MTB Instructor Camp: How to end on a high!

What a final week for the Bike Park Academy 2016, an MTB Instructor Camp to remember for sure! The trainees had a focused week of rider progression with some new coaches, including superstar Whistler Mountain Bike Guide Audric, as well as our amazing 2014 Peak Leaders graduate Dave Weeks and the terrific Jeremy Cole, all who showcased their different teaching styles and personality, giving the trainees some more tools to their guiding kit! We also enjoyed a whopping snow cone lap up in the Garbo zone, exclusive to Peak Leaders Dirt and so much more. Here’s the rundown!

The MTB Instructor Camp trainees pose for a photo on Whistler Mountain before some fun laps

Having some fun on our MTB Instructor Camp with the trainees

Bike Park Patrol Day

This year we organised a new feature to our MTB Instructor Camp which we are super pleased with! The trainees were introduced to some of the outstanding Bike Park Patrol team of Whistler Mountain. Mark and Terri put together an awesome full day program documenting what it’s like to be part of the Bike Park Patrol team and how they as Whistler Mountain Bike Guides can help Bike Park Patrol if and when they are involved in an injury or crash on the mountain. It’s important to follow the correct protocol when using the radio to call for assistance and also remain calm and help your client where you can…scary business we think, but an excellent chance to get on trail and practice that type of scenario. We got a lot out of the day and our trainees now feel very confident about following correct procedure if they ever encounter a crash.

All 23 MTB Instructor Camp trainees get a chance to practice on trail the correct procedure to follow during a crash

A new feature of the MTB Instructor Camp where our trainees practice a real life crash scenario on trail!

Rider Progression for our MTB Instructor Camp trainees

This year, the trainees enjoyed a full week of rider progression and we rode everything from Whistler DH to Dirt Merchant…all the tech and all the air the Fitz Zone had to offer!

Matt showcasing a controlled rock roll on Whistler Mountain Bike Park on the MTB Instructor Camp 2016

MTB Instructor Camp trainee Matt bossing Mcskimmings Rock on Whistler DH

We were stoked to get a day riding with Audric, one of Whistler Blackcomb’s French guides, who has years of experience and bags of personality! Audric is also one hell of a rider and the trainees soaked up all his knowledge and style. We also got some time learning jumps, drops and cornering with Whistler Guide Jeremy Cole and Peak Leaders fave Dave Weeks. It’s a great opportunity to really compare different coaching styles and learn how to put your own stamp on your guest experience! The goal is to get your guest hooked to DH and learn either a new skill or something new on an existing skill, if we can get to the end of a lesson claiming that, then we have definitely nailed it!

Dave Weeks sending Dwayne Johnson

2013 Peak Leaders graduate and Lead Whistler Mountain Bike Guide, Dave Weeks, shows us how it’s done on Dwayne Johnson

Joyride is a joy to ride!

Before the trainees got stuck into rider progression and hitting some big features, Coaches Ducan, Javier, Dave and Jeremy covered an Intro to Jumps lesson.  The Gentle Giant in the Whistler Bike Park skills area is perfect for jump progression, where the trainees are taught how to start with the correct body movements in a step by step process before eventually progressing to ‘credit card’ air. We want guests to achieve CPR, Crouch, Press, Release and encourage good muscle memory.  Once we have had time sessioning the Gentle Giant and getting those demos dialled, we take it to Crank it Up and practice mini CPRs to mimic the movements needed to get air on the jump…pre-ride, re-ride, free-ride!

The trainees head over to the Gentle Giant for an Intro to Jumps lesson

Duncan covers an Intro to Jumps lesson with the trainees

Trainees demo air on the Gentle Giant with Duncan

How to get air on the Gentle Giant

In amongst all the rider progression, we also enjoyed a day of photography with Josh Mcgarel, who took some absolutely epic shots on Joyride, Dwayne Johnson, Fade to Black, Tech Noir and Aline to name a few. The trainees were now fit and ready to give their best steaze also, after smashing their IDP Level 1 & 2. We will be featuring Josh’s snaps on the website along with a feature on him very soon, so keep your eyes peeled.

Coach Duncan guides trainees down Joyride Rock Roll

Coaching down Joyride Rock Roll with Duncan Mainland on our 2016 MTB Instructor Camp. Photo Credit Josh Mcgarel

Suns out, guns out at the BBQ

Our Whistler team and chalet chef put together an epic end of course feast fit for 23 trainees and a few guests. Burgers, Sausages, pasta salad, and all the cheese we could hope for, not to mention a few beers on us! It was a hot weekend in valley at 28c and a tiring day on the hill, so a few cold ones and time to chill on the patio were welcomed.

Our end of course fun day involved an epic BBQ

A BBQ feast for the eyes!

Suns out, guns out on the deck and time to chat about some of the highlights of the course, making new friends, riding highs, achieving new goals and looking ahead to a summer teaching people how to ride bikes! Shaping up to be an epic season already and we are super proud to introduce new blood into Whistler Mountain Bike Park and extend our ever growing family in Whistler.  We also had success with our California local Cameron, who secured a job at Mammoth Mountain Bike Park, where we already have a 2 Guides placed there from last year. Super stoked for you, Cameron :)

All the BBQ trimmings you could ask for, the trainees enjoy a meat feast on the patio

The trainees get stuck into some burgers, sausages and pasta salad!

Laura enjoys a trail ride on the local valley trails before tucking into the BBQ

Laura takes advantage of the awesome weather and gets back from valley trail ride!

Burgers and selfies in the sun

Our Chalet Chef gets the burgers on While GL Darragh gets a quick selfie in

The trainees get a hose down in the heat

Cooling down with some hose action

Snow Cone Laps

Our trainees enjoyed a special treat exclusive only to us, we hit up Garbo Zone on the first Gondy to enjoy the breathtaking views at the top of the mountain. Getting our winter sports a little mixed up with a massive ski run…ON BIKES! The vibe was electric as we still enjoyed 20C up that high and we were all ready to slide down the mountain on two wheels.

Group photo in Garbo Zone before our Ski run on bikes

The trainees get hyped in Garbo Zone for a ski run on Bikes

Duncan on top of the world

Duncan shows us spray for days and just how steep the Ski run was!

Go Pro angle of biking down the ski run

Go Pro view of our snow cone lap


…and that’s a wrap! Our trainees are already working as guides and gearing up for the school kids to go on holiday end of the month where it will be super busy! All the best and see you on the mountain!

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