeehaaaaa! Get that back end out on the orange db...
  • 1 0
 Indeed
  • 1 0
 Bad ass run!!!!!!!!!!!
  • 1 0
 Looks fab
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