Whistler A,B and C lines

[thewwkayaker]

Just a thought:

One of the biggest complaints at the BP is the "slow" people on A-line incl. people who shouldn't be on the trail.

Perhaps, now that they have the new family park on Blackcomb, they should convert B-line to have smaller tables with lesser angles (if necessary) for these "slow" people to practice on. It does several things: gets the "slow" people off A-line, gives a place for the "slow" people to learn dirt jumping (with multiple practice hits instead of pushing up at the jump parks) and the A-liners won't use the trail because going fast will cause you to blow past the back tranny thus keeping the speed down. Everyone wins.

In addition, if that worked out really well then a C-line could be made for the even "slower" people to learn on. Both new lines could include at the end optional 3-4 hits that are the next level up for practice to see if they are ready for the next level.

[mattj]

An excellent suggestion. hopefully it happens.


-m

[gearwh0re]

good idea. i can bomb down a line with the best of em (or i could when i biked :lol: but how are people supposed to learn?

b line should have optional hits on the side

[Toshi]

i think the revised dj park is supposed to be the place for learning...

[mrraulduke]

no....
the options shouldn't be on the side for people to learn. they should be head on with no turning into then or out of them.the options should go around. In my experience teaching newer riders free rding and jumping skills that's the hardest part....setting up for the jump.
if whistler made a trail like that it would be perfect for learning with an easy option to the side.

[Shocker]

why not just have bline the same and C line with small jumps, that way you dont have to mod 1 trail and make a new one as well.

[axisofevelknievel]

The good news is that the bike park likes so idea so much that they started planning for it last year. As I remember (not saying much...), the idea was to either make a new trail or turn Golden Triangle into the new B Line and make B Line into the B&1/2 Line. Over the winter, they even shaped in the occassional small roller into B Line. Of course, the park master plans seems to change constantly, so who really knows. Maybe Patrolskid knows more (hint, hint).

[thewwkayaker]

I only used B-line because a) it has the same type of name so helps clarify it to users b) B-line is a pointless for learning now that they have the family area on Blackcomb c) with a cut trail already made it's easier to modify than make a whole new trail

But heck - I don't care. I'm more interested in helping solve what seems to be an issue for a lot of people (and make Whistler a better place). So if cutting a new trail makes more sense - great.

The biggest winner is Whistler because if they can get more people to come they get more $$. This might encourage even more people to come because now people can learn in an easier friendlier fashion how to DJ and eventually go onto the "famous" A-line everyone talks about. So junior starts off in the family park, moves onto said "C-line" graduates to said "B-line" then perhaps they have to go back to country X but now junior is stoked about hitting A-line and begs and begs to go back so parents give in and spend lots more $$ coming back to let junior play at the park (hotels, restaurants, shopping in general) Soon Mtn biking becomes almost as popular as skiing, prices skyrocket to $1500+ for a pass, lines are huge....hmmmmm maybe this isn't such a good idea....

[JSinclair]

there are some new humps in BLine for this year. I rode it on teh weekend and there was definitly new shape to the trail.

There are not a lot, nor are they Jumps, more like rollers that can be jumped. It would be cool to see some small tables for beginners on Bline. Unless warming up with no pedal runs (Yeilding to beginners) there is no real reason to be on Bline if your advanced.

at the beginning of the season I usually do one pump run on Bline to get warmed up and feeling good about the bike, after the first couple of weeks I go straight to an A-Line or DM cruiser for warm ups.

i am always aware of beginner riders on BLine. I think it would be a great learning tool for aspiring A-Line Whores to practice on though before joining the mayham.

[M@M]

there are some new humps in BLine for this year. I rode it on teh weekend and there was definitly new shape to the trail.

There are not a lot, nor are they Jumps, more like rollers that can be jumped. It would be cool to see some small tables for beginners on Bline. Unless warming up with no pedal runs (Yeilding to beginners) there is no real reason to be on Bline if your advanced.

at the beginning of the season I usually do one pump run on Bline to get warmed up and feeling good about the bike, after the first couple of weeks I go straight to an A-Line or DM cruiser for warm ups.

i am always aware of beginner riders on BLine. I think it would be a great learning tool for aspiring A-Line Whores to practice on though before joining the mayham.
i basically used b-line on the weekend as a warmup run, just to get me moving. it would be nice to have some hits on it so you dont go from no hits to big hits on aline, with no warmup for the big hits.

[IFO]

i to , also use B-line into smoke n mirrors as my 1st run of the day...

i force myself to do it, even during the heart of summer... its a great way to get cnetered/neutral over the bike, get your body up to speed and make sure the bike is dialed to go...

i'd rather have a mechanical 1st thing in the day on B-line then doing mach9 down A-line....

[bcbud]

Bline is the original manufactured groomed trail and I almost like more then Aline, as far as riding it all the time, I do, just slow down for slow riders, plus its good for practicing corner speed and exits, and the race down it is always fun....

[Dantes Inferno]

i think you guys should just learn how to be curtious and learn to pass at the right time.

[bcbud]

Exactly!!!

[Trini-dad72]

I like these ideas that I am gleaning from you guys. When I get up there, it'll be the first time in a loooong time, and the first time ever on a bike made for such action. B-line to Smoke and Mirror's? Is that a good place to start, cause it sure souns like it. As for making b-line a beginner a-line, that sounds good to me. Then I won't be causing havoc when I try a-line.

[Sharon]

b line should have optional hits on the side

It does if you look for them!

B line is a great warm up. Kudos to anyone who can go all the way without using your brakes... its a challenge.

[Sgt. Pepper]

But that would take the fun out of a line dont you just love when you are ripping down a line and just fly over some table and mid air pass some one i know i do

[Dantes Inferno]

i like to punch people who try and jump over me on a line.

[patrolskid]

obviously this is not the first time that the a-linification of b-line has come up , and i do believe there are some plans to spice up b-line , but as you all know ( i think ) there is an appropriate size jump , for the appropriate trail , for the appropriate speed .
the problem that we have experienced at the park is people overshooting small tables and eating shit past the tranny . it is difficult to place the right sized table on b-line because for a lot of riders they would be too big and those riders would be a nuisance for those riders who are just approaching a-line speed / ability , and for those better riders who are using b-line as a warm up run they would be too small . basically , that would just be moving the a-line issue onto another trail , but with even more levels of riders affected .
the guys who know it is a problem are trying to address the issue , for sure . right now however , the focus is trying to get all those other , more pressing projects up and running . like biker x , a-line rebuild , blackcomb side , jump farm , freight train . . . . get the picture ?

[bcbud]

and when frieght train is done the faster and more experienced will hit it top to bottom and avoid aline, that is gonna hurt the frist run eh? 3400 feet of booters yeehaw.

[Dantes Inferno]

stoked on frieght train, ........and school!

[thewwkayaker]

I guess my thoughts were that the new version of b-line wouldn't be for the beginner biker but the person who has biking skills but not real DJ skills (few hits at the Jump Park perhaps). E.g. the jump park has 4 (or 5? ) sized dirt jumps to practice on (but you have to push back up if you want to session them).

With appropriate signs to indicate the purpose of trails B, C as learning trails for A-line AND that too much speed will cause you to miss the backs (for those who are too mentally slow to put the physics together and recognize that going fast won't work) MOST people will figure it out.

Besides - an experienced A-liner who uses B-line hits to warm up will know that going too fast would be bad.

I recognize that there are other concerns at the BP. But I do see that Whistler is mostly about the two extremes: new riders and experienced riders. New riders include riding blue trails. Single black trails - there are few and they are in places where the intermediate rider has difficulty learning on (except for Smoke and Mirrors - an excellent learning trail but lacks any steep grades). Hornet would be good except it's the connector for the last hits on A-line (thus too many people buzzing behind). Hopefully No Joke will has less traffic on it with the new trail Frieght Train. Still - no good place to learn to DJ without sessioning the jump park.

[Chief]

hence the jump farm b-line is alreaddy easy enough they dont need to change it! what they did this season is add some lips so if you are going fast u can jump or if your going slow you can roll them theres a nice hip now and its a great warm up run also its a great place to show and teach younger/newer riders how to pump andride berms and so on all those little rollers act as great jumps if you pump them properly and its alot more fun then hitting the dj park! this year it has been upgraded from a green run to a blue run which should keep some of the really slow people off the trail.

[whistler110]

The popular plan at the moment is to leave B-Line the way it is and to build an in between trail to A-Line. With everything else going on though it may take a while to happen. What do you think is more important, Frieght Train or a C-Line (or what ever it gets called)?

[bcbud]

Freight Train!!!! And what about the new one in International Trees?

[thom9719]

I think they should make a trail bigger than A line, much like crabbapple, but the whole way down.

Kyle,

[sAFETY]

I think they should make a trail bigger than A line, much like crabbapple, but the whole way down.

Kyle,

I see much pain in that suggestion. Not that it isn't a good one, but it'd be MENTAL.

I like B-Line the way it is. I know a few people who like to come up to the park once or twice a season and just cruise B-line. They're not aggro riders looking to progress into A-Line whores, just riders who like a little speed and some banked corners.

The opinions here are pretty much limited to the HC rider, and B-Line isn't for them (us).

If freeriding is to survive and thrive, we need more than the lunatic fringe doing it.

[patrolskid]

sAFETY , thank you , finally someone who just enjoys a trail the way it is . . . i too like to roll down b-line and just feel the bike roll , with the odd little hop here and there , and great turns to push the bike into .

it's funny , but if you were to find b-line anywhere else on the planet , you'd think you were in heaven , but in the larger context of the whole park , and considering that you don't have to ride up hill to get to it , it is just another trail to bitch about . . . .

[mrraulduke]

my opinion about an easier jump line wasn't actually mine. It was the opinion of my wife, and my friends gf's, who come up and ride whistler. they get bored of with the lack of intermediate trails and are too afraid of " the big scary rude guys" that seem to think that if you're too slow you should get off a-line. I kind of agree with them too...it sucks to pay 36 ... now 441 dollars to get yelled at or initmadated by some guy who's got the same right to be on the trail. sure you can rail the berms of b-line, which she does, but the options for intermediate riders are pretty slim and i agree with her.

[mace2]

^ i agree as well...
should have more intermediate options

[Straw]

Freight Train!!!! And what about the new one in International Trees?

I haven't heard anything about it, but if it is something, it should be pretty raw. I guess there are mandatory 10 and 20 footers in there in the winter...so they'd be even bigger in the summer!

Maybe that's what the "Pro-only" section of the mountain will be? You know, the area that's going to be like the XL/BlackPark but for bikes?

And, I have not ridden Intl Trees. Just sort of shown were it was, and told what's down there...

[axisofevelknievel]

the options for intermediate riders are pretty slim and i agree with her.

I agree with you, but at least things are getting better with the addition last year of trails like Smoke & Mirrors and Angry Pirate. Hopefully the trend will continue.

[thewwkayaker]

This was my point actually.

Evidently some people want to preserve b-line the way it is for various reasons (I only used it because of the name similarity to a-line and because there is now a "family" section for biking on Blackcomb).

However - lets just say a NEW trail for people (yeah like my wife too) to practice DJ in a more friendly atmosphere.

And as for which should come first Freight Train or "C-Line" - I had already assumed Freight Train was scheduled (since it has been announced) thus I wasn't trying to push something ahead of it - purely an idea, not even a suggestion yet from me to the park.

Finally - what the heck happend to those stunts that everyone tried to name (and the winner got a free pass)? I never saw them except for the "pictures" the website had. I only mentioned it because I realized that perhaps just because Whistler announces something doesn't mean it will actually happen (the voted stunts for the boneyard as an example).

[bcbud]

That was hashed out by the PR people from WB, not the bike park staff, DK had no input to that at all and they will probably never be seen in the boneyard.

[mattj]

Add my wife to the large list of people who want a friendly, intermediate place to learn a-line style skills on. B-line just does not provide this right now. But yeah, Helena likes being outside and is happy no matter what she's riding so get on that Freight Train and make it happen. Now how do we know that Freight Train isn't another WB website PR thing like those boneyard stunts (which all looked pretty weak in my opinion)?

Ah well, see you all tomorrow... Not that anyone will have any idea who I am... I'm the guy on the mountain bike...


-m

[mace2]

hey mattj ^, say hi if you see me

blue giant dh team w/ 888, and a black rocky cycle jersey (probably)

matt

ps thanks for that seymour offer, couldn't head up..

[Chief]

i like b line for the ability to take my 10 year old brother riding as hes not quite ready for a line but can ride all the blues and greens in the park but b line gives him that feel of what he sees in the movies and he can get some air with those new lips (sort of) that they put in for this season

anyways well be ripping bline and the blue trails on sunday:werd:

[coryschwarzmiller]

everyone ranting about the slower riders on a line is funny. Everyone acts like they are the fastest thing to ever grace the trail, but no matter who you are, someone is gonna think your slow. I remember crusin along a line a few years ago, and that's how i got my start. Shure it can kinda be a bummer, but all ya gotta do is pass, and continue on your way. There are never gonna be rules about who can ride the trails, so just chill.