May 14/09 11:01 am - Whistler Mountain Bike Park Opens Saturday for 2009 Season

Posted by Editor on 05/14/09
 

Area riders are tuning up their bikes and getting out their gear as the Whistler Mountain Bike Park opens for daily operations Saturday, May 16th with 12 trails to feed their adrenaline lust.

Signature trails to open include Lower A-Line, Crank It Up, B-Line, and Ninja Cougar. The current early season conditions are for intermediate or above skill level; however more trails, including beginner terrain, will open up as snowpack allows. An updated list of open trails is available on whistlerbike.com.

Riders can also get some pre-opening practice in the Air Dome starting this Friday. The Air Dome, an 8,400 square foot covered indoor bike training facility with a huge foam pit and wooden ramps, is open Friday to Sunday throughout the season.

"At Whistler Blackcomb we’re lucky enough to have six months for mountain biking season. As all trails are covered in snow, the anticipation builds when we can finally clear the trails and get the Bike Park open,” says Brian Finestone, Whistler Mountain Bike Park Manager. “The mud gates are about to open this Saturday and people are worked up into a frenzy with opening day anticipation. We’ve got lots of trails ready to go and are expecting a great start to what will no doubt be another fantastic season.”

The Bike Park is open daily from 10am-5pm until June 19th and then from 10am-8pm starting June 20th through the summer. Weekday access is via the Whistler Village Gondola with the Fitzsimmons Chairlift opening on weekends.

The Garbanzo Zone is scheduled to open June 27th in time for Whistler Blackcomb’s core summer operations. Riders can look forward to new trail sections on Blue Velvet and Freight Train, as well as the completely redeveloped No Joke trail in the Garbanzo Zone. The Bike Park also features redesigned Slopestyle, Giant Slalom and Dual Slalom courses.

Early season adult day tickets are $40. Bike Park Season Passes are available by phone at 1-800-766-0449, online at whistlerbike.com or in person at the Village Guest Relations in the Whistler Gondola building. Riders can purchase their Bike Park passes at an Early Bird rate of $435 before June 19, and $475 thereafter. Winter Edge Card and Season Pass holders are eligible to purchase a Bike Park pass for $425.

The Triple Play Card returns, offering three days of riding in the Whistler Mountain Bike for the adult Early Bird price of $115, if purchased before June 19 and $125 thereafter. Riders save on any additional days and can have the convenience of going directly to the lift by connecting their Triple Play Card to their credit card.

First-timers can test drive the Whistler Mountain Bike Park with the Sampler ticket, which provides three lift rides. If the sampling turns into a full-blown addiction, riders can upgrade to a full day ticket with options to receive discounts on riding in the Bike Park for the rest of the season.

Full suspension bikes, helmets and body armour are available at Garbanzo Rentals in the Whistler Gondola building. Meanwhile, the Garbanzo Bike and Bean in Carleton Lodge offers rental and repair services, and features a retail section filled with top-end mountain bikes, clothing and equipment.

For those looking for some inspiration, the epic and adrenaline-fueled mountain bike movie, Redbull Rampage: The Evolution, premieres at the Garibaldi Lift Co. (GLC) Friday, May 15th at 9pm. The eye candy continues at the GLC on Saturday, May 16th with the premiere of the Goldstein Productions movie, On The Line starting at 9pm. The GLC is open daily throughout the summer at the base of the Bike Park, and is the perfect spot to enjoy a sunny post-Park patio session or an evening of live music, DJs and good times.

Also, the Whistler Mountain Bike Park and Kokanee Crankworx 2008, are featured in an upcoming “Ride Guide” episode on OLN Canada this Sunday, May 17th at 12:30 pm EST (9:30 am PST). Ride Guide is a mountain travel TV series, where the hosts and guest pros share their travels of skiing, snowboarding and mountain biking from locations throughout the world. The Whistler show will also premiere on Rush HD Canada under the name “Descent”, also on Sunday, May 17th at 8:30 pm EST (5:30 pm PST) and again at 11:30 pm EST (8:30 pm PST), with a repeat on Saturday, May 23rd at 9pm EST (6pm PST).

Whistler Mountain Bike Park, May 16-October 12, 2009

May 16-June 19: 10am-5pm daily

June 20-September 6: 10am-8pm daily

September 7-October 12: 10am-5pm daily

Air Dome May 16-October 12, 2009

Fri, Sat & Sun only 2-5pm and 5-8pm
* Extended hours coming soon