The thin dirt path slices through stubby foliage before vanishing over the steep edge of a rock face, and then picks up again in the distance as it cuts between tall trees. Article content

The trail, north of Whistler, is called Dead Fall.

It was this jump that 15-year-old mountain-biking phenom Caileigh Koppang chose last October for her next big feat, after bursting on to the competitive circuit just two years earlier and winning medals at national and international races.

“Caileigh is a rising force in the DH (downhill) scene with an impressive collection of podiums,” Bike Magazine wrote in August 2024.

The confident young rider had conquered many gnarly jumps. But something went wrong this time.

Caileigh went off the nine-metre (30-foot) jump, hitting the ground at high speed

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