Colorado Freeride Festival comes to Winter Park Resort this weekend.

Thinking about checking it out for the first time?
Seasoned veteran making your annual pilgrimage to the Slopestyle*  event?
No idea what we are talking about?

No problem- this article is for YOU~ Here are seven things you NEED to know about CFF2017

1) Starting July 27th, There Is A Lot Going ON!

Saturday evening’s Slopestyle* Event may be the crowd favorite, but we have a full weekend planned- racing, spectator events, Festivillage, Family Bike Fest! Plus, this year Colorado Freeride Festival also falls during Winter Park’s Mountain Bike Capital USA Event! Don’t be overwhelmed though- we will have schedules up, helping you navigate what is happening and where! Plus, check out the Colorado Freeride Festival website to really get a handle on the whole weekend’s schedule before you even get here! Pro-tip: Stay slope side and you won’t miss a minute of the action!

2) You don’t need to be an expert on bikes to LOVE CFF

Take it from someone who knew basically nothing about the biking world before being launched full force into one of the largest Bike Festivals in the country- you can still get a thrill out of the events. BMX* Stunt team, Trials Rider*,  Slopestyle- they may not mean much now, but once you watch these events, you’ll never forget them! There is so much to check out, that just in one full lap of the resort, you’ll get a great feel for just what this event is all about.

3) There is something for everyone

Kiddos can try out the Green Horn-It! 

Trail during our free clinic (no lift ticket required) or they can even start off racing with the Green Horn-It! Challenge!

New racers can still register for events, like our new Short Track Race! Give racing a try and you could suprise yourself!

Not much of a rider? Well, this weekend is definitely a spectator sport! You’ll be hard pressed to find someone that doesn’t love watching the Intergalactic Pond Crossing.

And in between the stunts, tricks, gravity defying displays, you can stop by our Festivillage and check out some sponsor giveaways and a Monster Energy DJ!

4) Trestle Bike Park is 100% open on Saturday-

Looking to spend the weekend riding! No worries. Saturday, none of our races or activities happen on our on-mountain trails- so you are set to get riding, take a lesson, or book a bike tour. Although, we do recommend booking these in advance!

5) Lifts are open LONGER!

It’s a bike fest! And we want to celebrate BIKING. That being said, starting Thursday, we are running the Zephyr, Eskimo, and Olympia all spinning 10am – 7pm through Saturday night (resuming the 10-5 schedule on Sunday)! Also, on Saturday and Sunday, we will have Gemini running 10am-5pm! So, after watching all the athletes get you hyped, you have plenty of time to go spin a lap!

6) You could WIN!

Want to win tickets to our Monster VIP After Party and a $100 gift card? Just like the Colorado Freeride Festival Facebook page and you’ll be entered to win! Plus, once your like us, you’ll be able to get updates all weekend long about events! Our social media is the best place to find any schedule updates or other up to day info all weekend long!\

7) Don’t get scared off by all the biker lingo!

We threw lots of bike jargon at you- so if you aren’t 100% there yet, we get it. Here’s a basic glossary to get you started, but you’ll get the hang of it after a few hours here! So study up, and see you this weekend!

Types of Riding:

• Slopestyle*- style of mountain biking that combines big air with BMX style tricks. Basically the biggest event of the weekend that will have your stomach doing more flips than the riders as you watch the pros take on the course.
• BMX*- Technically it means Bicycle Motocross- this style of riding is biking like you’ve probably never seen. Awesome stunts and tricks are performed, usually on special BMX bike.
• Trials Rider*- style of riding that turns a bike into a pogo stick.Not really, but it does consist of hopping and jumping bikes on (and over) obstacles
• Downhill – generally, this one is exactly what it sounds like, riding a bike downhill after getting to an uphill start by some way other than their bike. CFF has 3 downhill specific races (Downhill, Super Downhill, and the Air Downhill)

Features and Tricks*

• Hip- jump that requires changing your direction of flow
• Whip – when a rider pushes their bike sideways in the air
• Booter – a BIG jump that launches the rider
• Kicker – a steep jump that puts the rider in the air (like your hands at a dance party)
• Scrub – technique used to stay low on a jump so as to not lose speed
• Step Down- jump that has a landing lower than the take off point
• Truck Driver – trick where the rider rotates 360 degrees and spins the handlebars with him

Check out last year’s course preview below for some of these bad boys in action.