Two weeks ago we hosted our second of three integrated land manager training workshops sponsored by Shimano Canada in Calabogie, ON, which used to boast lift access downhill mountain biking until the mid 2000s.
The two-day workshop included was catered to the area in a seminar style session on day one with IMBA Canada’s new and improved trail building school and Fat Biking and Winter Trail Management. Day two had participants out for a full and comprehensive day in the field, assessing trail in the morning using some new techniques and thought processes developed recently. Participants all assessed a short hiking trail to get the feel for things to look for before moving up to one of the old (and still used) DH trails coming down the mountain. The morning was a great way for participants to think outside the box a little in terms of how a trail should be designed before putting their recommendations to work in the afternoon. Detailed trail design was the focus of the afternoon with participants splitting up and designing new trail based on the recommendations found in the morning’s assessments.
While Calabogie Peaks Resort no longer offers lift-access mountain biking, the area has a small and dedicated group of riders that are working hard on the Nordic trails building and improving the trails in that network. We were lucky enough to join some locals on a ride in the area, before they took us up to Eagles Nest lookout, a place that holds deep meaning to the local First Nations; which is accessible by a technical multi-use trail that gives users a great little workout before a beautiful rewarding view at the top. While the group was small, the participants put a great amount of effort in and payoffs from the various connections made and knowledge gained will serve the Ontario mountain bike community well. We would like to thank the Calabogie Peaks Resort for their fantastic hospitality and the participants for taking part.
To see pictures from our Land Manager Training in Calabogie, click here!
– Justin Truelove
There is one more Shimano Integrated Land Manager Training workshop happening this season, with the next one scheduled for the fall in Canmore, AB.
If you would like more information on the Shimano Integrated Land Manager Training workshops please contact;
AJ Strawson – Field Programming Manager
Tim Dale – Event Coordinator