You bring the bike – we’ll bring the adventure.
Open to National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) student-athletes from any state, these mountain bike-fueled adventure camps will combine bike skills and wilderness exploration.
In partnership with the WV Interscholastic Cycling League, these camps are for those who are interested in learning about exploring the world around them by mountain bike. Daily ride groups will vary in terrain, difficulty, and length, and will follow NICA guidelines with certified coach to rider ratios.
The NICA Adventure program focuses on developing skills and pursuing challenges in a non-competitive setting that prepares youth for their own lifelong adventures. Our NICA Adventure Camps will include spectacular mountain biking in iconic areas of our mountain state and other backcountry skills such as map-reading, fire building, and cooking. Each group will also participate in a half-day stewardship project on a local trail system receiving Teen Trail Corps hours for their participation.
You do not need to have prior camping experience or be an expert in the outdoors to participate in this camp – we will teach you all the camping skills needed to have success on this adventure! Experience Learning will provide all necessary camping gear, onsite transportation, use permits, and program food.
You must be registered through the NICA League to participate in our NICA camps. More information on NICA and the WV Interscholastic Cycling League can be found here. This is a specialty camp with a limited number of spaces. We encourage you to reserve your spot as soon as you are able to commit.
Meet our NICA Camp Director & Coaches
Guiding the way through some of West Virginia’s most scenic bike trails will be Hardy County Cryptids Team Director and NICA Level 3 coach, Vicki Sliwa. Joining her in the Advanced NICA Adventure Camp will be Jason Sliwa and David Olsen, both NICA Level 2 coaches.
Vicki has been riding bikes since owning her first bike at five years old, and she has never looked back. She enjoys all types of bike riding, with mountain biking being her favorite. She shares in the NICA and WVICL vision to get more kids on bikes and loves being the Team Director for the newly formed Hardy County Cryptids. When she is not riding bikes she enjoys practicing and teaching yoga, cooking and baking, and hiking with friends. She recently retired from federal government service after careers with the U.S. Department of State and with the United States Coast Guard.
Jason is an accomplished bike rider and mountain bike racer. Over the past 30 years he has ridden road, gravel, and mountain bikes in the Rockies, the western desert, the northeast, the mid Atlantic, and in Europe, gaining experience in varied terrain. He is a Level 2 NICA coach in the WVICL, a NICA Teen Trail Corps lead, and trail maintenance volunteer for Lost River Tails Coalition (LRTC). He loves technical obstacles as well as flowy and swoopy trails. He is a returning coach for the Adventure Camp.
David fell in love with cycling at the age of 19 when he crossed the United States by bike with his best friend. This life changing event led to seven years of amateur road racing throughout the western United States including three years of racing in Belgium. Exploring on-road and off-road triathlons, he discovered a deep passion for mountain bike racing, particularly long-distance events. Traveling and racing with teammates throughout the mid-Atlantic and western states, he finds enjoyment in varying trail characteristics from flowy single track to challenging technical terrain. David is a Level 2 NICA coach in the WVICL and enjoys supporting his son Ryan (age 12) in his NICA racing pursuits. An avid outdoor enthusiast, his greatest passion is just getting out of the house to ride, hike, ski and paddle with his family.
2025 MTB Camp Options
Dates: June 22nd – 26th, 2025
Drop Off: Sunday, June 22nd, 1 pm, Location: Sweetwater Farm Trail Center
Pick Up: Thursday, June 26th, 3 pm, Location: Spruce Knob Mountain Center
Intermediate means a rider who can confidently ride technical features on a trail to include roots, rocks, and small logs. The rider can successfully ride 7 miles with longer rest stops for food and water.
We will start the week at our Sweetwater Farm Trail Center to ride 7 miles of onsite trails and complete a trail-based service project. Mid-week we will move to the Canaan Mountain Backcountry area and ride additional single track, to include the smooth and sweet Promise Land Trail, while hunting for amazing views of the Blackwater Canyon and Canaan Valley. We will also complete a trail-based service project in Canaan Valley. The program will end at Spruce Knob Mountain Center, riding in the epic Seneca Creek area.
Dates: June 15th – 20th, 2025
Drop Off: Sunday, June 15th, 1 pm, Location: Sweetwater Farm Trail Center
Pick Up: Friday, June 20th, 3 pm, Location: Spruce Knob Mountain Center
Advanced means technical terrain to include many roots and rocks on narrow trails. The expected equipment consists of a lightweight dual suspension mountain bike with disk brakes. The rider’s endurance and strength is above average. Some examples include the ability to ride across a wide, rocky stream crossing successfully, to ascend a rocky steep incline successfully, and ride 10 miles with only brief stops for food and water
We will start the week at our Sweetwater Farm Trail Center to ride 9 miles of onsite trails, to include a black diamond trail, and complete a trail-based service project. Mid-week we will move to the Canaan Mountain Backcountry area and ride additional technical single track while hunting for amazing views of the Blackwater Canyon and Canaan Valley. We will also complete a trail-based service project in Canaan Valley. The program will include the local favorite, the iconic technical and rocky Huckleberry Trail, an IMBA EPIC* trail.
All student-athletes will be screened during registration to qualify for our NICA Advanced camp.
Dates:
Beginner Mountain Biking: July 6 – 7, 2025
Beginner Adventure Mountain Biking: June 29 – July 1, 2025
Each session of beginner bike camp will target different age ranges, and focus on developing skills appropriate with that range. We will take our beginner riders on an introductory journey, spending three days camping in tents from a wooded basecamp at our Sweetwater Farm Trail Center. We’ll go on daily group rides that are beginner in nature and geared towards developing a lifelong love of the outdoors, and bicycling. Our days will be filled with games, skill development, and fun, while evenings will be based at our campsite, learning campcrafts, enjoying campfires, and stargazing under the darkest skies in the east. More information here.
What Folks are Saying:
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In this program I was able to be my own leader, which has allowed me to see the ways in which I can improve myself and the ways in which I am strong. – Summer Camper, Leadership Camp
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That was the best experience of high school and allowed me to flourish in my further experiences in high school. Absolutely transformed my idea of my own physical, social, and mental capabilities and made me feel much more confident!!!! I couldn’t recommend it more. ~Former Summer Camper
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I learned about who I am as a person and that if I look within myself I can find some of the strength and courage that I’ve felt was missing from me. – Summer Camper, Leadership Camp
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The staff were terrific helping us coordinate what camp would fit us best. So patient and understanding. My daughter had a wonderful week and learned so much and made memories and friends. Great experience! – Kristin Potts
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I learned to trust myself more and not be afraid to advocate for myself. – Summer Camper, Leadership Camp
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I love the freedom at this camp. It doesn’t feel like a structured camp with strict rules. We are free to have fun and learn in our own ways while still effectively accomplishing the goals of the program. – camper
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We are free to have fun and learn in our own ways while still effectively accomplishing the goals of the program. – 2019 Summer Camper
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That was the best experience of high school and allowed me to flourish in my further experiences in high school. Absolutely transformed my idea of my own physical, social, and mental capabilities and made me feel much more confident!!!! I couldn’t recommend it more. ~Former Summer Camper