Canyons Bike Park Opening Weekend 2014

Now in it's 4th season of operation, the bike park at Canyons Resort is really starting to shine. Last weekend the resort kicked off the 2014 season in big style, with free product and pass giveaways, a free Rad Company premier, a Terry Adams flatland BMX demo, and to top it all off a free Fishbone concert in the resort village. Not to mention laps on laps on laps through the freshly groomed bike park. There were new features on some of the older trails, new re-routes on others, and new additions all around. This year, the trail crew will be focusing on two projects; a top to bottom DH trail, and a new BIG jump trail sponsored by GoPro called the "GoPro Double Down". Big things are happening at Canyons, and I am stoked to see what the next few years will bring!
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A man and his saw. It is a beautiful thing. The trail crew has been hard at work getting the bike park ready for opening weekend. Nat Paton and Mark Kugel hard at work re-routing a section on lower Wild Mouse.


A few of the trails got re-routed this year, including Wild Mouse. After all his hard work on the new sections of trail, Alex Falkenstein was out all weekend watering the trails as they got ridden in. His relentless effort for the illustrious Blue Groove did not go unnoticed. The spoils of the trail are yours my friend!


Water. Pack. Ride. Repeat


Freshly built 2014 rental fleet. The crew at Canyons Sports was building these babies up all week leading up to Opening Day.


What goes up must come down...


Dropkick is the longest trail in the Bike Park, and was getting heavily sessioned all weekend. Amanda Cordell sends it over this step down near the top of the trail.


The Laketown Cycles crew were burning in the trails all weekend. Spencer Green and Bryce Helbling tag teaming a table on Dropkick.


Future plans for Dropkick include more jump features on the top part of the trail. This unknown shredder may or may not know that. Either way he doesn't seem too concerned at this point... Manuals are always a good time too.


Canyons local Eric Porter flowing through the jump section on lower Dropkick.


Salt Lake City ripper and MTB advocate James @slcmtb Sandmire was out ripping all weekend too. Check his opening weekend edit out! It shouldn't be too hard to find..


Local legend Mike "Old Dog" Kelley showed up to give all the young punks a lesson on how to ride a bike. At 55 years old, he was clearing everything Canyons had to offer. This guy is a true ambassador for the sport, and is instrumental in coaching and supporting local up and coming riders.


We interrupt this mountain biking article to bring you lunch. The tacos at the Red Pine Lodge are unbeatable. That is all.


This double on lower Split Decision was designed specifically to increase tube and rear wheel sales at the bike shop in the village. You don't want to case here...


Local shredder Brandon Olson safely sends it over the wheel eating trap and catches tranny on this landing.


A closer look at this landing. This rock has ended more than one good day of riding... And it has the scars to prove it.


Part 1. Cody Kelley can make pretty much any jump look incredible. That is a fact. Here he is on the way up... Wait for it... Wait for it..


Part 2. Boom. There it is. (See Part 1 for further info.)



This year the trail crew is focused on the new DH trail, which is slated to open sometime in August. The trail has already been scratched in, and a few features have been built, including this rock drop. Things are looking good for the DH scene at Canyons.



Kelly McGarry drove 20 hrs from Whistler, stopped in for a weekend of riding at Canyons, then got back in his van and headed to Colorado. Buddy is on the move these days. Glad he found the time to run a few laps in the park with us.


The entrance to Rally Cat has seen a lot of changes over the last few seasons. The current set up is the best so far. This is the first drop on the trail, otherwise known as the squirrel catcher. It gets the job done.


Shark Fin, Berm Press, whatever you want to call it, this feature is undoubtedly one of the most fun things to ride on the mountain. Bryce Helbling throwing some style on Rally Cat.


This double on Rally Cat is small but really tricky. It is essentially a hip, and right when you land you have to hook into a left berm. While I was standing here shooting photos, it seemed like every other person was getting taken out by it. More than a few people went OTB.. Brandon Olson didn't have any problems though. Eyes on the prize.


Bike Parks. Good for the dating scene. Good luck buddy.


Amanda Cordell told me she moved to Utah a few years ago to ski, and just picked up biking as something to do in the summer while waiting for the snow to fall again. After one summer of riding / racing DH she was hooked, and now her plan is exactly the opposite. She was definitely holding it down for the ladies in the Bike Park!


Uh oh... Eric Porter got caught riding the bike park, hitting jumps, and throwing no handers on a 27.5 trail bike...


Joey Foresta... Joey Foresta... Remember the name Joey Foresta. You will be hearing it again. This kid is 13 years old and is an absolute ripper. He was destroying everything in the bike park all weekend.


Good thing Joey Foresta can ride a bike because he totally blew this putt. Tap tap tap it in buddy.




On Friday night there was a free screening of Rad Company in the Resort Village, and Bike Park Manager Steve Duke kicked it off with a timeless classic, the Swag toss. Free stuff good.



Ska Punk legends Fishbone lit it up the stage on Saturday night. If you don't know who Fishbone is you should probably go back to doing your homework right now. Either that or go ask your Dad. Canyons Bike Park opening weekend 2014
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Thanks to everyone who came out for opening weekend! Big thanks to Steve Duke and the trail crew for keeping it all dialed in, and thanks to all the brands who sponsor and support the park, Dakine, Oakley, Red Bull, GoPro, GT Bicycles, and SixSixOne.

Stay tuned to @ridecanyons on Instagram and Canyons Bike Park on Facebook for news and updates.