There are plenty of reasons why going down a closed trail at mountain bike park is a bad idea. Sometimes it’s because they’re unsafe or because there’s a medical emergency going on further down the trail, sometimes it’s because there’s crews actively doing maintenance on the trail, and sometimes it’s to preserve trail integrity during or after rain.
Whistler Mountain Bike Park employee Cam Howell had a chat with trail builder Mick Svajgr about just how much damage trail poachers can do, and the truth might shock you. As Mick explains, the amount of work required to repair a damaged trail usually takes 3 days or more, depending on the length of the trail and how wet the trail is.
Trail builders work very hard to put together a fun experience for beginners and experts alike. Riding on their trails when their closed can do some serious damage and make their work a lot harder. Don’t ignore trail closures!
