An early valley snow melt has allowed trail crews to get a jump start on this direction. The trail crews have given both Crank It Up and A-line full makeovers. Paddy Kaye and his team of builders and shapers from Joyride Bike Parks have resculpted Crank It Up from top to bottom. The new and improved Crank It Up has been designed to provide a smooth introduction for riders getting familiar with Freeride style bike trails. New shapes and features have been created that will be enjoyable on both All Mountain and Downhill bikes and for a broad range of ability levels. Later this summer, riders will be able to progress to Crank It Up More, a brand new and more challenging 1.4km trail, where riders can take to the air after they have mastered the jumps of Crank It Up.
New Crank it Up; Photo: © Mark Mackay/ rider: Peter Matthews
“We wanted to create a middle ground for riders who have mastered the easier trails but aren’t quite ready to ride with the pros,” says Brian Finestone, Whistler Mountain Bike Park Manager. “The changes we’ve made, including the modifications on Crank It Up and the up-coming addition of Crank It Up More, will allow opportunities for riders to build up their skills while still challenging the advanced riders, and keep everyone progressing through the Park at their own pace.”
At the same time, the Whistler Mountain Bike Trail Crew have taken on the challenge of making one of the world’s most iconic trails even better. Dave Murphy and his team of trail artists have reworked the classic A-Line trail to adapt it to current riding preferences and styles. The finished product will guarantee a new level of fun and entertainment for the Park’s A-line addicts. A-line will offer multiple approaches to many features allowing for a true black diamond experience with a variety of more challenging options.
As the season progresses and snow melts on Whistler, trail crews will continue to work their magic while moving their focus up the mountain to select trails in the Garbanzo Zone. You can check the Whistler Mountain Bike Parks Updates page throughout the season for further details on trail changes here: http://update.whistlerbike.com/. In the meantime, hop on board with team riders Tristan Merrick and James McSkimming as they ride Dirt Merchant top-to-bottom for a full POV view of this iconic expert freeride trail below.
Photos: © Justa Jeskova/Whistler Blackcomb Bike Park, BC
Source: http://www.whistlerblackcomb.com
