Introducing VNTRbirds’ AIARE Course Leader, Mentor, and Backcountry Educator - Janine Prout

As a seasoned backcountry instructor, here are my top 3 reasons why I encourage you to sign up for your first avalanche education course.

This mentorship scholarship opened my eyes to the vast perspectives of what a community can bring to you and the importance of preserving  those spaces. One of the coolest things I was able to experience was the unity of unique, badass women who were brave enough to be curious.

I’m giving you three incredible exercises to add to your workout routine to help you feel more prepared as you step into your bindings again

Make your own handlebar bling with these step by step instructions!

I could live out my life riding flow trails all day, but sometimes, you have to work on the hard stuff so you can get down the tricky sections. When I saw the VNTRbirds Steep + Tech clinic at Keystone, geared specifically toward intermediate and advanced riders, I knew I needed to sign up.

Cada vez que me subo a los pedales con VNTRbirds, recuerdo por qué me enamoré del ciclismo de montaña y por qué lo disfruto tanto. Every time I clip into my pedals with VNTRbirds, I’m reminded of why I fell in love with mountain biking in the first place and why I enjoy it so much.

I was still questioning my own mountain bike skills and whether or not I was good enough to coach. Another season went by, my wife became a certified coach and we continued our involvement with VNTRbirds, all the while I continued to work on progressing my own skills so I would feel comfortable supporting newer riders and demonstrating skills. So this past spring when the VNTRbirds mentorship scholarship opened, I knew I was finally ready to apply.