What should you EXPECT from a new bike park

jonKranked said:

one other thing to point out; re: beginner trails, is make sure there's also a good selection of intermediate trails. i've been to plays where its either super easy or super tech, with little in between. with intermediate trails, its ok to have stunts intermixed, but its important to have a go-around, and also that they are both well marked.

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gemini2k said:

Resorts should realize that most MTB'ers have girlfriends. MTB'ers would be able to go on more resort trips if they were able to get those girlfriends into MTB at the resort.

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OGRipper said:

If that is true, why are most mtb events complete sausage fests?

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gemini2k said:

(lNorthstar is especially guilty of this).

Resorts should realize that most MTB'ers have girlfriends. MTB'ers would be able to go on more resort trips if they were able to get those girlfriends into MTB at the resort.

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Sandwich said:

Well, you're mostly arguing semantics but I'll bite anyways. If maiden was the first trail every built, then fine, it will still go down in my book as arguably the worst "DH" trail ever built. It was the equivalent of something you might find at lynn woods or your friend's backyard. Everything since then has been a small upgrade until the re-work of upper hemlock, then the rework of NE style, then the rework of FF, then the addition of happy hour, then the addition of hellion, and so on. There was like one year where the trail building direction changed, and it's been better since then.

Anyways, IMO it wasn't necessarily that those trails created 'buzz' that promoted highland, but rather #1) Location, and 2) enormous investment. Highland is only 1.5hr from Boston, and is easily accessible from all of New England. That proximity makes it a prime destination vs. 2.5 hrs for Jiminy, 3 for SR, and 3.5 for Killington, which were all the closest options. I think the prime factor is the investment though, both financially and time wise. One thing that people may not realize is that since Highland is a bike-only park, the trails do not get plowed in the winter time. That's why Alpine was so successful, and what I think a lot of other mountains forget. Highland has the ability to make fantastic trails with no fear that they'll be gone by Spring. Add to that the operators and employees are die-hard committed to bikes, and you don't get the attitude that biking is a sideshow to bring a few more dollars in the summertime. Finally, they spend a ton of money on that place. The training centers, camps, facilities, shop, lift, trails, drainage, EVERYTHING is for bikes and it's all done right. No other mountain can boast that. I think that's why Highland succeeds...people want to ride there, and by treating bikers like customers, they keep going back.

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Sandwich said:

I'd shoot for 4 trails on opening day, and plan to get at least 6 within three years. That's one new trail a year, and it keeps people coming back.

Take a look at Highland, but learn from their mistakes. Their first trail was NE Style, and it was a balls-out North Shore wannabee trail that lacked flow and crippled riders. Virtually every trail they've built after that has been far more popular and NE style hardly gets any use now. Now they have about 6 trails, virtually every turn is a berm, and people froth at the mouth about it. Laid back is the last thing I'd call broland, but that's another story.

I'd build at least one gA-line style trail, with berms and flow and jumps, and build one XXXomg DH death trail, and then two moderate, singletrack, DH runs that have a lot of speed and flow. Then you have something for everybody, and something to build on. The following year, you can build what people are riding. Another death trail? Go for it. Another BMXTB trail, done. This is pretty much what Highland has done, and most every new trail they build is a buffed out berm trail, but that's what people are diggin on.

I'd also hire a good trail builder. Take a look at Burke MT in Vermont. They have two trails that are hand built by Knight Ide, and they're fantastic. Highland's trails were largely built with the help of a pro who's name I can't remember right now. Try to get somebody good and let them have fun. You can probably get away with a partially volunteer trail crew, but it's worth paying to get a good trail laid out.

Lift options are pretty simple based on how much you want to pay. I agree that wheel hooks are awful, and dedicated bike trays are the best, but even with crappy hooks on the side of chairs, you can still get a decent rhythm going. Just put hooks on every chair, and then the liftee has flexibility with keeping lift lines down. That's something that always bugged me about plattekill. You have to wait forever to get 5 people up.

Finally, the lodge area should have basic accoutrements like bathrooms and hopefully some kind of food stand, even if it's a guy on a grill. Selling beer is a great idea though. Camping is awesome, if it can be done, as people can make a cheap weekend of it. You should have some kind of a shop, mostly to sell spare tires, tubes, brake fluid, and a few random parts so people can get back on the mountain. I wouldn't bother stocking a variety of apparel and such, but just some bare necessities that people forget or break.

That's how I'd do it, anyways, after riding 90% of the east coast's resorts.

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SinatorJ said:

1500 vert

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