[MTB_Rob_NC]

I don't think it will be by its self, but that area can be with all that is starting to offer.

I bet Beech could, the mountain at Diablo or whatever it is called these days couldnt be much bigger than Beech. I mean if Snowshoe can do it and Snowshoe is further from population centers, Beech can. Its only 2/3 hours from Charlotte and the Triad. Just get some more trails and tighten up the lodging options and it should all work pretty well.

 

[profro]

I bet Beech could, the mountain at Diablo or whatever it is called these days couldnt be much bigger than Beech.

Its a lot bigger. While the vertical drop is modestly larger (1040 vs 830) its the amount of terrain that is much greater. Mountain creek has 167 acres to Beech's 95.

Snowshoe is another level, 1500 ft drop and 251 acres.

More area, more trails.

 

[bizutch]

Yeah, Mountain Creek is really wide and has more woods than anything in the southeast that I've seen. Again, one big problem with bike parking a ski resort down here is the snow melt if you do lots of dirt trails. Heck, you can still see the dirt path we crossed the slope at Wolf on from 6 years ago now.

When the snow gets thin, it melts away in areas of dirt first. Our weather in the south "supposedly" needs the thermal layer of grass to keep it from happening, so things like Whistler village and Alpine at Diablo would theoretically be a muddy mess during small snowfalls.

Anybody notice how Beech's terrain park area handles the warmer weather when there is snow on it compared the rest of their slopes that are still covered in grass? I've always wanted to see if that theory holds true or not.

 

[MTB_Rob_NC]

Its a lot bigger. While the vertical drop is modestly larger (1040 vs 830) its the amount of terrain that is much greater. Mountain creek has 167 acres to Beech's 95.

Snowshoe is another level, 1500 ft drop and 251 acres.

More area, more trails.

Are you including the property owned by the town of Beech?

 

[profro]

I don't think it will be by its self, but that area can be with all that is starting to offer.

Including the trails in the Town of Beech, Wilson's Creek, Sugar, Lindsey Wilson College, and Rocky Knob.

 

[MTB_Rob_NC]

Including the trails in the Town of Beech,

How about a trail from the top of Beech Mountain down to the base of town at 3000/3500' with a shuttle bus back to the top?

That would be 2500' of descending....

Someone make that happen!

 

[profro]

First time I drove to the top of Beech (and Hawksnest) I nearly crapped my pants thinking about how long the trail was going to be. Imagine my disappointment when I realized neither used all that evelation.

 

[bizutch]

Mike Green that used to do the Beech races said there is a really long descent off the back of Beech he'd considered doing a mass start DH on, but that had a climmb in it. Locals?

 

[ininerider]

The Super D trail that starts in the Emerald Outback and goes to Westbowl is a long run. Lots of options for a more technical trail to be built but I believe you would have to get into a little bit of "private property".