Whistler Crankworx fail. Heckler's rock cancelled?

That's good news, I hope he's right.

I got turned away at the bottom of the lift and went to guest relations to complain and see what was up. I ended up talking to a few people up the chain and heard other stories of people being turned away at mid-station. The guest relations people ended up talking to the head of lifts or whatever the title was and they confirmed that nobody was allowed to get off without a bike.

And Duncan, I think if you read the post you could easily assess that I didn't mean ANY spectators, I'm referring to people there only to spectate, not ride a bike.

I have plans to head up and watch Sunday with a few others, I just hope Crankworx and the mountain get their shit together in time for Sunday so we don't buy passes just to be turned away again and have to explain to some stoked kids why they can't watch the race in person and have to stay at the bottom and watch the same feed they could get online.

I caught the gondola to mid station and walked over to the whip off, no issues. I did have a media pass but it was tucked inside my jacket and no one asked.

Whip off worlds is pretty much the most amazing thing I've seen

I'm guessing you didn't have a camera pack the size of a Sherpa's for a month long expedition? I only say that, as it likely says "media" from about 2 blocks away…..lol.

It's always been bike park policy to have no hikers in the bike park. Spectating or not. For those that got off at mid and walked down just didn't get seen by staff and got lucky. Best option is to walk up the course or beside it and work your way up to where ever you want watch from. MOST people at hecklers rock are people who rode down bline. Be it on a shit bike or whatever. Hope hecklers goes off and the CCA doesn't get in the way…..

They do have a no hikers in the bike park policy, and there are a bunch of signs that tell hikers to stay on the gondola at mid station. However, most lifty's are known for their zealous enforcement of rules due to their high level of care and passion about lifts and things… if you get my brand of sarcasm.
Everyone will be a hungover mess on sunday so I bet the eagle eyes won't be too sharp.

Somebody asked about an alternative watching spot. Walk up the road from the yellow gate at the bus loop until you pass the water tower at the first right hand corner and see the road gap jumps. Follow the course up into the tech section in the woods. As someone else mentioned, keep going up to the merge with Joyride and move around between that merge and the exit of the woods. It's a pretty spectacular wooded section with rowdy lines.

It's always been bike park policy to have no hikers in the bike park. Spectating or not. For those that got off at mid and walked down just didn't get seen by staff and got lucky. Best option is to walk up the course or beside it and work your way up to where ever you want watch from. MOST people at hecklers rock are people who rode down bline. Be it on a shit bike or whatever. Hope hecklers goes off and the CCA doesn't get in the way…..

What's this about the CCA?

And Duncan, I think if you read the post you could easily assess that I didn't mean ANY spectators, I'm referring to people there only to spectate, not ride a bike.

The gondola in front of me unloaded 3 guys mid=station, no gear, no bikes who looked like average Joe spectators. You'll need a gondola ticket to get there … As far as I know, no non-bikers on the Fitz chairlift, including media.

What's this about the CCA?

The Canadian Open is also the Canada Cup finals this year. There are ride arounds for the under 15 racers and they get last call on the course and what not. No one is really sure what will happen at hecklers rock yet. Seb said he talked them into everything but they have been know to make last minute changes in the past.

The Canadian Open is also the Canada Cup finals this year. There are ride arounds for the under 15 racers and they get last call on the course and what not. No one is really sure what will happen at hecklers rock yet. Seb said he talked them into everything but they have been know to make last minute changes in the past.

That would be sucky. That's a pretty iconic part of the course. If I was home I'm pretty sure I'd be there.

That's good news, I hope he's right.

I got turned away at the bottom of the lift and went to guest relations to complain and see what was up. I ended up talking to a few people up the chain and heard other stories of people being turned away at mid-station. The guest relations people ended up talking to the head of lifts or whatever the title was and they confirmed that nobody was allowed to get off without a bike.

And Duncan, I think if you read the post you could easily assess that I didn't mean ANY spectators, I'm referring to people there only to spectate, not ride a bike.

I have plans to head up and watch Sunday with a few others, I just hope Crankworx and the mountain get their shit together in time for Sunday so we don't buy passes just to be turned away again and have to explain to some stoked kids why they can't watch the race in person and have to stay at the bottom and watch the same feed they could get online.

I find your outrage amusing.
And, I bet you're the one complaint that has now alerted the higher-ups to be on the lookout for foot traffic.

Shoulda just left well enough alone and either rode your bike , hiked up from the bottom or casually snuck off the gondi at mid. But, no, you had to go in and share your displeasure with the Guest Relations about a rule that has been in place since the bike park opened.

As to your other posts with their stats, I can make stats up as well.
In all the years I've attended the Canadian Open at Hecklers I'd say 80% were on bikes and that there'll be more spectators this year regardless of the no hikers policy in the park.

As an aside, I worked on the Crankworx crew for 3 years and as Chief of Course for the Canadian Open the first year that Hecklers Rock happened. I haven't been working on the crew in the last several years but having been kept in the loop as the years have gone by, Hecklers and the Whip Offs have been a serious crowd control safety issue for the higher ups in the company and, specifically, the WB Safety Department.
I even heard a rumour last year that the Whip Offs wouldn't be held because of the massive crowd control safety issues. Someone must have been told or shown the right thing for the event to continue.

I've probably said too much and will be asked to delete this post because WB is everywhere! But there you have it.

I even heard a rumour last year that the Whip Offs wouldn't be held because of the massive crowd control safety issues. Someone must have been told or shown the right thing for the event to continue.

This year for the whip off they had the sides of the trail fenced off and staff was pretty diligent in keeping the crowds from pushing in.

Somehow controlling or limiting access to Heckler's Rock makes sense to me. Just like most others, I think having people there yelling is a hoot. But it could [HTML_REMOVED] can get carried away. What if a spectator fell [HTML_REMOVED] got hurt or a racer was interfered with? I can see why W/B would be concerned. That being said, I sure hope they don't eliminate it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqCNRlppjgg

Somehow controlling or limiting access to Heckler's Rock makes sense to me. Just like most others, I think having people there yelling is a hoot. But it could [HTML_REMOVED] can get carried away. What if a spectator fell [HTML_REMOVED] got hurt or a racer was interfered with? I can see why W/B would be concerned. That being said, I sure hope they don't eliminate it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqCNRlppjgg

My kid raced Garbanzo DH this year and people (he called "hecklers") chased/ran alongside him and yelled at him on the uphill sections (like Original Sin Rock Island) as witnessed on his GoPro footage.

I find your outrage amusing.
And, I bet you're the one complaint that has now alerted the higher-ups to be on the lookout for foot traffic.

Shoulda just left well enough alone and either rode your bike , hiked up from the bottom or casually snuck off the gondi at mid. But, no, you had to go in and share your displeasure with the Guest Relations about a rule that has been in place since the bike park opened.

As to your other posts with their stats, I can make stats up as well.
In all the years I've attended the Canadian Open at Hecklers I'd say 80% were on bikes and that there'll be more spectators this year regardless of the no hikers policy in the park.

As an aside, I worked on the Crankworx crew for 3 years and as Chief of Course for the Canadian Open the first year that Hecklers Rock happened. I haven't been working on the crew in the last several years but having been kept in the loop as the years have gone by, Hecklers and the Whip Offs have been a serious crowd control safety issue for the higher ups in the company and, specifically, the WB Safety Department.
I even heard a rumour last year that the Whip Offs wouldn't be held because of the massive crowd control safety issues. Someone must have been told or shown the right thing for the event to continue.

I've probably said too much and will be asked to delete this post because WB is everywhere! But there you have it.

Well said!

I don't like motobutane's avatar or signature….it assaults my senses.
vote him off the shore.

that is all.