FAQ’s

That’s great! A lot of your road fitness will help with the physical demands of mtb, and you’ll have a head start on developing mtb specific strength. From a skills standpoint you will want to start with the “New to MTB” camps to get up to speed on that aspect first. If you have a strict mileage quota for the day, we probably won’t meet it. We’re saving our efforts for the skills!

That’s a common concern. Grindstone is a skills oriented camp, not a fitness oriented camp so our goal isn’t to push your endurance or keep you riding non-stop all day. In fact, frequent breaks can actually accelerate the learning process. Consult your doctor and participate at your own pace. If you’re having fun, you’re doing it right! All of our trails end within ½ mile of the gathering pavilion, so you’ll never be stranded.

Most camps are limited to 8 riders, so you will have the opportunity for a lot of direct interaction with me. I do not overbook camps hoping no-shows will keep the numbers reasonable, so the quality of your experience is ensured.

Big jumps and drops are super exciting and require a high level of competency in most areas of mountain bike skill to be attempted safely and reliably. Building up to the proficiency required is best accomplished by completing the full series of camps and additional private coaching. If there is a high level jumping camp it will be invitation or pre-requisite only for safety reasons.

We do not have rental bikes available but check the local shops below. I have minimal ability to repair your bike on premises, so please make sure it is good working order before coming to camp or private coaching. Out of respect for the other participants we cannot stop camp to attempt major repairs on your bike, or to give it a “tune up”. We are not able to offer refunds for mechanical breakdowns

Here are a couple of local shop options:

Confluence Cyclery

Wilderness Voyageurs

Pedal assist e-bikes are welcome, however, bikes with a throttle are not permitted

All participants must be at least 18 years old. Sorry, no exceptions, it’s not about their maturity or riding ability, it’s about insurance. There are a number of great youth camps in the region available for your child!

We will continue camp in light to moderate rain, so be prepared for anything. If there are dangerous weather conditions I will stop camp and you will be issued a credit according to our written policies. If you are concerned that you might not want to continue with camp under certain conditions, you should purchase event insurance with your camp.

We are working to make primitive and shelter camping available to our attendees, and we’ll let you know when it’s ready! There are tons of local options, from campgrounds to Nemacolin Resort, to suit your standards in the meantime!

Only Registered camp riders are permitted to remain on premises. We do not have childcare (or adult care!) and the trails are not open to non-registered riders. The camp is located on private property so wandering around outside of camp is prohibited, thanks for being respectful! There are tons of local attractions that your traveling companion(s) can enjoy while you are at camp! Check out  Go Laurel Highlands for more ideas

Grindstone MTB is located on private property, surrounded by private property, and riding outside of registered camp and coaching is strictly prohibited and will be prosecuted as trespassing 🙁

• Ohiopyle State Park
• Deep Creek
• Coopers Rocks
• Margroff Plantation
• Big Bear (Private/fee, but super fun!)

Grindstone MTB shares the land with a farm with livestock and a livestock guardian dog with strong protective instincts, so we are not able to have other dogs off leash on premises for the safety of all of the animals. We understand that some riders have small dogs that are trained to live in a travel van, but the parking area is not shaded and the temperature may not be safe for your dog. Please consider this before making your plans. Wooflands Pet Resort & Spa, located just down the road, may be able to board your dog for the day or overnight.

We have a 600sf gathering pavilion area where you can find:

Running water, Porta johns, Electricity, and Wifi

It is pretty wild! But we keep all of our trash under wraps, and so far all of the animals make themselves scarce at the first sign of humans.

• Here is a list of larger animals that I’ve seen personally
  • Deer
  • Black Bears
  • Fischer Cats
  • Muskrats
  • Geese (they’re the meanest of all these animals!)
  • Bobcats
  • Coyotes
  • Snakes (no rattle snakes yet, but they are here)
  • Racoons
  • Birds of Prey
  • Lots of spiders
  • Bees, wasps, hornets, red ants
  • And the scariest…. ticks

There is cell service and guest wifi at the pavilion where we rally, but cell phone service can be spotty in the woods where the trails run.