WBP 18

It was definitely a good kind of challenging - not one I’d expected at whistler though - but still cool. I can see it being absolutely incredible when fully dried out

Is it the same trail that was previewed last year? I rode it if so with a rear flat. Was epic in so many ways.

Is Southpark officially open now, top-to-bottom?

The sign at the Southpark trailhead still calls for a mandatory diversion onto Delayed Fuse. I was up riding today and saw that a rope before the final section of Southpark — about 80 percent in — looked like it was taken down (by poachers?) Some of the berms were still quite soft.

Posted by: Kieran

Is it the same trail that was previewed last year? I rode it if so with a rear flat. Was epic in so many ways.

Yep, was called Muffy Fluff that weekend, same trail but totally different now with a few hundred (thousand?) runs down it, roots everywhere, wide corners etc.

Did a Creekside run this morning and it was Dusty's to Insomnia only. Everything else closed.

Posted by: airwreck

Did a Creekside run this morning and it was Dusty's to Insomnia only. Everything else closed.

Same on Sunday. That was TERRIBLE!

Both Earth Circus and Insomnia are open. You need to take Dusty's to get there but still worthwhile. Will be nice once Southpark is finished. Be prepared to wear out a set of brake pads on Dusty's if you want to do multiple laps.

How does RDS compare in difficulty to bike park trails? Specifically the newer entrance/line from 2015-16 not the OG line. Haven't ridden it but thinking of checking it out off TOTW this weekend. I'm comfortable on the main lines on the bike park double blacks but don't hit all the hard option lines.

I find RDS is much less hairy with the Gravity Logic additions, especially the upper section reroutes vs. the old fall-line super gnar. 

What makes it a little more difficult than a black diamond are the sustained, chunky steeps. Bike park trails like In Deep, Goat's Gully, and French Connection have chunky sections that are over pretty quickly — stuff where you can get away with minimal braking, pointing-and-shooting. 

When things get longer, speed control becomes important. I'd say if you feel comfortable riding with good speed control on steep chunky stuff, you should be good to go on RDS, especially on a big bike.

I personally prefer the pedally Khyber-MON-Kashmir-Kush way down from TOTW — definitely not for a big bike.

Is the full South Park trail open yet? How is it? Same flavor as Earth Circus and Insomnia?

Posted by: dmc

I find RDS is much less hairy with the Gravity Logic additions, especially the upper section reroutes vs. the old fall-line super gnar. 

What makes it a little more difficult than a black diamond are the sustained, chunky steeps. Bike park trails like In Deep, Goat's Gully, and French Connection have chunky sections that are over pretty quickly — stuff where you can get away with minimal braking, pointing-and-shooting. 

When things get longer, speed control becomes important. I'd say if you feel comfortable riding with good speed control on steep chunky stuff, you should be good to go on RDS, especially on a big bike.

I personally prefer the pedally Khyber-MON-Kashmir-Kush way down from TOTW — definitely not for a big bike.

Thanks, this is helpful. I hear you about the bike park double blacks, pretty much all the crux moves are short with clean run-outs so consequences are minimal and that makes those trails much easier than other true black/double blacks around the sea to sky. I would be riding RDS on my downhill bike and after watching a YouTube POV from last summer I think it's within my ability. Make take a look at the big boy OG lines out of curiosity but won't ride them as I will be solo.

I also want to ride that Khyber link-up on my trail bike sometime, been meaning to for a couple years but haven't made it happen yet. Ended up riding LOTS instead last year when wanting an alpine fix. So much good riding so little time...

Posted by: Bull_Dozer

Is the full South Park trail open yet? How is it? Same flavor as Earth Circus and Insomnia?

I'm pretty sure it's been open top to bottom for some time now. Starts after Crossroads, and ends at the top of Earth Circus.

Southpark is a lot like Earth Circus, except a little more open, with larger radius turns. Earth Circus is tighter, with many more quick transitions.

Does anyone have news on Midgaard and the new Merchant bits?

Posted by: grambo

Thanks, this is helpful. I hear you about the bike park double blacks, pretty much all the crux moves are short with clean run-outs so consequences are minimal and that makes those trails much easier than other true black/double blacks around the sea to sky. I would be riding RDS on my downhill bike and after watching a YouTube POV from last summer I think it's within my ability. Make take a look at the big boy OG lines out of curiosity but won't ride them as I will be solo.

I also want to ride that Khyber link-up on my trail bike sometime, been meaning to for a couple years but haven't made it happen yet. Ended up riding LOTS instead last year when wanting an alpine fix. So much good riding so little time...

So true. I was out on Rockwork Orange and Korova Milk Bar this morning. Both of those trails are rated single blacks, but they require janky rock moves that I find more difficult than most WBP double-black tech.

I love LOTS — mostly for the Mystic climb (!!!) and smashing beers with buddies in the alpine. :D Towards the end of the last season, I wasn't enjoying the chunky descent anymore on the hardtail. The TOTW-Khyber-MON-Kashmir-Kush-Boyd's loop is much more fun on the way down. It's well over an hour long if you're pinning it from the top! I usually take two hours at a much more relaxed pace. That's a lot of value for the $21 ticket. lol