GRAVITY GIRLS CAMP

Ride like a girl and be proud! This camp is about building skills and confidence on and off the bike. We will work on technique, build jumping skills, ride trails, and do some trail work. Plus each day coaches will guide the girls in conversations about girlhood, how girls are marketed to, women in sports, and various topics. 

CAMP OVERVIEW

Format: This program focuses on learning skills, including the basics of body position and balance, cornering, pump track, skinny bridges, wheel lifts over obstacles, steep edges and vertical edges, and for more advanced students drop offs and jumps. We’ll work on uphills and downhills, roll downs, skinny bridges, wheel lifts, pump track, cornering, drops, and jumps for more advanced students.

Trails will vary depending on students ability levels, including Boot Camp, Deuces Wild, Step It Up, Moving On, Jubilane, Voodoo, Luna Line, etc.

Meeting Place:
Duthie parking lot 
26400 SE Issaquah-Fall City Rd, Issaquah, WA 98029
Map Link Here

Please ensure that riding ability fits at least 80-90% of the category description of the level desired.

LEVEL 1: BEGINNER

Green Circle Trails
Ride Years: 0 - ½ years of riding on dirt trails (1 year of bike riding)
Brand new to mountain biking and confident riding a bike on pavement or around the playground, can stand up on their pedals, might be working on coasting with level pedals (pedals flat, at the 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock positions, also known as evenly weighted feet).
Duthie Trails: Honey Badger, Pump Track
Clearing Drops: N/A

You love shredding your MTB around the neighborhood and have a blast riding around on the dirt and grass! You are able to ride in control of your bike and operate the brakes smoothly, and shift those gears! You really want to advance your bike handling skills and ride on some real mountain bike trails, as well as make new friends and play super fun games!

LEVEL 2: NOVICE

Green Circle Trails
Ride Years: ½-1 year of riding on dirt trails
Duthie Hill Trails: Upper and Lower Bootcamp, Honey Badger, Deuces Wild, Pump Track
Clearing Drops: Stapling (rolling) 1st dirt drop

Rider can execute:

• Level 1 skills confidently
• One or two finger braking on both the front (left) and rear (right) brakes
• Coasting down hills utilizing level pedals (even pedals at 9o’clock and 3o’clock positions)
• Confidently standing up throughout downhill sections of trail
• Using the shifters but still need work getting into the correct gear

You might have been to camp before as a Level 1: Beginner, but you’re so much better now! You can stand up on your pedals down trails like Honey Badger (at Duthie) and you can maintain control of your bike down real mountain bike trails! You enjoy hanging out with other shreddy kids and are ready to learn some more advanced skills! You’re interested in the drop zone, the Luna’s and wanting to ride some more difficult trails.

LEVEL 3: INTERMEDIATE

Blue Square Trails (Intermediate)
Ride Years: 2-4 years
Duthie Trails: Full Bootcamp, Lower Bootcamp, Deuces Wild, The Lunas, Jabulani (2hi), Voodoo (if really skilled, confident, and comfortable)
Clearing Drops: #1

Rider can execute:

• All Level 1 & 2 Skills
• Controlled braking at speed on more advanced trails
• Standing up on all downhills with level pedals (even pedals, at 9o’clock and 3 o’clock positions)
• Can get over small rocks, roots, and obstacles...but you're not sure how you're doing it.
• Working on basic drop technique, able to land both wheels at the same time off drop #1 and maybe #2 in the Duthie Hill Clearing Drop Zone
• Feeling very comfortable rolling over table-top jumps

Now you’re really getting it! Mountain Biking is super fun and you really want to start doing more drops and jumps, and riding more technical trails. You really want to ride at camp, but still enjoy playing games and having social time with kids your same age. You like riding the Lunas and hitting the drops in the clearing drop zone!

LEVEL 4: ADVANCED INTERMEDIATE

Blue Square Trails (Intermediate)
Ride Years: 2-4 years
Duthie Hill Trails: Upper and Lower Bootcamp, Deuces Wild, Jabulani (2hi), Voodoo Child, Rehab, The Lunas, Movin’ On, Step it Up, Ryan’s Line (challenge)
Duthie Drop Zone: 1, 2, 3 (and maybe 4)

Rider can execute:

• All Level 1, 2, & 3 Skills
• Smooth, Controlled braking at faster speeds
• Shifting - you anticipate terrain and can shift accordingly
• Standing - you're balanced and comfortable standing up with even pedals and can maintain even pedals during a descent.
• Compressing your suspension and utilizing wheel lift skills to get over small (a couple inches high) obstacles.
• Confidence rolling over obstacles that do not require wheels to leave the ground.
• Can climb wider switchbacks and turns that aren't too steep.

Mountain biking has started to become your "thing", and you are starting to get the hang of shifting, pedaling through more technical features, making it up shorter, steep climbs, and getting just a little rowdy going downhill.
You’re working on basic jump skills and can clear the Luna’s most of the time and able to “plop-on-top” of table top jumps on Voodoo Child.
You enjoy hitting the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and maybe even the 4th drop in the clearing.
You’re also pretty comfortable hitting the 1st “Little Pig” at the start of Voodoo Child.

Level 5: ADVANCED

Blue Square and some Black Diamond Trails
Ride Years: 3-5 Years
Duthie Drop zone: Confidently hitting drops #1-4, maybe even #5
Luna Jumps: clearing all of the Luna jumps, Jabulani (2hi): clearing all of the Jubalani (2hi) jumps
Voodoo Child: hitting 1st “Little Pig”, riding the wall ride, hitting the jumps but not clearing them yet
Ryan's Line: getting down without stopping confidently and hitting some of the drops (if comfortable)

Rider can execute:

• All Level 1, 2, 3, & 4 Skills
• You’re progressing a lot!
• You’re comfortable on most of the drops in the clearing and at the beginning of Voodoo Child.
• Now you are working on really carrying your speed through technical sections of trails, and adding flow and style to your riding.
• You’re corning confidently and really leaning the bike over and looking through your turns, having a blast!

LEVEL 6: PROFICIENT

Black Diamond Trails
Ride Years: 3-5 Years
Duthie Clearing Drops: All 5 clearing drops
Voodoo: hitting most of the features, 1st and 2nd Little-Pig at the start, clearing all jumps (drops, jumps, wall ride)
Jubilane (2Hi): clearing all of the jumps
HLC: hitting the two middle jumps and Happy Ending (if comfortable)
Gravy Train: starting to work on the top (First 3-6 jumps)

Rider can execute:

• All skills of the 5 previous levels
• You can confidently utilize skills from previous levels
• You can shift your bodyweight to keep traction on steep climbs,
• Confidence on fast or steep descents with a little air time on small jumps and drops
• You are comfortable on table-top jumps and working on gap jumps

You got this! You feel confident braking, using momentum to crush terrain, and are cornering and shredding with prowess. You can shred through tight trees, loose dirt, snaggly rock gardens, and twisty turns, all while lookin' and feelin' good. Oh and descents? Bring it! You are really able to press into your turns and are starting to learn how to pump turns for speed. You are able to really utilize more advanced skills on trail.

LEVEL 7: ACCOMPLISHED

Black Diamond Trails
Ride Years: 3-5 years
Very confident rider and jumper
Duthie Trails: completing most or all of Gravy Train, top of Flying Squirrel and first of the lower Squirrel Jumps, most of Semper Dirticus, HLC all of the line

You’re an experienced and confident rider. You are mostly aware of your limits and are learning how to best push past them safely! You are progressing your way through the trails at Duthie!

LEVEL 8: EXPERT

Black/Double Black Diamond Trails
Ride Years: 4+ Years
Duthie Trails: Squirrel, Double Trouble, Paramount, GHY, able to hit most of the trails at Duthie

You can ride everything, or nearly everything at Duthie. Your jump skills are excellent and you know when and where to push your limits. You are starting to learn tricks in the air and your cornering is strong, you can pump turns and berms with exuberant force!

We recommend buying gear for Sweetlines camps and events through Ride Bicycles, a bike shop in Issaquah. Shop online through the button below and use discount code SweetCamp for 20% off!

NORCO BIKE RENTALS:

Students who need a rental bike for camp can reserve one at www.ridebicycles.com. Ride Bicycles is generously offering a 50% discount off Norco rental bikes for Sweetlines campers to use at camp. This deal is only valid for online reservations made in advance.

Click the button below and use the code: SweetCamp

SAFETY POLICIES

• All coaches are professionally trained
• All coaches are certified in First Aid and CPR
• Sweetlines has a “challenge by choice” policy
• Kat Sweet has been running kids bike programs since 2003

signing up for the wrong level

We understand that students may grow their mountain bike skills, or have a crash/injury that diminishes their mountain bike skills, between signing up for camps in February and attending camps in the summer. However, there are some situations in which a student has abilities far outside the description of the level they were signed up for and cannot be safely accommodated. In these situations, the student will be unable to attend camp and will not receive a refund. It is essential that parents thoroughly review the level descriptions before signing their child up for camp to ensure they pick the correct level.

COVID AND ILLNESS POLICIES

Masks are not required this summer!

Students will not be permitted to attend Sweetlines camps or events after a positive Covid test until at least day 6 of their illness, with their first day of symptoms as day 0. This is in accordance with national, state, and local Covid-19 guidelines, which state that people who test positive for the virus that causes Covid should isolate for at least 5 days. Some circumstances will result in a longer isolation. Please refer to this information page from the CDC, which describes our policy in detail: LINK HERE

Additionally, please do not send your child to Sweetlines camps or events if they have symptoms of any illness (unless these symptoms are consistent with a non-communicable chronic condition your child has). Sweetlines students must go 24 hours free of severe symptoms (fever, difficulty breathing, vomiting, and diarrhea) before they may attend Sweetlines camps or events.

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to kat@sweetlines.com.

Thank you for helping keep our Sweetlines community safe!

HEAT AND OTHER WEATHER POLICIES

Heat (High of 90 degrees to 99 degrees): If weather predictions list the high temperature of the day to be 90 degrees to 99 degrees, camp for the day will be moved earlier by 2 hours. This allows most of the riding to be done in the cool hours of the morning and reduces the risk of heat illness in our coaches and campers. For example, if camp is scheduled to be 10:00-3:30 normally, it will be moved to 8:00-1:30. 

Severe Heat (High of 100 degrees or higher): If weather predictions list the high temperature of the day to be 100 degrees or higher, camp for the day will be canceled.

Smoke and other air pollutants (AQI): If the air quality index is green or yellow (0-100), camp will continue as normal. If the air quality index is orange (100-150), camp will continue but may be shortened and the amount of riding during camp will be limited. If the air quality index is red or purple (150 or higher), camp will be canceled. This is in accordance with CDC guidelines for childcare, which can be found here: LINK HERE.

Rain and cold: Sweetlines summer camps are very unlikely to be canceled due to rain or cold. Instead, decisions will be made on an individual case-by-case basis. If a child is too wet, cold, or uncomfortable at camp, parents or guardians will be contacted for early pick-up. We encourage parents to pack lots of warm and waterproof layers for their child on cold and rainy days! (Pro Tip: toe warmers work great in gloves and on top of toes in shoes.)

Lightning: Sweetlines camps will be canceled if a thunderstorm is in the forecast. If a thunderstorm rolls in unexpectedly, safety measures will be taken at camp and parents may be called for early pick-up. 

Cell phone policy

Cell phones at camp may only be used to take videos of riding or for contacting parents. If a student uses their cell phone for any other reason, they will not be permitted to bring it to camp. 

INCLUSIVITY

Inclusivity has always been a core value for Sweetlines. Kat Sweet began her mission with hope to bring more females to the sport, which now extends to all genders. At the core of her mission is inclusivity; we strive to deliver inclusive and accessible camps for all. We are working towards a future where everyone, no matter their background, such as age, race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability, feels they too can learn to ride mountain bikes and be part of our community. We are always trying to improve our practice so please share your expertise, feedback, and comments with us. For participants who may need accommodations, please give advanced notice to ensure that we can provide an optimal experience.

CANCELLATION POLICY

As long as you cancel two weeks (14 days) prior to the program start date, you will be refunded the full amount minus a $25 processing fee. No refunds for canceling within two weeks of the program start date. Programs happen rain or shine, but we may cancel if there is extreme weather (refer to heat and other weather policies above).

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

If you have been affected by Covid-19 or would like financial assistance to come to our programs for any other reason, please fill out this application and we will contact you to find out how we can help make that happen.

EVERGREEN MTB

Please support the Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance who make Duthie and all of our amazing PNW trails possible! Become a member if you haven’t already!