Does Vail resorts run any decent mtb parks? Cuz they just bought northstar
- Thread starter kidwoo
- Start date
I hope they do things differently out there.
Vail proper sucks and none of their other holdings run mtb parks right?
Am I right?
^ this kind of attitude should surely make them stoked on bikes, right?
Ink isn't even dry and you are already hatin!
Do we know 'why' Vail does not have a bikepark? is them to blame? or some other reason? I dont know, just pokin around before I start throwin stones.
Ink isn't even dry and you are already hatin!
Do we know 'why' Vail does not have a bikepark? is them to blame? or some other reason? I dont know, just pokin around before I start throwin stones.
Oh noes! I'm sure Vail resorts is reading this right nowz!!!
I live here. I know how northstar operates with 'mildly interested' management. I'm just asking if anyone else knows if there's a reason to expect anything either way. It's not hating if I'm just asking for verification that vail proper does or does not express an interest in mtb parks. They sure didn't mention anything about it in that little 'presser'
Lighten up. Watch this
Always puts me in a good mood.
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Having lived in Vail it seems they are interested in nothing more than tourism. They do own a few 'bike parks'. But that includes their own, a resort with a measly 5 runs. One, '94 worlds track, has been closed down for the last couple years to allow for tubing reconstruction. The other 4 are essentially only 2 that split and get new names when they cross a road. They haven't seen maintenance in what seems years, and from what I hear they re-hire their terrain park crew for the summer (not interested in MtnBiking at all).
Good Luck to Northstar.
Good Luck to Northstar.
I lived in Vail for 8+ years up till 2002. The biggest issue was the forest service. In the late 90's there was 5-6 great, but, illegal trails that ended up getting closed down and the mountain never seemed to do much to replace them with anything "legal". The mountain always knew about those trails and looked the other way until FS stepped up.
BUT, lets not forget that they did host Worlds in the mid 90's and 2000. On top of that, Vail owns Keystone which seems to cater to bikes fairly well and is led by a dedicated trail crew. If you have a crew in place I think things stand a chance but it may not be a priority, especially if they plan to re-model or expand. Good luck.
BUT, lets not forget that they did host Worlds in the mid 90's and 2000. On top of that, Vail owns Keystone which seems to cater to bikes fairly well and is led by a dedicated trail crew. If you have a crew in place I think things stand a chance but it may not be a priority, especially if they plan to re-model or expand. Good luck.
Let's see Vail Resorts now owns Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, Keystone, Arapahoe Basin, Heavenly and now Northstar? Jeebus.
If Northstar already has a dedicated bike crew and putting on events and showing the big boys at Vail Resorts how mtb increases their value, then your bike park should be okay. But lets face it, MTB is not a money maker to VR. But I do think they understand people want to come to their resorts in the summer, and therefore should cater to what the tourons want to do. Like DH.
It is true that only Keystone is the sole proper bike park of all their resorts. There is biking at Breck and da beav, but are pretty much for families on hard tails. DH'ers have no business riding there. Vail on the other hand seems to be stuck in village and mountain construction mode and have put little effort in to expand their trails. That being said, Vail is one of my most favorite places to ride.
Yes, the USFS is a huge pain in the ass to most ski resorts new trail plans, unless they own their own land (like Angel Fire and Sol Vista). This is nothing new.
Let's hope they let the local resort management team decide their mountain bike park future and not the top brass of VR.
If Northstar already has a dedicated bike crew and putting on events and showing the big boys at Vail Resorts how mtb increases their value, then your bike park should be okay. But lets face it, MTB is not a money maker to VR. But I do think they understand people want to come to their resorts in the summer, and therefore should cater to what the tourons want to do. Like DH.
It is true that only Keystone is the sole proper bike park of all their resorts. There is biking at Breck and da beav, but are pretty much for families on hard tails. DH'ers have no business riding there. Vail on the other hand seems to be stuck in village and mountain construction mode and have put little effort in to expand their trails. That being said, Vail is one of my most favorite places to ride.
Yes, the USFS is a huge pain in the ass to most ski resorts new trail plans, unless they own their own land (like Angel Fire and Sol Vista). This is nothing new.
Let's hope they let the local resort management team decide their mountain bike park future and not the top brass of VR.
That is a good point. If they're looking to do construction, the bike park is last on the priority list. Keystone's trails were diverted to a different base (huge inconvenience) and didn't hold a race for 2-3 seasons due to new Gondi and bridge construction.
Ahh, Beaver Creek, (Stick line!)! Man, BC (and Vail for that matter) were sooo good.
RIP Stickline, Tomb Stone, PBR, Tower Trail, Your Mom, Your Sister, 007, 006...Etc..
94 Worlds was open last summer and this summer, there was a reroute this summer because of construction though.
The good stuff at Vail is old school steep single track, its not a "bike park" the way Winter Park or Sol Vista are. I love riding there because its different. Its only a hand full of trails true, but its 2,100 vertical feet.
When I've been there they've had survey people in the lift lines specifically talking to DH'ers what they'd like to see if they were to add more bike trails. They are mildly interested in bikes which is better than no interest at all. But there needs to be more $$ in the bike scene before Vail commits to anything other than a few trails.
I consider Denver to have 4 bike parks within a few hours, Keystone, Sol Vista, Winter Park and Vail. I ride all of them, really can't go wrong.
*Oh and Keystone updated several trails this year. Improved/added jumps on TNT, Loggers and Paid in Full. I think that's the influence of Winter Park and Sol Vista, they're learning how to build better lips/take offs. Some trails have breaking bumps and off camber corners (OH NO!) but hey its mountain biking, not everything should be a groomed berm.
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Jeez how could could I forget Keystone.... I completely blanked on that one. Duh.
Yeah I'd been hearing about a renewed interest there this year, which is definitely good. But that's certainly what I was asking, since I know vail runs a lot of different mountains these days.
I guess I can cross my fingers that someone there realizes that something like northstar has the potential to blow away what keystone does for numbers since there's much less regional competition and just as large or larger an adjacent mtb population.
Kind of weird though.....in the press release they've already nixed some of the more influential managers at northstar.
Yeah I'd been hearing about a renewed interest there this year, which is definitely good. But that's certainly what I was asking, since I know vail runs a lot of different mountains these days.
I guess I can cross my fingers that someone there realizes that something like northstar has the potential to blow away what keystone does for numbers since there's much less regional competition and just as large or larger an adjacent mtb population.
Kind of weird though.....in the press release they've already nixed some of the more influential managers at northstar.
Nah, that's corporate America. Any time there is a buyout middle management gets canned.
Not always.
What it says though is that this won't be a hands off venture where they 'ease into' figuring out what northstar is all about.
Eh, whatever. As long as the run the lifts who cares. I mean what are they gonna do? Put LESS maintenance into the trails? Build less new trails? I don't think either of those things are possible. It's really too bad they don't put more money into that place. It could be a LOT bigger than it is with the proximity to population and the just generally awesome location.
How soon they forget......
Last season saw zero anything. This year saw some trail reworks, some somewhat regular repairs, and some new features. So yeah, they actually could do less than what they did this year.
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Kevin
time to fire up the squaw valley action?
I'd love to see that place go off (or at least have the infrastructure to warrant it). I have no idea what's going on over there though. Nancy Cushing who got the ball rolling last year just stepped down as CEO over the summer. Who knows.
Vail doesn't own Arapaho Basin. Keystone wants to do more but the Forest Service and their previous president (or whatever his title is) held them back. They have a new president who rides and a new Forest Service Travel Management Plan coming out this winter will allow them to start building new trails in May. Don't expect to be riding anything new till late next summer.
I predict that in the near future a WC event will be held at North Star.
I also predict that M. Town will the the one responsible for making it happen.
Kidwoo, I think you need to talk to him if you really want to know what is going to happen to North Star. His number can be found on a billboard near you.
I also predict that M. Town will the the one responsible for making it happen.
Kidwoo, I think you need to talk to him if you really want to know what is going to happen to North Star. His number can be found on a billboard near you.
Northstar has been doing contruction for the last 4 years and is just about done with most major projects.
Northstar trail crew did a great job this year and the events were well run for the most part.
I think nothing bad will happen to the bike park and I like to think that one of the reasons they bought the park is because of the fact that most everything is done and operating well.
I bet they make the park better and learn from the successes of Keystone and Northstar. The only way we can make sure to keep bike parks alive is to show support and encouragement to the owners and builders instead of immediately jumping on the Debbie downer train.
Word.
Northstar trail crew did a great job this year and the events were well run for the most part.
I think nothing bad will happen to the bike park and I like to think that one of the reasons they bought the park is because of the fact that most everything is done and operating well.
I bet they make the park better and learn from the successes of Keystone and Northstar. The only way we can make sure to keep bike parks alive is to show support and encouragement to the owners and builders instead of immediately jumping on the Debbie downer train.
Word.
I don't even know what that means.
Mike's been killing it with his personal payouts for old guys racing. Stoked to see him do that.
But what makes you think town calls any shots at northstar? I don't disagree that he seems motivated to make something interesting happen but him and I both know the same people there. Do you know that he's got something in mind?
I'm more concerned about daily and season long operations than any one event. Obviously events are something a business can point to as a singular success though. I mean whistler isn't good because of crankworks. It's season long approach is awesome and enhanced by crankworks.
I'm not running around with my hair on fire screaming about the park closing or anything. I just thought it was interesting and am wondering if there's going to be a change in philosophy about the bike operations. Best case scenario is that the realize how much more they could get out of it with some investment and proper planning......something booth creek has kind of waffled on.Racerx7734 said:
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For sure. Not to mention the possibility of the lifts being closed entirely. Again.
I'd like to see changes too but the status quo isn't too bad compared to not having a park at all.
Hmmm...you're right:
Arapahoe Basin was diversified from Vail Resorts, Inc in August 1997. Dundee Realty Resort Development, a subsidiary of Dundee Realty Management Corporation of Toronto, Canada acquired A-Basin.
That was a long time ago. You'd think the moose out front woulda told me.
from here
Confusing since you can use certain Vail Resorts lift passes there...I never questioned it....
First things first people. Lets make sure they want to keep what trails they have now running.