As a mountain biker, it hadn’t crossed my mind that an essential tool was a cheer squad. Mostly, friends and I sync in a line and roll the route. Occasionally, we session features.
But after I joined Ladies AllRide at my first-ever downhill mountain bike camp, I realized how pivotal trailside energy is. Whether it’s first-time students (like me) or returning mentees, camaraderie is at the core of why bikers attend Ladies AllRide. And scientifically, it helps riders excel at the sport.
Rooting for each other signals a neurological, psychological response that supports tackling new challenges. When friends cheer, it spikes the heart rate and adrenaline — increasing alertness and drive — and buffers cortisol. It also elevates pain tolerance from the endorphins and dopamine. That’s all according to research published in Scientific Reports, British Journal of Sports Medicine, and Biological Psychiatry.
Rooting is a key ingredient to Ladies AllRide, and founder and mountain bike coach Lindsey Richter epitomizes that vibe.
New for 2026: Brundage Mountain Downhill Camp
“That’s your line, you got it, peak-push, let it roll — beautiful! Yes! That was BOMB!” Richter said enthusiastically. She encouraged me nonstop as I descended a steep, technical, boulder-and-root-filled line that our seven-rider crew rode one-by-one.
I was in a pod with bikers from all over the country at AllRide’s new 2026 signature downhill camp: Brundage Mountain, 20 minutes north of McCall, Idaho. As the ultimate hype woman, Richter’s high-energy encouragement is infused into AllRide’s curriculum and team. To date, Richter has coached nearly 10,000 women on bikes over the past 15 years.
“I like the social aspect, and [the coaches] have honed making us feel comfortable in this extreme sport,” said 37-year-old rider Amy Kammeraad, a nurse and mother from Bozeman, Mont. Like many other women I met over the weekend, this was her third Ladies AllRide course. Kammeraad said, “It’s a good refresher on form and technique, so that I feel confident, stay safe, and progress.”
Read on to learn what makes Ladies AllRide unique, and why you might add one of their camps to your trip list.
Ladies AllRide: Evolving Downhill Camps in 2026 and 2027
Richter was inspired to start a nationwide education-based ride series following the boom of freeriding and Red Bull Rampage circa 2002. “Most of the marketing was going towards showing dudes hucking canyon gaps, doing massive tricks over big features, and coming down really scary lines,” said Richter, and she didn’t see it inviting women into the sport.
Enter: Ladies AllRide. After a 14-year grassroots movement, Richter, now 51, co-founded the skills camp alongside Meredith Brandt in 2014. For several years prior, Brandt had run Grit Clinics in Bend, Ore. — it was the ideal duo.
Now more than a decade in, the camp lineup consistently fills in established destinations like Bend — Richter’s home base — Sedona, Ariz., and Moab, Utah. The camps’ focus ranges from cross-country (technical climbing, and downhill skills), downhill (gravity-specific focus with lift service), and gravel to the newest edition, e-mountain biking.
Fresh in 2026, AllRide debuted three locations: Tahoe, Spokane, and Brundage, with the lattermost being a mellower entry for new or progressing downhillers. “Whitefish, Big Sky, Grand Targhee, Thunder Mountain, Burke Mountain — we’ve done a lot of downhill camps. And a lot of downhill parks are actually a little too gnarly for newer riders,” said Richter.
Next summer, AllRide aims to add tiered camps for beginner and advanced downhillers with steeper, gnarlier terrain.
Five camps remain open for registration at print — taking place from September 2026 to February 2027 — in bucket-list locations like Baja, Mexico, and Andalusia, Spain.
Downhill Camp: Skills Drills, Lift Laps, Bike Education
Using a chairlift to eliminate climbing, the Brundage Mountain signature downhill camp I attended covers everything from technical and flowy descents to speed management using braking technique plus drops, steeps, and rock obstacles. The mountain had one jump that we hiked a few times to learn speed control, popping, and a controlled landing.
The 2-day camp included morning drills at the base area followed by lift laps on technical and flowy singletrack. The mock-ups included wooden boxes, various sizes of PVC tracking pipes, and simulated tight switchbacks. We also used a flat grassy area to practice wheelies.
I appreciated the schooling on bike handling and skills, and deconstructing the body positioning needed to ride various obstacles. The most challenging execution for our crew was the extremely tight, steep descending switchbacks.
We each descended four times, and a few key pieces of guidance visibly aided our improvement: Enter high with weight on the outside foot. Drive weight through the pedals. Lean the torso forward (which can be intimidating on steep slopes). And look through the turn.
During Saturday’s après, the coaches offered education stations including suspension setup, flat repair, bike maintenance, and fear management. I attended suspension setup, led by Richter, and it was in-depth. It covered air pressure (overall support and sag), rebound (how quickly the shock extends), compression (how easily suspension compresses under a load), and tokens (volume spacers).
Stateside 22-Day Camps: Registration, Bike Demos, Mechanical Support
Whether you bring your own mountain bike or demo a Liv, one of the best assets of this camp is its veteran in-house mechanic, Jen Sawyer. She’s available at the base around the clock to fix, tune up, or adjust any bike on the spot throughout the camp. And you’d better believe she was busy!
I flew to Idaho for the camp and demoed the Liv Intrigue X (size medium), which I’d previously ridden, and it was a good match for the terrain.
Registration for the season opens annually in February on a rolling basis. The lineup has 11 signature stateside camps alongside international retreats. In 2026, four retreats are being held in Switzerland, Italy, Spain, and Mexico.
If you’re interested in one, don’t wait too long to register — the camps fill up. Brundage was capped at 56 participants and seven certified coaches.
Pros, Cons, and Takeaways
While I can’t compare to other 2-day camps, I attended a local mountain bike workshop in April 2024. Our eight-rider group rode once weekly for a couple of hours, covering everything from how to shift to body positioning, bunny hopping, and steep rock climbs. The experience level ranged greatly from totally new bikers to intermediate riders. I liked the elongated month-long format, which gave me a chance to practice between lessons.
With a different aim, Ladies AllRide has an exceptionally detailed pre-event survey. It collects everything from your style of riding to the trail names and distances you ride day to day. It took more than 30 minutes to complete, but it lays the groundwork for the magic. Overall, my pod was aligned on their goals and skills level, which supported a productive, enjoyable experience.
Drawbacks? Do your research about the location of the camp and what it’s known for — the type of geology, obstacles, dirt, and trail style. Ask questions before you sign up. I registered for the Brundage Mountain camp to learn how to hit machine-built jumps and berms in a downhill bike park.
Liv labeled the camp as covering “jumps” and “corners” (among a list of many other downhill skills that my brain glossed over), so I assumed surely there’s a bike park! My bad. AllRide offers a range of different camps and retreats each year, so try to find one suited to the type of riding you want to work on.
Ultimately, Ladies AllRide bikers arrive looking for not only technical coaching — they’re also seeking camaraderie to bolster their confidence. By the debrief, regardless of individual goals, everyone in my pod wrapped the camp up with both: community support and growth on their bike. That’s a success rate and experience I’d sign up for again.
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