The recent Crowsnest Pass Volunteer Workshop went off without a hitch at the Pass Powderkeg Ski Hill. IMBA Canada’s trail specialist, Daniel Scott, ran the workshop for folks in and around the communities of Crowsnest Pass who are keen in becoming involved in the construction of new mountain bike trails. Originally slated for mid-July, low numbers due to various vacations caused the workshop to be moved to a later date where those interested could participate. With that being said, Daniel didn’t expect such a dedicated, boundary pushing crew to step up to the plate.

Over the course of the three, four hour evening sessions, IMBA Canada hammered home the quintessential “5 Elements of Sustainable Trail Design”, touched on the subtle nature of perception in the art of trail design and ran through the gamut of various construction techniques that the folks of Crowsnest would be implementing on trail. With all this information swirling around in their brains, the volunteers headed out to put it to the test.

The location for the practical portion of the workshop was just past the one kilometer mark on the trail that is being built on the ski hill. Participants tried their hands at the processes of bench cutting new trail, stone pitching, and building a boulder causeway, all with solid results.

Here is what Daniel had to say regarding the workshop, the volunteers and the work they accomplished:

“I am super stoked on what everyone managed to get done over the course of the workshop. Between the long hours (over what is generally everyone’s dinner time), the constant threat of inclement weather (which never came thankfully) and overall amount of information that these folk were bombarded with, I think that everyone should be proud of what they accomplished. I didn’t get a chance to ride the new section but am keen to do so as it looked at an absolute blast, especially the new rock features that so many folks contributed on.”

This beautiful rock roll down that you see above you was created using one existing rock and two huge rocks found nearby. A burly band of volunteers, six in total, used a rock sling, two rock bars and some serious strength to position these beautiful behemoths into place.