Whistler Bike Park Updates: Trail Report

May in Whistler can go one way or the other when it comes to the weather. They call it “May” for a reason, like it “May” be crappy for weeks on end and you “May” want to get out of town and go ride in California. We have had years with huge snow banks on the sides of trails, heck we have even had Mays when it was puking snow and accumulating on the trails while we slipped and slid down them. This year however we had virtually no lousy weather and the riding has been incredible. Historically we get an average of 65mm of rain in May but this year only saw a tiny 4mm in the first 28 days of the month.

June is now upon us and we are reaching up into Garbanzo to get those trails ready for their opening later in the month. What we have discovered is more water damage at all elevations, so we have our work cut out for us to get everything ready for you. At the same time we have work continuing in the Fitz Zone with Crank it Up 2 starting in the next week or so. We have our old pals from Gravity Logic coming back to town to work on this project so it will be great to see what travelling the world building trails has added to their bag of tricks.

Lower A-Line will be going under the knife later this week so expect some detours around closed sections as we get to work improving the sections above and below the rock drop. HOLD ON! Before anyone has a panic and heads to the nearest Forum to complain about what ‘might’ happen to ‘their’ trail, lower A-Line has sections (brick berms and lips) that have not seen major work since 2005 and it is time for some fresh alignments and better geometry. We have walked the line and I think the new line will flow much better when combined with the speed and flow of upper A-Line.

Rider: Trevor Berg. Photo: Mark Mackay

EZ Does It has had some flow improvements and two fun little single track options added out around the Golden Triangle split. There are more to come so take a ride out with the kids to look at what is happening in that neck of the woods.

The Joyride Bike Park guys have the 2015 “Family Cross” through the Joyride course 99.9% complete so you can expect that to open later this week adding a much needed alternate finish to all of the lower Fitz classics. If you have not already mind-surfed it from the chair, it looks like the best one yet with a few line choice options for hip jumps and tables with a nice money booter at the bottom.

Hopefully we get some of the missing rain this month to keep things tacky, although the forecast for the first weekend of the month is calling for temps in the low 30’s Celsius!

Here are some tips for riding smart this summer: check your tire pressures (they should be something south of 28psi), take breaks, drink water and take a warm-up lap, it’s going to be a long hot summer and you will want to ease into it. -BF

Watch this A-Line teaser of the new hip and two pack jumps on upper A-Line. Full video dropping June 4th.