Whistler Bike Park Closing Weekend 2017 - Video

 Just getting a chance to ever go to Whister is on my bucket list...

 Banana throw to Ninja Kick = now on my bucket list

 @Waldon83: The rider who pulled the sweep card for that trail, and inadvertently slipped on the banana peel is probably still spinning out of control down the trail.

 I mean in their defense, there is probably a lot of stuff to do to lifts and on mountain before ski season gets going.

 @adrennan: You'd think...but we usually don't get a real snow in NC until January. (If then)

 There is a lot more to prepping for a season than simply turning snowmaking equipment on. I remember when we didn't have any bike parks to ride. Just sayin'.

 @adrennan: Blue Mt. Bike Park in PA is open until the last weekend of October, and they generally start making snow around thanksgiving and try to open up the first week of December. That hasn't worked in recent years due to weather that can't make up it's mind, but in any event, they are fully ready to open by thanksgiving.

So they appear to need about four weeks to switch from bike mode to ski mode.

 My thoughts also. Beech wtf?

 @adrennan: go go go global warming. Can't wait for a year-round bike parks.

 @properp: they haven't bought wholly into the whole Mtn biking thing yet...
see @TheRaven 's comment above...it just can't possibly take from Sept-December to get ready...

 @properp: customers stop coming after Labor Day. Beech used to run later into October but hardly anyone came to ride. You can't compare demographics from Whistler to other areas and be like "wtf why didn't Beech stay open longer?!". The same thing happens during ski season in March. I have seen awesome conditions in late March but Sugar and Beech are ghost towns because people stop coming for the season. I have worked in the industry since 97' so I'm not just making stuff up. The best thing for you to do would be to request a longer season via social media or give them a call.

 @preach:

Management has totally bought into biking. They have invested heavily into the trails, hosted a ProGrt, local races, and a massively successful enduro race. A lot of volunteer work went into bringing that to customers. I don't think you realize how much maintenance is required to keep a resort running for a winter, let alone a summer as well. It's a year round job for a 3 man crew. Lift inspections, lift maintenance, trail maintenance, equipment maequipment, cost of improvements, cost of trail construction, training employees, insurance...the list goes on and on. Maybe you should be thankful for their hard work and suggest they try to stay open longer rather than assuming it's easy and that it couldn't possibly take that long to get ready for winter.

 @preach: I feel the same way. Most ski resorts do not take mountain bikers that seriously. We are a necessary evil to get them through the starving times of Summer. I believe mountain biking has saved the majority of the ski industry from bankruptcy.

 @Sugarbrad: bless you bro,
I think we are going to agree to disagree.
no point in online squabbling...

 @preach:
Just trying to educate you on how resorts work. I didn't realize we were agreeing or disagreeing on anything. More than happy to chat in person on the lift sometime. I'm at Beech almost every day.

 @properp: Where are you getting your info from because you couldn't be further from the truth. Management at Beech sees mountain biking as a valuable resort and an opportunity to provide an awesome product. Sugar doesn't even do biking anymore and they just installed a multi million dollar high speed lift. Beech has poured money into their infrastructure and invested heavily into quality trails. I can tell you from experience that both resorts genuinely care about their product.

 you know Bailey stays open all year right??

 @thedriftisreal: you know they don't make snow, ski, or have hundreds of employees right? Yes I do know, we are avid supporters of theirs and try to support them as much as possible in between domestic and international races. The Millers are awesome

 @Sugarbrad: I am referring to the industry as a whole. Not strictly Beech Mountain. a quick Google search for economic results saving ski resorts will give you months worth of reading. As the global climate changes these resorts are looking to us mountain bikers for savior. It's got to be true it's on the internet.

 nah, i remember Tippie was interviewing people years ago with a banana at Mont St. Anne.