[SDH]

Anybody have any information regarding this weekend. It would be a 3.5 hour drive for me and was wondering if it would be worth it or not? I think I read somewhere they had 4 trails, are they all beginner trails? Any recommendations on where to stay?

thx

 

[rollertoaster]

i'd like some input on this too. considering driving out from SE PA.

 

[04sgsdh]

Check out the next thread down. There is some info there.


B.

 

[PCinSC]

My opinion: it's worth it if you haven't been there. It's true that they only have like 5 trails, but they are fun as hell. I posted over on MTBR about my last trip there, I go into a little more detail about the trails we rode. If you're the type of rider who likes lots of techy downhill trails you'll be disappointed, but any expert rider should be able to rip the trails they have put together and have a blast.

A couple of pics:

Me pumping through a section of whoops on 007.

My buddy airing it out over one of the tabletops.

 

[brungeman]

as far as your question... there are 4+ trails. One is a "beginner" trail, that is like a pump track going down hill, or the other way to describe it is to take a bunch of your favorite xc downhills and string them back to back... add the fact that you don't have to pedal to the top and we all win.

next is a reworked version of the trail opened last year known as 007. It is fast berm'ie and lots of tables to hit as well as some natural features. it is more like a blue

next is EC which can be run from top to bottom or you can use the top of EC and transfer to the lower section of 007 or vice versa. EC is the trail that Eric Carter plotted out with Judd and Randy as one of the natural DH routes that you can run races on because of the lack of un natural build ups and lack of stunts. It is just a ripper of a sweet DH run. This one is a bit more tech with some steep chutes and minor rock drops, but jumps and berms are a plenty!

Superconnector is a "half hill" spur trail that couldn't be ignored. When the piles of rocks and potential through the trees and landscape were first hiked, jackpot signs wrang up in everyones head. There is a 30' ladder bridge to rock drop that is buttery smooth on this trail as well as other natural obstacles.

combinations on these trails are plenty. The trails are well planned out and lots of machine and hand work have gone into prepping them. The weather has not been kind, but we have worked feverishly to prep the trails and keep all of the wetness on the trails to a minimum.

I hope this helps. PM me if you need more info... but at the price of the lift ticket, I promise you, you will have fun and hopefully give some input on what you think of the trails!:biggrin:

 

[drt_jumper]

It is worth driving 3+ hours, if you have nothing else to do....It is def. a fun place to ride but it is by no means difficult at all. The EC trail should really be a beginner "downhill" trail, and the 007 trail is a fun fast flowy bmx track placed on the side of a mountain. The "Rock Drop" on the spangler trail is about 2-3ft tall. If you are looking for somewhere to ride and just flow then it is fun. If you are looking to ride DH then go elsewhere because at this point 7 springs is not the place to ride. I rode there 2 weekends ago when all the trails were soaking wet and they were still easy to ride at a fast pace. The two steep shoots mentioned above are only about 4-6ft long. I am not trying to take anything away from what has been done at 7 springs, I just dont want people coming with full dh race rigs and being dissapointed. If you have a 5" bike bring that, and even then that may be too much. I will be there this weekend just to show support for the mountain and hopefully with a good turn out get some expert+ level trails built at some point.

 

[brungeman]

My opinion: it's worth it if you haven't been there. It's true that they only have like 5 trails, but they are fun as hell. I posted over on MTBR about my last trip there, I go into a little more detail about the trails we rode. If you're the type of rider who likes lots of techy downhill trails you'll be disappointed, but any expert rider should be able to rip the trails they have put together and have a blast.

A couple of pics:

Me pumping through a section of whoops on 007.

thanks and great write up on eMTyBeeR! I recognize the jersey and think I saw you parked in the lower lot kinda by the "bike shop" or the entrance to Helens. I was working on the pumptrack I think, when you were out riding!

Nice pics, and I am glad you had fun! if you have any input, I can make sure that anything I can address I will, and will pass on anything over my capabilities through to the higher ups!

PS, when I rode the beginner trail the first time top to bottom I got the same grin and feeling like I could ride this thing all day long! I look at that trail like a gateway drug for all the XC riders we have to get into DH riding! I hope you make it back up this direction! Make sure you PM me when you are going to be around to see if I can meet up with you!

Dave

 

[brungeman]

It is worth driving 3+ hours, if you have nothing else to do....It is def. a fun place to ride but it is by no means difficult at all. The EC trail should really be a beginner "downhill" trail, and the 007 trail is a fun fast flowy bmx track placed on the side of a mountain. The "Rock Drop" on the spangler trail is about 2-3ft tall. If you are looking for somewhere to ride and just flow then it is fun. If you are looking to ride DH then go elsewhere because at this point 7 springs is not the place to ride. I rode there 2 weekends ago when all the trails were soaking wet and they were still easy to ride at a fast pace. The two steep shoots mentioned above are only about 4-6ft long. I am not trying to take anything away from what has been done at 7 springs, I just dont want people coming with full dh race rigs and being dissapointed. If you have a 5" bike bring that, and even then that may be too much. I will be there this weekend just to show support for the mountain and hopefully with a good turn out get some expert+ level trails built at some point.

and thanks for the support! I will see you Sunday!

PM coming your way!

 

[unskilled]

i've been there a few times and its fun for a day trip. it isn't to the point of being a diablo type journey, but i like it alot. there aren't very many people who go so you almost always have less than 10 people on the mountain so you can go at whatever speed and try things without worrying of being rear ended. there are some things that i do not like there. one part that is slightly uphill and their closing of the trails except 007 on july 4th because of rain. all in all its a good time. every time i go it is very different so it is good to seem people working on the trails and making it better.

 

[Arutha]

I'll chime in as well. I love the place but it certainly doesn't have DH trails like most places...yet. The trails are on the short side of the mountain and they have tried to keep the runs going by using the land to the fullest and they have done a good job given the location, next year when they do northface, the other side of the mountain, I would expect more DH style trails.

I can ride 007 all day and still have a grin on my face. My only real gripe with the trail is the slight uphill section, it just sucks, even if I am really moving going into it I have to pedal my butt off by midway. I think it was quicker before you guys added the humps. Maybe it's just me but seems too up for too long.

When do you guys plan to have the area complete after the two new larger tables up top? I really want to see more jumps going straight down that hill, plus a tie into the new trail off it with the little ladder bridge.

 

[brungeman]

Unskilled and Arutha,
that section does kinda slow the pace down quite a bit! There is a "trail merge point right after that, and I think that the point was to slow you down a bit... but it is overkill for sure! the same point on the EC trail where that merge point is, is wet and slow as well!

as far as the jumps at top and the ladder bridge trail... as of yesterday they were pushing dirt at the top to make the last few tables to connect with "super connector"... weather permitting, everything will be open this weekend. The Bobcat and the Ditchwitch both got stuck there when trying to shape those jumps. The dirt that was trucked in, and the dirt in the area area was holding tons of water from all the rain, and it was just unbuildable for a while.

Unskilled... as far as shutting the trails down, I don't know the story! I was away from the mountain at a family reunion. I do know that the overall intent of the staff is to preserve the trails, it takes a lot of work to repair the ruts once they are formed. I don't think we have had a week with 4 consecutive days of sun... so the ground is constantly on the edge of being saturated! at this point all it takes is a hard rain and the little bit of soil on top that has dried ends up getting jacked.


Dave

 

[PCinSC]

thanks and great write up on eMTyBeeR! I recognize the jersey and think I saw you parked in the lower lot kinda by the "bike shop" or the entrance to Helens. I was working on the pumptrack I think, when you were out riding!

That was probably me, I kind of stand out in a XXXL camo green jersey.

Nice pics, and I am glad you had fun! if you have any input, I can make sure that anything I can address I will, and will pass on anything over my capabilities through to the higher ups!

Aw, the pics aren't mine...photo credit should go to the cu.7springs.com staff photographer. They came out pretty good.

I've got one request for the higher-ups: no rain so that the trails can dry out. This weekend is looking pretty good, I'll keep my fingers crossed.

I hope you make it back up this direction! Make sure you PM me when you are going to be around to see if I can meet up with you!

I'll be back up this Sunday with the wife, it'll be her first DH experience. Should be fun.

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

to everyone commenting on the difficulty understand that the front side is meant to be a bit more tame with the flowy jump stuff and some intermediate dh trails (there are still a few sections on the front side that can reach out and touch you if you arent paying attention).

There is talk going on right now to start building runs on the back side which will be legitimate dh trails that will be really fun...sit tight, the place is only a month and a half old or so...

 

[dhrookie]

itchin to go man....... this time tomorrow i'll be on the lift heading back up.
whats the normal run time?(how long does it take to get down)

 

[PCinSC]

itchin to go man....... this time tomorrow i'll be on the lift heading back up.
whats the normal run time?(how long does it take to get down)

I'd guess that the average run takes less than five minutes and fast riders could probably rip it in two or three minutes. If a rider is very slow and/or stops a lot I bet that could be stretched to ten or fifteen. The beginner trail seems like the longest trail, but even that one isn't that long. The good news is that the lift doesn't take long either and you can get lots of runs in.

My only comparison for DH trails is Diablo, and those trails are much longer. In some ways I actually prefer the 7 Springs trails because they are shorter and don't cause as much fatigue as longer runs do (think hand/forearm fatigue) and the lift provides the right amount of rest (for me) for the next run. For this reason I really enjoyed the flow of the place.

 

[DJColdwater]

first person video from fourth of July weekend. 007 to EC1

video and course info: http://www.sicklines.com/courses/pennsylvania/seven_springs_course/