Mountain biking and trail building connect SAC campus

The mountain bike program at SAC has grown by leaps and bounds – or should we say, in hops and jumps!

In fall 2019, a team was started, and 14 pioneering souls signed up. Riders need to be keen and know how to ride a bike safely.  The team used mountain bikes purchased through the Outdoor Leadership /Cadet program and was based on Willow Farm.  

The plan was to train in the fall and race in the spring. The team had fun, improved their skills, and learned key lessons.  Grade 11s also mountain biked as part of the Outdoor Leadership program. 

This fall, the team grew to 22 students with all Upper School grades are represented. Three coaches, Ms. Nascimento, Mr. McCue, and Mr. Murray, worked with the boys to ensure safety on the trails.  

We were challenged by pandemic restrictions and were unable to travel by bus to ride the forests of York Region. Instead, we kicked our trail-building projects into high gear. Our goal became linking up existing trails and building connector trails to create the SAC Perimeter Trail.  

This is an idea that has been talked about for years that we are now moving towards completing.  The northwest corner of the campus has now been linked up with bridges and trail connectors.  
Next fall, we plan to connect more sections of the perimeter trail and build a “trials” area for mountain bikers with ramps, teeter-totters, and other obstacles to navigate.

Mountain biking has proven to be an exciting new sport at SAC that makes use of one of the school’s 126-acre campus.  

Story by Angus Murray
Outdoor and Experiential Education
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