Trust Keepers of the Trails: A Ballad Of Belonging

Story and photos by Dylan Sherrard. 

Sure, the Bike Park runs on a chairlift and the force of gravity. But it’s also fuelled by trust.

Trust in our tires and trust in the turns. Trust we’ll find traction in the belly of each berm. That each sound-of-speed singletrack will pass with the sun on our faces and the wind at our backs. Trust that the trail is free of debris, that we'll discover no deadly surprises and downed trees. Trust we can attack the trail, lap after lap, with all sense of worry left behind.

But trust in a trail isn’t magically purchased with a pass. It’s quietly manufactured by a crew who truly cares. Much more commonly, we know of them as Patrol. 

The first responders when something goes wrong, though, they’re working around the clock to reduce the chance that it ever does. 

Working hand in hand with the Trail crew to keep us safe from ourselves, their work complements the trail builders' effort to address the infinite number of variables that live between the lines.

Because Bike Park Patrol… they are the trust keepers of these trails. 

Earning our trust through dedicated teamwork and time on the lines, ensuring the ride reads clearly, even when it’s screaming fast. Setting the signs and studying the mechanics of every fast-passing moment. Wrestling the shifting seasons as strategists in the ongoing chess match of changing trail conditions throughout the year.

Patrol works fluently between flow and chaos, where every decision is a dance in the grey area between ‘rides with character’ and ‘too carefully crafted.’ 

Because the ride needs to feel rewarding for the seasoned aficionados who’ve taken the time to learn the secret handshakes of every line, but it also needs to flow with intuition in the eyes of a visitor dropping in blind.

It’s the balance of safety and character, between letting the hill breathe and understanding when to intervene. 

Not only being ready when things go wrong, but ensuring that more things go right. 

The job is so much more than a radio call for first aid. It’s deliberating a thousand quiet choices so that we can make just one… to enjoy our ride.

So cheers to Patrol. Always a little out of sight - exactly where we need them.

A Ballad of Belonging. Short stories of the moments that define our ride.