I'm not an expert on beech mountain and the surrounding area, so, when coming in on 184, where would this be?
National Champs Build
- Thread starter herndon
- Start date
Just follow the signs through Banner Elk on 184 to Beech Mountain, go all the way up the mountain, then when you level out at the top, there is a parking area on the right with a big grass field behind it. If you start going down hill again on the road you have gone too far.
In other words, next to the pizza joint?
We are going to eat after the work day at the Brick Oven which is right beside the parking lot where we are meeting.
For anyone looking to stay overnight...The Pinnacle, Four Seasons, and Archer's Inn are offering discounts.
Everyone can look forward to a lot of work compliments of Danny and Mike......Unsupervised chainsawing is going to make for really great spectating at the event.
For anyone looking to stay overnight...The Pinnacle, Four Seasons, and Archer's Inn are offering discounts.
Everyone can look forward to a lot of work compliments of Danny and Mike......Unsupervised chainsawing is going to make for really great spectating at the event.
Was looking forward to getting out there tomorrow and doing some landscaping with you guys until the wife saw my bowl of Cheerios and eagerly squatted down over them. The Cheerios don't taste good now.
Was going to come up and help build, but couldn't find anyone to help share the cost of gas with. The whole Team is up at the WC race right now. Hope to get in on the next build day.
Keep up the great work Chris and Team,
Cecil
Keep up the great work Chris and Team,
Cecil
Thanks to everyone that came out to help. It was amazing how fast the woods got "cleaned" up. Hopefully you were all happy with what you saw. Also a special thanks to Joe Haley for staying late Saturday and up early Sunday, it was a big help making up for rain time.
Christopher
Christopher
Short Version: Every Dher and freerider in the Southeast should shift their emotional state to: Level 5 Pure Stokage...........for what is going on at Beech Mountain.
Long version: After having worked on and walked both the pro track and the am track this weekend, I have to say that the work being done there is off the chart. The pro track is going to be the most "World Cup" like track the Southeast has ever seen. The course is being built REALLY wide with lines all over the place. Crazy optional gaps and jumps everywhere. But the section of trail that is going to make this course legendary is the main rock garden. Super long, crazy wide, and damn difficult.
I bet you could take 5 riders at the same time side by side and do 5 different lines through it. Insane.
The AM track, which is what we are going to race in August, just looks incredible. This is not going to be a watered down course. It is going to have rocks, drops, steep chutes, jumps etc... It will be the type of terrain you expect at Beech, but built a lot better.
What you guys are going to see at Beech is the difference it makes when a mountain hires proper full time trailbuilders with machines, as opposed to weekend warriors (myself included here) who have to slap together a course for a race and get back to our day jobs. These guys are using a combination of handcut trails and rock armoring, and big machines to build these trails. And not only are they going to make sick race courses, but also the mountain will already have two great trails for the bike park next season! And the Whistler style trays being put on the lift is really the icing on the cake.
So take whatever preconceived notions you have of Beech Mountain and throw it out.
Its a new ballgame up there right now, and this is coming from someone who has always enjoyed racing there.
I am not knocking any of us guys who have worked there in the past either, but now Beech has the chance to be a real destination spot, and a sick bike park for years to come.
Long version: After having worked on and walked both the pro track and the am track this weekend, I have to say that the work being done there is off the chart. The pro track is going to be the most "World Cup" like track the Southeast has ever seen. The course is being built REALLY wide with lines all over the place. Crazy optional gaps and jumps everywhere. But the section of trail that is going to make this course legendary is the main rock garden. Super long, crazy wide, and damn difficult.
I bet you could take 5 riders at the same time side by side and do 5 different lines through it. Insane.
The AM track, which is what we are going to race in August, just looks incredible. This is not going to be a watered down course. It is going to have rocks, drops, steep chutes, jumps etc... It will be the type of terrain you expect at Beech, but built a lot better.
What you guys are going to see at Beech is the difference it makes when a mountain hires proper full time trailbuilders with machines, as opposed to weekend warriors (myself included here) who have to slap together a course for a race and get back to our day jobs. These guys are using a combination of handcut trails and rock armoring, and big machines to build these trails. And not only are they going to make sick race courses, but also the mountain will already have two great trails for the bike park next season! And the Whistler style trays being put on the lift is really the icing on the cake.
So take whatever preconceived notions you have of Beech Mountain and throw it out.
Its a new ballgame up there right now, and this is coming from someone who has always enjoyed racing there.
I am not knocking any of us guys who have worked there in the past either, but now Beech has the chance to be a real destination spot, and a sick bike park for years to come.
Short Version: Every Dher and freerider in the Southeast should shift their emotional state to: Level 5 Pure Stokage...........for what is going on at Beech Mountain.
Long version: After having worked on and walked both the pro track and the am track this weekend, I have to say that the work being done there is off the chart. The pro track is going to be the most "World Cup" like track the Southeast has ever seen. The course is being built REALLY wide with lines all over the place. Crazy optional gaps and jumps everywhere. But the section of trail that is going to make this course legendary is the main rock garden. Super long, crazy wide, and damn difficult.
I bet you could take 5 riders at the same time side by side and do 5 different lines through it. Insane.
The AM track, which is what we are going to race in August, just looks incredible. This is not going to be a watered down course. It is going to have rocks, drops, steep chutes, jumps etc... It will be the type of terrain you expect at Beech, but built a lot better.
What you guys are going to see at Beech is the difference it makes when a mountain hires proper full time trailbuilders with machines, as opposed to weekend warriors (myself included here) who have to slap together a course for a race and get back to our day jobs. These guys are using a combination of handcut trails and rock armoring, and big machines to build these trails. And not only are they going to make sick race courses, but also the mountain will already have two great trails for the bike park next season! And the Whistler style trays being put on the lift is really the icing on the cake.
So take whatever preconceived notions you have of Beech Mountain and throw it out.
Its a new ballgame up there right now, and this is coming from someone who has always enjoyed racing there.
I am not knocking any of us guys who have worked there in the past either, but now Beech has the chance to be a real destination spot, and a sick bike park for years to come.
I need a napkin
When is the next work day scheduled? (was at Windham this past weekend).
I just ordered my power bracelet & ryno powders and signed up Charlie Sheen to be my life coach...I am going to win.
We need to make the side of this race look like a World Cup
Definitely need to make the sides look like a WC.....Tell all your friends to be here. Also there is going to be a beer festival on Saturday that will start at 2pm which should make for a rowdy night of Slalom.
Making good progress this week. Lots of berms on the AM track
Somebody got a little wild with the excavator..... Look for a full update next week with pics!!!
Making good progress this week. Lots of berms on the AM track
Somebody got a little wild with the excavator..... Look for a full update next week with pics!!!As long as we don't have a football game or something I don't think it would be that hard to get a decent amount of app students to get rowdy on the sides of the course.We need to make the side of this race look like a World Cup
Chris,
I asked you at the Open but you weren't sure at the time, Which course will Cat 1 be racing?
I asked you at the Open but you weren't sure at the time, Which course will Cat 1 be racing?
As far as I know that will be decided when the USAC officials walk the tracks before the race.
Build update: http://freehubmag.com/news/behind-scenes-1-beech-mountain-nc-national-championship-downhill-course
And... http://www.beechmountainresort.com/mtb/index.html
We are pushing for Cat 1 racers to be on the Pro track. It is up to USAC though. XC Nationals are over now so we should have a lot more info coming for USAC any day now. The Pro track won't be extremely hard to ride just hard to go really fast on. I think most Cat 1 racers would be fine on it.
Awesome. Natural trails rule!
This is just so darn exciting!
ASU home game v Chattanooga on Saturday. Y'all should plan accordingly for hotel rooms, traffic, etc.
Pro track in black, Am track in blue. They share the same start and join together near the top of the old mountain board course thing.
Attachments
Awesome looking work guys! So sick, wouldn't have expected anything less.
Will the start be in the same spot as before? Would be sick to build a nice WC style start ramp off the back of one of those old lift bases to avoid crossing the lift line as well. Looks like it does avoid crossing after looking at the map. Nice!
Will the start be in the same spot as before? Would be sick to build a nice WC style start ramp off the back of one of those old lift bases to avoid crossing the lift line as well. Looks like it does avoid crossing after looking at the map. Nice!
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It starts up higher than before, in the trees, with a boulder roll-in and a view of the whole High Country. The lift next to the start from the previous 2 years has been removed, just a flat area of dirt now. Soon to be a restaurant in the near future.
Bad Ass if you are overlooking that view! I think some folks are gonna have a whole diff. view on the South after this race! Bring it West Coast! Looks like the finish is much lower also, by the lift?
Looking Sweet!!! Thanks for all the hard work and making Beech Mtn. better then ever. 
I heard they were finishing on the ice skating rink and bringing in a massive air conditioned dome so they can finish on ice. Better bring your spiked tires and a shiny leotard.
Very cool, what is the elevation loss?
So...how do you get to the restaurant if the bike park is open?
what do you mean? it is right beside the lift you just walk right over to it, and its mostly for winter anyways so who knows if it will even be open during the summer there is not a road that goes right to it.So...how do you get to the restaurant if the bike park is open?
I was wondering about that. The black line just mysteriously stops in the middle of the ice rink.
It just made me think to ask how they'll handle the paved road that goes to the top if they do open a bike park next year. Obviously they have an answer and I assume they're not going to have to have course marshalls at the pavement during park hours. I assume it will be closed off to cars during park hours.
2400 Pink bike feet
I know that a USAC license is required for the nationals race, but does one need the license before the qualifier in August?
you can race the qualifier with a day license as long as you are doing cat 2 or 3 but have to upgrade it to the annual to qualify for the national champs race as far as I know.