WHAT IS WOMEN’S WEEKEND?
The Women’s Weekend clinic is welcoming to all women (ages 18+) looking to build their skills and have fun doing it. Our coaches will help you level up, whether you are new to the sport and like to stick to the green trails, are an intermediate rider that sometimes dabbles (or walks) on the black trails, or are a serious shredder that wants to improve your jump/drop/corner game. We’ll meet you where you are and help you achieve your goals in small groups with likeminded ladies.
Friday evening participants can set up camp, register, have a bike check by mechanics, take a guided tour of The Hill on paved roads, hang out, and get settled in. If you are unable to join us Friday evening, you can register, set up, and have your bike looked at Saturday morning. Saturday we will split into groups to work on skills and then apply those skills to riding on the back side trails. Saturday evening there will be optional evening sessions such as bike suspension set up, bike park etiquette, and gear gabs. Sunday will begin with a skill based lesson and then we’ll apply everything we’ve learned to sessioning and riding the front side trails.
Yeehaw!
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday
6:00pm-7:30pm — Participant Registration/Bike Check/Name Plates/Set up camp; Meet and Greet
7:30pm-8:30pm — Guided ride around the Hill on paved roads
SATURDAY
8:00am-9:00am — Participant Registration/Bike Check/Name Plates
8:30am-9:00am — Breakfast in the Pavilion
9:00am-9:30am — Announcements, Introduce Coaches & Divide into Groups
9:30am-12:00pm — Skills Lessons and Trail Rides
12:00pm-1:00pm — Lunch
1:00pm — Group Photo
1:15pm-2:15pm — Skill Lessons
2:30pm-4:00pm — Trail Rides and Sessioning
4:00pm-5:30pm — Break
5:30pm-6:30pm — Dinner in Pavilion
6:30pm-8:00pm — Evening Sessions
8:00pm — Campfire Chill
SUNDAY
8:30am-9:00am — Breakfast in the Pavilion
9:00am-9:15am — Morning Announcements
9:30am-12:00pm — Skill Lesson/Group Ride/Session Front Side
12:00pm-12:15pm — Coaches/Participants Debrief (Shuttles open to everyone)
12:15pm-1:15pm — Lunch
1:15pm — Ride the Hill and Shuttle to your heart’s content!
Your certified coaches
Rae gandolf
Rae Gandolf, aka “SuperRae,” is a longtime mountain bike enthusiast and accomplished racer with deep roots in XC, endurance, and downhill. She’s a three-time Downhill World Cup contender and the 2014 National Pro DH runner-up, with numerous regional titles to her name.
Rae has been coaching since 2010, earning her BICP certification and advancing beyond Level 3 to become a coach trainer for five years. She’s passionate about helping riders build confidence, develop their skills, and have more fun on the trail. Her coaching style is supportive, practical, and rooted in her own evolution as a rider- from XC sufferfests to sending jumps with joy.
melissa colflesh
Melissa Colflesh has been mountain bike riding since 1997. She became a mountain bike skills coach in 2023 and has really enjoyed helping others gain the skills and confidence to ride their bikes on the trails through the Fundamental and Intermediate skills clinics. Melissa considers skills coaching a very rewarding experience and enjoys meeting new cyclists along the way. Melissa is also Wilderness First Aid and AED/CPR certified.
Karen brooks
Karen is doing her best to check off every square on the “Bike-Related Job” bingo card — bike consultant for Carnegie Mellon University, wrenching and managing in bike shops, writing and editing for various magazines, advocating, you name it — but by far the most rewarding part of her varied career is skills coaching. She holds PMBIA Level 2 Air and BICP mountain bike certifications, and is a League of American Bicyclists Certified Instructor. She has been coaching professionally for 12 years.
Karen rides a bike for transportation most days, but also enjoys the rocky-rooty-muddy trails of the Eastern woods, has found a love for jumping at bike parks, and goes on bikepacking adventures when she can. Like so many women, she first got into mountain bikes through a boyfriend, then ditched the boyfriend and kept the bike. She would love to help you skip that first step and find true love — mountain biking! — the easier way.
shannon adams
Hi! My name is Shannon Adams and I’ve been a level 1 BICP instructor for a year now, yay! I also volunteer for our local non-profit mtb organization, COMBO in Columbus, OH. I’m 53 y/o and am the broadcast engineer for the Columbus Bluejackets NHL team. It’s such an exciting life!
I have been riding mountain bikes for 15 years now but totally fell in love with it after a women’s group ride in 2019. My riding took on a whole new look after being able to ride with this group, they were so inspiring. I felt I could do what they were doing and try “hard” or “scary” things because I could see myself in them. That really built my confidence and led me to take some women’s clinics to learn more. I am excited to help other women gain their confidence on the bike. It has been a wild ride to say the least, but it’s so worth the work you put in. I can’t wait to see you out there, Shannon.
Crystal Sapp
Coach Crystal started consistently biking in the early 2000s on a road bike. After trying out a couple of triathlons, she decided she much preferred biking to anything else! She found mountain biking around 2015 after entering an adventure race with her step-dad and fell in love with rocks and roots. She's participated in XC racing, enduro racing, and MTB endurance events. She became a level 1 BICP certified coach in 2024 and BICP level 2 in 2025
My favorite part of coaching: getting to witness pure shock and joy a person experiences when nailing a skill for the first time!
Fun fact: I was once the lead singer for a rock band when I was in my 20s
THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU REGISTER
WHAT kind of bike should I bring?
1
The bike that you ride! Full Suspension mountain bikes are suggested, but Hardtail mountain bikes work as well.
what type of pedals do I need?
2
Flat pedals are strongly suggested to help you learn proper technique and have confidence to easily put a foot down. You can also ride clipless if that’s what you’re comfortable with.
do I need a dropper post?
3
It is recommended that your bike have a Dropper Post, but if not, check to make sure your bike has a quick release adjustable seat post. Being able to move your seat quickly=more fun.
I don’t have a fancy new bike, is that okay?
4
There are a few bike shops in the area that will rent you a bike. Be sure to reserve it ahead of time.
what other types of gear do I need?
5
A half shell or full face helmet is required. Pads (knee, elbow, chest protectors) are optional. Some sort of water carrying device (hydration pack, hipsack, water bottle cage) is required. Snacks are always a great idea!
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Saturday night we will have an optional clinic about loading our bikes in the shuttle. Sunday we’ll put those skills to the test. We’ll get to shuttle all day to our hearts content, even after the official end of the clinic!
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We will ride rain or shine. The trails at The Hill hold up well and often provide sweet hero dirt after a rain.
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There is no cost, and there are plenty of spots for tent and van camping. RV’s and pull behind trailers are too big and can be super sketchy on the tight twisty road up and down The Hill.
Two modern bathrooms complete with running water and showers are on site.
Lodging is nearby if you’d prefer not to camp. This, however, will be at your own expense.