It isn't very often that a new trail gets the kind of attention Full Nelson got this past weekend with its grand opening.
A company called Dream Wizards built the trail just outside of Garibaldi Provincial Park over the course of a seven-month period.
More than 250 people gathered at the Squamish trail on Saturday, May 5 to mark the grand opening.
Red Bull was on hand as a trail sponsor, along with a number of bike manufacturers, bike shops and other mountain bike companies to make the grand opening an event. Anthill Films representative Darcy Wittenburg attended the event and rode the trail for the first time with Ted Tempany, the chief Full Nelson trail builder and owner of Dream Wizards, at the start of the event.
"Today people have come from all over, from Pemberton all the way down to Vancouver and as far as Chilliwack," said Wittenburg.
His production company used an early incarnation of the trail as the setting for its latest mountain biking film called Strength In Numbers.
According to Tempany, the trail was constructed three times with the first builds used for the production of the film and the final build the one that can be ridden by most mountain bike riders, regardless of ability.
Tempany said the downhill track is a one-kilometre trail that can bite.
"At the top, I've told more than a few people to make sure you roll everything, get to know the trail," said Tempany.
He said it is the kind of trail that should be ridden a few times before anyone attempts to ride it at full speed. There are many places along the trail where it is easy to build up speed and get into the air.
"Get to know the trail and it will open itself up when you're ready to go faster," Tempany cautioned.
Pro downhill rider Steve Smith said the trail is similar to a bike park-style, but a little more technical than most park trails with a smooth side, as well as some tricky jumps with nice corners.
"It is an 'everybody' trail," said Smith. "There's doubles and gaps but you can roll things, jump different things, you can ride it entirely different every run, so it is good for everyone."
Tempany flagged the trail route originally 10 years ago and when Red Bull and Anthill Films came to him asking to build a trail he suggested they leave a legacy for the mountain biking community.
