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!
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.
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!
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!
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!
Duncan covers an Intro to Jumps lesson with the trainees
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.
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.
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 :)
The trainees get stuck into some burgers, sausages and pasta salad!
Laura takes advantage of the awesome weather and gets back from valley trail ride!
Our Chalet Chef gets the burgers on While GL Darragh gets a quick selfie in
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.
The trainees get hyped in Garbo Zone for a ski run on Bikes
Duncan shows us spray for days and just how steep the Ski run was!
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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Become a Qualified Whistler Mountain Bike Guide
Coaches Camp, Whistler (5-week course) 27th Jul – 31 Aug @ £3950.00
Call us on +44 (0) 1337 860 079 or message here for a chat about Peak Leaders mountain bike courses, ski instructor courses, or snowboard instructor courses
