Bike season is here with Revelstoke Mountain Resort’s (RMR) Bike Park opening May 31. With a range of programs aimed at all skill levels, the bike park is gearing up for a busy summer jam-packed with cyclists sending it on some legendary trails.
In its second summer of offering mountain bike programs, the Mountain Sports School at RMR is building on the success it had last year. The Mountaineer chatted with Vincent Lafontaine, RMR’s sports school director to learn more about what programs will keep you on your bikes this season.
The Discovery Lesson
With the goal of introducing newbies to mountain biking, the Discovery Lesson is focused on building a foundation of basic mountain biking skill and knowledge, including bike setup, body positioning and balance.
“The Discovery Lesson is for beginners, and we offer it twice a day,” Lafontaine said. “It’s a two-and-a-half-hour lesson, and the package includes the bike rental and the lower mountain lift tickets.”
The Discovery Lesson is taught by certified instructors, Lafontaine added, with access to the lower mountain terrain which offers a more approachable ride.
Similarly, there is a package geared toward intermediate riders.
“We call it a progression lesson,” Lafontaine explained. It also includes instruction, lift tickets and access to a bike rental.
E-bike guided tours
With the launch of e-bike tours well received last year, Lafontaine said RMR was eager to offer this program again. The trip up and down the Stoke Climb takes about four hours, he explained.
“The climb is really great, not too hard,” he said. “We have really high quality bikes in our rental fleet. That tour includes the guide, the bike and lift access.”
This program is for intermediate riders, as the descent down 5620 requires some experience.
“You have to come back down 5620, so you need people that have done a little bit of downhill mountain biking so everyone is comfortable.”
With the option of adding Mackenzie Ridge, Lafontaine said the views are one of the huge draws to the program.
“I think it’s pretty unique. Your climb starts at the top of the gondola. You go through a variety of terrain starting in the sub-alpine, and continue into the alpine. In late July and August, the wildflowers are in bloom, so the views are quite special.”
Kids programs
This one’s for the parents out there. The sports school’s kids programs offer a chance for youth ages eight to 15 an opportunity to learn new skills and build confidence on two wheels. With both weekend and weekday programs, there are many chances for kids to get out on the trails this summer.
“We also have five-day kid’s camps,” Lafontaine added. “It’s a new program this year. The camps run all day for a full week, from Monday to Friday. These camps will be offered four different weeks throughout the summer.”
Ladies clinics
Every Sunday, it’s ladies day on the trails. Available to all levels from novice to advanced, the ladies clinics offer women-led instruction. With flexible options from drop-in’s to four and eight session passes, the ladies clinics also offer a great chance to connect and socialize during the half-day instruction.
For more information on dates and pricing packages, visit RMR’s website.
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