While anxious riders eagerly anticipate the opening on the Whistler Bike Park (this year it's May 15th), the bike patrol is tirelessly riding the trails making sure they are safe - FOR YOU!
These three videos (all POV with the Vholdr ContourHD 720) show the WBP patrollers at various stages in the day. Videos inside,
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| Sharon B making sure no-one's speared themselves in Goats Gully |
:
1. There are trails outside the park and there's even a
guidebook for those trails.
Those trails aren't patrolled.
2. Patrol is tasked with ensuring the safety of bikepark and hiking trail users. There's an average of 500 riders a day on weekdays, 1000/day on weekends and the busiest day (usually
Crankworx weekend) is 2000+ per day. There's many more hikers - usually 1.5x to 2x the number of hikers vs bikers.
3. Four patrollers work the Fitzsimmons Chair; three work the Garbonzo Chair and three work the Roundhouse/alpine trails.
4. Ages of patrollers (including volunteers) run all the way from mid - 25s to mid - 50s.
5. All patrollers have this in common; all are really good riders and all of them have extensive medical training (OEC, OFA3 and CPR C at minimum). Many have more medical training. There's a good reason why injured riders are usually pretty happy to see a patroller.
6. A patroller's day starts at 8:30 and ends at 5pm. During Extended Play hours, patrollers will split a morning and afternoon 10 shift. That might sound early, but it's a darn sight better than a 5am winter start to bomb avalanche-prone slopes (many bike park patrollers also ski patrol).
7. The most unusual injury recorded in the WBP is the dreaded testes in the rear tire (sorry!). More common injuries include; concussions, road-rash, contusions, broken collarbones, sticks in eye, spearing (by rotors, brake levers and sticks).
Ian and his dog, Hector, open the lower trails. Hector is faster than you.
Beth and Justin sweep Dirt Merchant and Lower A-line. Beth is faster and prettier than you.
Dom closes Garbonzo and D-Line. Dom is not only faster than you, but he can put your shoulder back in just by looking at it!
www.whistlerbike.com
or something next time, lol.
