Heading to Whistler in August

[Falling]

I ride Snowshoe, Pisgah, and Wilson regularly. I have been to Whistler Twice each time for 10-14 days.

First a comment, why are you only riding for three days, you are going to regret that.

Whistler is amazing but you need to know where and what you want to ride. At most you will get 10-12 rides in per day, if you ride from 10-5, when you are there it will be open from 10-8.

Depending on what you like, A-Line, Dirt Merchant all of that stuff I am sure you have read about, they are groomed jump trails. I don't find them all that much fun, I like the technical trails far more. My best suggestion is post up and ask people for what linked runs they like to do. Then go to youtube and look for video of the trails. Watch repeatedly so when you get there you will know what you are getting in to.

Everything is bigger than Snowshoe, with more higher consequences for mistakes. With that said, it is MUCH easier than Snowshoe. At Whistler when you see the orange flags for a jump you know it is built well and landable if you nuts are big enough, I don't think that is the case in Snowshoe. Brake bumps BLOW you arms will get tired. Take two or three asprin before riding. Trust me on this. I've never been to diablo, but you do not know what brake bumps are until you hit A-Line or Crank it Up its like riding down a wash board. The tech trails you don't have that.

My favorite line is all the way up the Garbo--> Blue Velvet to! In Deep (there are a couple of ways to get to In Deep) to Little Adler to Too Tight to Angry Pirate to Afternoon Delight East to Whistler Downhill or Rock City to Heart of Darkness to the lift. You can substitute Heart of Darkenss for lower A-line to the GLC drop if you want to Style it out. GLC Drop is a joke NOW I've seen people roll it. It used to be HUGE.

Other favorite is Blue Velvet to Freight Train to Drop In Clinic to Duff Man to Dirt Merchant or back to Garbo Lift or Angry Pirate or A-Line down. Duff Man has six or so trails in it. When you drop in on it look back to your left and see the Manager its not always open but I did it once. I haven't been able to get the brown stain out of my shorts. I basically nose wheelied down it! Still don't believe I made it.

I am not too much for the jump trails. But if you hit A-Line and Crank it Up, Freight Train or Dirt Merchant. Commit yourself, worst thing you can do is get out of flow. The only one that has mandatory gaps is Dirt Merchant. There isn't much penalty for blowing a table but you won't really be able to hit the other ones if you pull up short. If you can flow and mean really flow the new Power line at Snowshoe you should be good to go on Crank it Up. A-Lines jumps are steeper and bigger than anything Snowshoe could imagine. Watch also if you are on it, locals RIP down it and they don't like people gawking. It is morally crushing when a 12 year jumps over you, I have had it done to me before! Before you move on to A-Line get real comfortable on Crank it Up.

Mandatory rides to prove you were there:
Devils Club- Oldish school skinnies and such
Detroit Rock City- Crazy rock ride in the middle and a Mother Fer of a small drop onto a rock with a 90degree flat turn I miss it 75% of the time
Schelyer- not really that crazy but there is a 5 foot drop in the middle that has been simplifed so you could probably role it.
Samauri Pizza Cat- Connector trail I believe
Ninja Cougar- I get P! izza cat ! and this screwed up one has awesome fun flowy berms great warm up.
Angry Pirate- I would die to have this in Pisgah. Most like what we ride at home with a Whistler upgrade, you'll like this one
Captain Safety- Watch the video
Goats Gully stay away from this one, seriously unless you tech skills are on fire, it is a forty five minute hike a bike if you aren't confident, I also tried it in the rain big mistake.
Facrobat- Big log ride

When are you going? Seriously, if you can get more days do it.

[motobutane]

I ride Snowshoe, Pisgah, and Wilson regularly. I have been to Whistler Twice each time for 10-14 days.

First a comment, why are you only riding for three days, you are going to regret that.

Whistler is amazing but you need to know where and what you want to ride. At most you will get 10-12 rides in per day, if you ride from 10-5, when you are there it will be open from 10-8.

Depending on what you like, A-Line, Dirt Merchant all of that stuff I am sure you have read about, they are groomed jump trails. I don't find them all that much fun, I like the technical trails far more. My best suggestion is post up and ask people for what linked runs they like to do. Then go to youtube and look for video of the trails. Watch repeatedly so when you get there you will know what you are getting in to.

Everything is bigger than Snowshoe, with more higher consequences for mistakes. With that said, it is MUCH easier than Snowshoe. At Whistler when you see the orange flags for a jump you know it is built well and landable if you nuts are big enough, I don't think that is the case in Snowshoe. Brake bumps BLOW you arms will get tired. Take two or three asprin before riding. Trust me on this. I've never been to diablo, but you do not know what brake bumps are until you hit A-Line or Crank it Up its like riding down a wash board. The tech trails you don't have that.

My favorite line is all the way up the Garbo--> Blue Velvet to! In Deep (there are a couple of ways to get to In Deep) to Little Adler to Too Tight to Angry Pirate to Afternoon Delight East to Whistler Downhill or Rock City to Heart of Darkness to the lift. You can substitute Heart of Darkenss for lower A-line to the GLC drop if you want to Style it out. GLC Drop is a joke NOW I've seen people roll it. It used to be HUGE.

Other favorite is Blue Velvet to Freight Train to Drop In Clinic to Duff Man to Dirt Merchant or back to Garbo Lift or Angry Pirate or A-Line down. Duff Man has six or so trails in it. When you drop in on it look back to your left and see the Manager its not always open but I did it once. I haven't been able to get the brown stain out of my shorts. I basically nose wheelied down it! Still don't believe I made it.

I am not too much for the jump trails. But if you hit A-Line and Crank it Up, Freight Train or Dirt Merchant. Commit yourself, worst thing you can do is get out of flow. The only one that has mandatory gaps is Dirt Merchant. There isn't much penalty for blowing a table but you won't really be able to hit the other ones if you pull up short. If you can flow and mean really flow the new Power line at Snowshoe you should be good to go on Crank it Up. A-Lines jumps are steeper and bigger than anything Snowshoe could imagine. Watch also if you are on it, locals RIP down it and they don't like people gawking. It is morally crushing when a 12 year jumps over you, I have had it done to me before! Before you move on to A-Line get real comfortable on Crank it Up.

Mandatory rides to prove you were there:
Devils Club- Oldish school skinnies and such
Detroit Rock City- Crazy rock ride in the middle and a Mother Fer of a small drop onto a rock with a 90degree flat turn I miss it 75% of the time
Schelyer- not really that crazy but there is a 5 foot drop in the middle that has been simplifed so you could probably role it.
Samauri Pizza Cat- Connector trail I believe
Ninja Cougar- I get P! izza cat ! and this screwed up one has awesome fun flowy berms great warm up.
Angry Pirate- I would die to have this in Pisgah. Most like what we ride at home with a Whistler upgrade, you'll like this one
Captain Safety- Watch the video
Goats Gully stay away from this one, seriously unless you tech skills are on fire, it is a forty five minute hike a bike if you aren't confident, I also tried it in the rain big mistake.
Facrobat- Big log ride

When are you going? Seriously, if you can get more days do it.

Awesome info thanks, we are going the first of August and already committed to the 3 days and can't squeeze any more days outta it.
Diablo's jump line is way bigger than snowshoe's so we have some experience in bigger tables. I actually watched video's of Captain safety & Goats gully today both super narly.

"My best suggestion is post up and ask people for what linked runs they like to do. Then go to youtube and look for video of the trails. Watch repeatedly so when you get there you will know what you are getting in to."
^^Best advice yet^^^

I have noticed a few really good looking trails like Angry Pirate and between Pinkbike & u-tube there's plenty to watch. I'm gonna copy yer trail link-ups and look at the map.
Thanks again for the info.
Oh and how many days riding did you get in - in 14 days?

[motobutane]

I ride Snowshoe, Pisgah, and Wilson regularly. I have been to Whistler Twice each time for 10-14 days.

First a comment, why are you only riding for three days, you are going to regret that.

Whistler is amazing but you need to know where and what you want to ride. At most you will get 10-12 rides in per day, if you ride from 10-5, when you are there it will be open from 10-8.

Depending on what you like, A-Line, Dirt Merchant all of that stuff I am sure you have read about, they are groomed jump trails. I don't find them all that much fun, I like the technical trails far more. My best suggestion is post up and ask people for what linked runs they like to do. Then go to youtube and look for video of the trails. Watch repeatedly so when you get there you will know what you are getting in to.

Everything is bigger than Snowshoe, with more higher consequences for mistakes. With that said, it is MUCH easier than Snowshoe. At Whistler when you see the orange flags for a jump you know it is built well and landable if you nuts are big enough, I don't think that is the case in Snowshoe. Brake bumps BLOW you arms will get tired. Take two or three asprin before riding. Trust me on this. I've never been to diablo, but you do not know what brake bumps are until you hit A-Line or Crank it Up its like riding down a wash board. The tech trails you don't have that.

My favorite line is all the way up the Garbo--> Blue Velvet to! In Deep (there are a couple of ways to get to In Deep) to Little Adler to Too Tight to Angry Pirate to Afternoon Delight East to Whistler Downhill or Rock City to Heart of Darkness to the lift. You can substitute Heart of Darkenss for lower A-line to the GLC drop if you want to Style it out. GLC Drop is a joke NOW I've seen people roll it. It used to be HUGE.

Other favorite is Blue Velvet to Freight Train to Drop In Clinic to Duff Man to Dirt Merchant or back to Garbo Lift or Angry Pirate or A-Line down. Duff Man has six or so trails in it. When you drop in on it look back to your left and see the Manager its not always open but I did it once. I haven't been able to get the brown stain out of my shorts. I basically nose wheelied down it! Still don't believe I made it.

I am not too much for the jump trails. But if you hit A-Line and Crank it Up, Freight Train or Dirt Merchant. Commit yourself, worst thing you can do is get out of flow. The only one that has mandatory gaps is Dirt Merchant. There isn't much penalty for blowing a table but you won't really be able to hit the other ones if you pull up short. If you can flow and mean really flow the new Power line at Snowshoe you should be good to go on Crank it Up. A-Lines jumps are steeper and bigger than anything Snowshoe could imagine. Watch also if you are on it, locals RIP down it and they don't like people gawking. It is morally crushing when a 12 year jumps over you, I have had it done to me before! Before you move on to A-Line get real comfortable on Crank it Up.

Mandatory rides to prove you were there:
Devils Club- Oldish school skinnies and such
Detroit Rock City- Crazy rock ride in the middle and a Mother Fer of a small drop onto a rock with a 90degree flat turn I miss it 75% of the time
Schelyer- not really that crazy but there is a 5 foot drop in the middle that has been simplifed so you could probably role it.
Samauri Pizza Cat- Connector trail I believe
Ninja Cougar- I get P! izza cat ! and this screwed up one has awesome fun flowy berms great warm up.
Angry Pirate- I would die to have this in Pisgah. Most like what we ride at home with a Whistler upgrade, you'll like this one
Captain Safety- Watch the video
Goats Gully stay away from this one, seriously unless you tech skills are on fire, it is a forty five minute hike a bike if you aren't confident, I also tried it in the rain big mistake.
Facrobat- Big log ride

When are you going? Seriously, if you can get more days do it.

Re-read yer post and got a couple questions......
You joined in 2009 and this was your first post? Why?
You say you ride Snowshoe,Pisgah,Wilson regularly but what about Windrock? Do you ride there? You said you like the more technical trails,why no mention of WR?
Just making sure your advice is genuine.

[Falling]

Are you serious? Thanks for looking a gift horse in the mouth. Do you think I would know that much detail if i hadn't been there? I am more of a lurker, I usually only buy stuff on here. I am on MTBR more frequently. I only happened to see your thread because of it was on the front sheet.

Anyway, never been to Windrock. don't really have a good reason other than the wife doesn't like to camp. She downhills with me so we head to Snowshoe a lot over the summer. Usually 6 weekends.

When we go to Whistler we stay with a place called Ticket-2-Ride. It is a British company that guides and cooks and takes care of you! It is funny because typically we are the only Americans ask them about Becks and Rich they can vouch for us. When we go for two weeks we typically ride 12 days. Two break days and one or two 3-4 hour days. We ride Whistler mountain for 4-6 days depending on the weather and crowds. We go to Pemberton and Squamish the other days. I ride a Knolly Delirium that I change the rear shock on from a Monarch to a CCDB coil. Down hill days get the coil AM days are on the Monarch. You'll see people on 6 inch bikes all the way to 9.25 "dowhill bikes.

Since you are going only three days you can't do one of the best things in Whistler, the Rainbow Heli Drop! That is probably the best experience on a bike that I have ever had.

If you want more credentials: Whistler 2x, Costa Rica for 14 days, Chile for 15, South Africa for 17 days and we are riding Peru from July 3rd to July 24th. Plus all domestic trips, Phoenix, Sedona, Moab, North East, Rockies Durango.

Not everyone has to e-ride their bike on Ridemonkey.

[Falling]

I don't know why this made me so mad. Here is photo evidence, in all my hairy glory, I think someone knocked over my bike when my wife took this picture. This is right before Crankwork's 2011.

[motobutane]

Are you serious? Thanks for looking a gift horse in the mouth. Do you think I would know that much detail if i hadn't been there? I am more of a lurker, I usually only buy stuff on here. I am on MTBR more frequently. I only happened to see your thread because of it was on the front sheet.

Anyway, never been to Windrock. don't really have a good reason other than the wife doesn't like to camp. She downhills with me so we head to Snowshoe a lot over the summer. Usually 6 weekends.

When we go to Whistler we stay with a place called Ticket-2-Ride. It is a British company that guides and cooks and takes care of you! It is funny because typically we are the only Americans ask them about Becks and Rich they can vouch for us. When we go for two weeks we typically ride 12 days. Two break days and one or two 3-4 hour days. We ride Whistler mountain for 4-6 days depending on the weather and crowds. We go to Pemberton and Squamish the other days. I ride a Knolly Delirium that I change the rear shock on from a Monarch to a CCDB coil. Down hill days get the coil AM days are on the Monarch. You'll see people on 6 inch bikes all the way to 9.25 "dowhill bikes.

Since you are going only three days you can't do one of the best things in Whistler, the Rainbow Heli Drop! That is probably the best experience on a bike that I have ever had.

If you want more credentials: Whistler 2x, Costa Rica for 14 days, Chile for 15, South Africa for 17 days and we are riding Peru from July 3rd to July 24th. Plus all domestic trips, Phoenix, Sedona, Moab, North East, Rockies Durango.

Not everyone has to e-ride their bike on Ridemonkey.

I don't know why this made me so mad. Here is photo evidence, in all my hairy glory, I think someone knocked over my bike when my wife took this picture. This is right before Crankwork's 2011.

I didn't mean to call you out but its easy to make a sock puppet accounts on these sites and I have been fooled before and I don't know you personally so sorry.We ride Windrock a lot its usually just a day trip so if you get interested just let me know and we'll show you around.
As far as your credentials = impressive! I've never been out of the country riding so props! But I have made it to Moab-Durango before.
And your "Hairy glory" well Milohead(Josh) seems to have you beat in the sideburn area.

[motomike]

Been 3 times, and like everyone else all I can say is that you definitely need more than 3 days! Just make it happen, you don't want to regret not having enough time to ride everything.

[mbrennan]

They could be brothers ...freaky

[Carraig042]

I like to think of Snowshoe's tables as a training bra for Mountain Creek's tables. I mean we are talking about full D's here!

-Brett

[motobutane]

They could be brothers ...freaky

Yeah they could hahahahaha

I like to think of Snowshoe's tables as a training bra for Mountain Creek's tables. I mean we are talking about full D's here!

-Brett

Yer too young to know about bra sizes

[motobutane]

Been 3 times, and like everyone else all I can say is that you definitely need more than 3 days! Just make it happen, you don't want to regret not having enough time to ride everything.

Again with the 3 days! sheesh! Its hard enough to plan and get commitments for a week off as is.I guess we'll just have too ride from 10-8 every day ~ gonna have to train for this.

[wildcard]

I'll be there 3 times this summer. Opening weekend, in July and closing weekend. Gotta catch the Turkey Sale (Canadian Thanksgiving) they have closing weekend, tons of great deals.

Don't miss Dirt Merchant, Joyride, Schleyer or Detroit Rock City.

[motobutane]

I'll be there 3 times this summer. Opening weekend, in July and closing weekend. Gotta catch the Turkey Sale (Canadian Thanksgiving) they have closing weekend, tons of great deals.

Don't miss Dirt Merchant, Joyride, Schleyer or Detroit Rock City.

Wow if you are from the south thats big!

[Carraig042]

Yeah they could hahahahaha

Yer too young to know about bra sizes

Haha, shhh. I wish I had more money/time to more trips!

Brett

[Falling]

One other suggestion, get supplemental insurance. It usually is 5-10 dollars per day. If you take a tumble on the hill it is Expensive! The medical center in Whistler is essentially an Urgent Care. So if you get hurt it is either a two hour ambulance drive to Vancouver or a Helicopter ride both uber expensive. From what I know, the medical center only takes cash or credit up front from Yankees. Luckily I haven't had to experience it first hand.