April 24, 2005 (Whistler, BC) – Whistler Blackcomb will open North America’s number one mountain bike park on Saturday, April 30 for weekend riding, taking advantage of an early spring at the base of the mountains. While skiers and snowboarders are still reaping the benefits of over ten feet of spring snowfall in the alpine, the lower 1,200 feet of Whistler Mountain is in epic shape for the mountain bike season to begin. The Whistler Mountain Bike Park will be open for daily operations starting May 21.

With a 33% growth in biker visits over the previous year, and 700% growth since Whistler Blackcomb opened for biking in 1999, the Whistler Mountain Bike Park is a world leader in delivering revolutionary lift-accessed downhill riding. Trails for all ability levels wind throughout the lower mountain forests, meadows and ski runs offering wide-open meandering beginner trails, the legendary A-line and Dirt Merchant trails packed full of jumps, tight turns and steep terrain, and everything in between.

“Whistler Blackcomb is becoming as well-known for its mountain bike park as it is for skiing and riding,” says Rob McSkimming, Whistler Blackcomb’s VP of Business Development and the force behind the bike park explosion. “We’re introducing a range of new elements this year to continue to both fuel the growth and keep up with demand.”

New for this year is the 2,200 vertical feet, 8km-long Freight Train trail. In the tradition of A-Line, this trail is twice as long with double the hits. A combination of Freight Train and A-Line will deliver more than 200 tables, drops berms and rolls providing advanced riders with a little taste of mountain bike heaven and a vertical drop of 3,400 feet of gravity-fed joy.

“Freight Train represents the beginning of the next generation of machine-built, jump-infested trails that has spawned an entirely new style of mountain bike riding at the Park,” says McSkimming. “Taking a step up from A-line, which is the origin of the genre and arguably the world’s most popular mountain bike trail, Freight Train will challenge the most adventurous of riders.”

The Kona Jump Farm will also be introduced this summer as the world’s first lift-accessed dirt jump facility, providing the necessary skills practice area to progress throughout the park. A mid-mountain conveyor belt-style lift will transport bikers effortlessly up to the top of the Kona Jump Farm providing more time and energy to practice up to 50 hits designed by dirt-master John Cowan, one of the best dirt jumpers in the world.

“Whistler’s ability to totally fill up our appetites for cool new riding is mind blowing,” says legendary pro rider Richie Schley. “Freight train cometh… I’m so amped to have three times the jumps, berms and good times as we have had in the past on A-line, plus John Cowan’s jump park at mid station will be awesome.”

For those with less inclination for getting air, the Whistler Mountain Bike Park will open a new beginner area this summer under the Magic Chair at the base of Blackcomb Mountain. The Magic Park will offer two trails that provide a low-impact introduction to downhill mountain biking, enabling families and beginners to play with ease on the lower flank of Blackcomb.

Freight Train, the Kona Jump Farm and the Magic Park will open for the regular summer season on June 25.

Whistler Mountain remains open for skiing and riding until June 5. More than ten feet of snowfall has been recorded since March 16, contributing to one of the best spring seasons ever and delivering 3,200 acres of epic snow conditions. A low lift ticket price of $45 will get the truly adventurous up the mountain for both skiing/snowboarding and mountain biking within the same day.

For information on early season ticket pricing, season passes, accommodation deals and bike park info check out http://ww1.whistlerblackcomb.com/bike/ or call 1-800-766-0449.

Whistler Blackcomb is an Intrawest resort. Intrawest Corporation (IDR:NYSE; ITW:TSX) is one of the world’s leading destination resort and adventure travel companies. Intrawest has interests in 10 mountain resorts in North America’s most popular mountain destinations, including Whistler Blackcomb, a host venue for the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. The company owns Canadian Mountain Holidays, the largest heli-skiing operation in the world, and a 67 percent interest in Abercrombie & Kent, the world leader in luxury adventure travel. The Intrawest network also includes Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort in Florida and Club Intrawest – a private resort club with nine locations throughout North America. Intrawest is developing five additional resort village developments at locations in North America and Europe. Intrawest is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia. For more information, visit www.intrawest.com.

Proud to be a venue for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.