Whistler Bikers, Start Your Engines...

Ever seen the spectacle of hundreds of women lined up outside Nordstroms at 7 in the morning the first day of the Anniversary Sale? This is like that for mountain bikers. Saturday April 30th, the Whistler Mountain Bike park opens for the season.

This year brings many new developments for the park, including an expansion of trails off the upper Garbanzo lift that opened in 2004. Freight Train is an already much-hyped version of the famous A-line trail on the lower mountain. The new mid-mountain Kona Jump Farm, replete with 40-50 dirt jumps designed by a pro, will be a sure-fire entertainer whether you're actually hitting the jumps or just watching the insanity go by.

Another welcome addition is the Magic Park located on the nearby Blackcomb mountain, where new or less-experienced riders can get a taste of Whistler-style downhill riding without getting in over their heads. Having watched some in-over-their-heads riders nearly kill themselves last year in the main park, Seattlest welcomes this new aspect of the mountain most of all.