Mountain biking has exploded in popularity at ski resorts, especially with mountains offering lift-served biking to cover year-round services, forcing the National Ski Patrol to adapt in order to meet the demand. Jeremy Verbbeck, the national bike program director for the National Ski Patrol, explained how lift-served mountain biking has pushed ski patrol teams to evolve their rescue operations well beyond the winter season.
Unlike ski runs where everything flows downhill, mountain bike trails send riders in every direction, uphill, across the fall line, and down. That lack of variability has driven a major spike in summer rescue calls. To handle it, Verbbeck’s team relies on the Cascade Rescue advanced litter, the Terra Tamer wheel, and the Equalizer handles, a combination he calls a game changer for patient care and extrication on the mountain.
Cascade Rescue, the company behind all three pieces of equipment that allow rescue crews to help in mountain bike accidents, are rescue equipment manufacturer focused on assisting those who save lives and work at height. The Terra Tamer wheel weighs just 15.40 pounds, allowing crews to easily transport litters over rugged landscapes.
