Whistler

Woodchuck

New Member
I'm a lucky chap and am heading to whistler next week. Sadly I'm going alone as a mate had to pull out.

I've booked some private lessons but would like to try to get out with some locals. Riding that area alone (especially if I get away from the bike park is not high on my list of good ideas..). Anyone know of the equivalent of mtbnj in whistler area? I've found the worca site but it does not have a forum to set up ad hoc rides.

Any help/tips appreciated.

Colin
 

don

Well-Known Member
I am heading out on Sat for Van then up to Whistler village on Sunday with my sons. I am going to play it by ear as they will be in ski/snowboard camp next week so I will be snowboarding some days. But hit me up here if you want to try and meet up.
 

don

Well-Known Member
Also - I find ride heavy places don't use forums much. Best thing to do is hit up a local shop. They'll size you up and invite if you seem cool.
 

Johnny Utah

Well-Known Member
I am renting everything from Evolution, which is between my hotel and the Garbazo lift. All GT's and Santa Cruz. try to reserve if you can, the bikes go fast. I reserved mine in April, my other buddy has somewhat slim pickings when he was looking in May.

Have a good ride!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

don

Well-Known Member
I am renting everything from Evolution, which is between my hotel and the Garbazo lift. All GT's and Santa Cruz. try to reserve if you can, the bikes go fast. I reserved mine in April, my other buddy has somewhat slim pickings when he was looking in May.



Have a good ride!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Gordon at Camp of Champions told me to hit up Summit sports. I booked a Trek 9.9 yesterday for a couple days. Will see how it goes and will post up when I can.

Hoping to grab a DJ rig for the parks in the village from Camp.
 

don

Well-Known Member
Been in Van for a few hours. Took a walk from the hotel and saw a couple guys lightly padded with full faces on the bars answering questions to an older lady. 26 FS bikes seem to be still alive.

I am not a coffee snob but wanted to get something other than Starbucks or Tim Hortons that are on every corner. Think I did well - good cap with the best tasting PB cookie I have had in a long time (and I am a PB cookie snob). Up to Whistler tomorrow.
 

don

Well-Known Member
Whistler is pretty freakin awesome. Dirt jump zone within a 2 minute walk from the hotel. Pump track and mini skills spot next to that. Cool ass skate park next to that. Probably the most dialed shops per area on earth. Trick parts and great gear in every store I went into. Real cute ladies on DH bikes. Saw the Cranxworks course. Sweet VW bus.

I rented a DJ bike (only one shop had them) and rode for a few hours as soon as I got unpacked as I was jumping out of my skin. Snow tomorrow and then DH on Tuesday.

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don

Well-Known Member
Evolution looks like a rad shop. On the smaller size but lots of good gear and vibe. I'll get the name of the shop i rented the DJ bike - Concor or something like that.

So I banged myself up and probably won't get a chance to ride DH. Bummed but I guess it could be worse.

Came off snow with the boys and walked by the DJ park on the way to the hotel. On the deck one kid looked familiar - saw he was on a Trek and put 2 and 2 together - yup Semenuk. R Dog Howard was there too. Saw Brandon take 2 runs looking smooth as hell and made me want to get that fence line. They made it look straight forward and the sets are aren't that much bigger than stuff we had at our trails back home. Long story short - got to the 3rd set but carried too much speed and end up bail to flat to badly bruised heel, calf muscle is really sore and some rash on the hip and arm too. But ankle seems fine so it could have been a lot worse.

Woke up to black and blue and swollen heel so pop a couple of Advil, got the boys out to camp and figured a XC tour wouldn't be bad. Got a 29" full sussy Rocky Mtn with a Rock Shox dropper post. Rode the Lost Lake area trails - really fun XC trail that is on the tech side. I was surprised some of the stuff was marked blue but I guess BC is on that other level

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I ended up at Lost Lake about 2/3 thru. Really cool spot and would be a nice spot to take a rest but my heel was killing so I wanted to keep going.

Dropped down some of the same trails I climbed and had a blast. Really nicely made trail using sustainable materials and methods. (would love to see some of this used at Hartshorne/Huber - I have been biting my lip on that thread and it is made much tougher after riding properly made singletrack).

Came thru town and popped into the Cut Yer Bars zone. Apparently this is the first Whistler mtb trail spot which I didn't know until I was returning the bike. I could see old fall line sections replaced with bench cut and switchback and figured it was some old trail. There were black and blue options. So I picked and chose as I went up. I was probably riding at 60% and on a weird feeling bike so I tried to keep it mellow. Came across some pretty gnarly sections that would be a blast with a little more of a freeride bike.

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I took this pic as I came out of the woods of Cut Yer Bars - my sons were at camp up on the other side of that bowl in the right corner

Some pics from up top - if some of you like snow shots:
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Coop coming down on the cat track at the end of day yesterday.

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Sean was having fun on the hip at camp - he said he was getting past the flag today. The level of riding up there is mental. Sean is a pretty solid skier and is on the lower end. The glacier is heavy duty. A totally different world up there. The amount of sun feels like you are in an oven with sun rays coming from all over. Lift service is a T bar which is really hard too and there are sections where the spring tightens up and then launches you in the air. Then there is the ski/snowboard skill levels: the US and Canadian national teams are at CofC - Oakley is up here - 4front. The boys got to see an Olympic medal today. I saw Mark McMorris and a ton of others killing 50ft plus jumps. Pretty nuts watching these guys and girls pin it for a few hundred feet and spin at such heights.

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Pretty funny seeing bears going up and down the lifts. Everything is bear proof as they are crafty buggers.
 

Johnny Utah

Well-Known Member
My jaw is dropped, everything looks sick!

Sorry to hear about your injury, at least you can still ride. When are you heading out of there? I will be there Sunday afternoon.

Thanks for the pictures and update!
 

don

Well-Known Member
You are going to have a blast

But take your time and enjoy everything at leisure. I pushed it and now paying for it. I did a day up top on snow which takes a lot out of you, then scrambled to go ride DJ's on a rental bike (and I am very particular on my personal DJ setup) and rushed figuring out a line while bring tired. The problem is - there is awesome terrain and people doing stuff all the time. No lack of motivation when you see so many people riding bikes! And the air/altitude has little to no effect. Top peak is 7,450 ft - village is around 2,000ft so even us flat landers are fine. And this Canadian mtn air is so clear so you'll be getting 100% O2 coming from NJ, haha

We are taking a break today and the boys will stay and hang in the valley. They are exhausted too.

It looks like it will be hot next week. You might want to try and ride earlier or later in the day. That's is the other thing - it stays light out until 9:30. You could still do a nice XC loop starting at 8 at night!
 

Johnny Utah

Well-Known Member
I will try to take it easy as best as I can, I am sure the motivation will be VERY high though.

I saw we had some heat coming in, I guess it is better then the rain. Good to hear I can get an XC loop in later in the day, that is a huge plus!
 

don

Well-Known Member
I am not sure where you are staying but you could find great singletrack in almost every direction from Whistler village so a loop during the cooler early night hours could be a nice play.

Here is some more motivation btw - mini rippers:

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Saw these little ones coming in from their day at mtn bike camp. Boys, girls and all different ages under 12 or so. Pretty awesome but kinda bummed in that there is nothing like this in the states (at least to my knowledge).
 

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Johnny Utah

Well-Known Member
Nice, I think Highland has a similar camp that is quite sweet!

We are staying at Aava off the back of the lift and a little off the village, as I hear the Village gets quite rowdy at night, creating some loud conditions.

I am going to try to get over to "A River Runs through it" on Sunday Afternoon for an XC pedal.

Any recommendations for a bite to eat?
 

don

Well-Known Member
With the boys Boom Burger has been good as we need something quick at 8:30 at night (like I said the day catches up to you!)

I had some rolls from Sushi Village that were good even as take out. Our hotel gets their in-room from Earls and that was good (I bet it is even better when served at the table). Breakfast sandwiches and pizza are lacking but I find that the case where ever I go as NJ does those 2 things like no where else. There are so many restaurants that I can't imagine many being bad (they are right next to each other so I would guess the competition is tight).

Good call on staying just outside the village. It is like NYC in that it doesn't sleep long.

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These were taken at 9:20 last night - just to give you a feel for the daylight.

The lifts are open to 8 - Coop doesn't want to go up to snowboard camp so I am going to see if we can get a DH bike for him and take him doing that. I have seen kids smaller than him do it and the site says 5 and up. With my heel we can take it easy and if I feel it I will go back up and he can go to trampoline at 4.
 

don

Well-Known Member
Got some lift assisted in!

Coop wasn't feeling up to going up top (can't really blame him - his shins are bruised from rail bails)

My heel was feeling a little better so I figured he and I could rent some rigs and go for it. So we got some bikes and got 3 runs in on EZ Does It. He did pretty good and was real nervous. For 8 and first time DH I was proud. The shop only had these Lil Shredder bike - wow - really dialed mini DH bike with 24" wheels.

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He went to trampoline so I am getting a few solo laps. Lifts don't shut down until 8!
 
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