[RD3]

Seven Springs new downhill trails

Seven Springs has some pictures up of the new jump line trail they are working on. Looks great so far, especially the berms. They have only been at it for a week or so, planned opening of the trail is Labor Day weekend. This is hopefully the first of many dh trails there and is a great location for riders in the Pittsburgh area.

 

[Cant Climb]

What side of the mountain.....the lodge side or other.....?

 

[RD3]

The jump trail is on the front side of the mountain. It will end around where the snow half pipe is. Future trails will probably be on the more wooded back side.

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

HOLY FRICKING CHRIST how did I not know about this!

 

[RD3]

HOLY FRICKING CHRIST how did I not know about this!

I was pretty excited too when I found out. There had been talk for the past year about dh at Springs, its great to see they are going forward and getting some trails built.

 

[jvnixon]

Finally! will have to try and make a trip out there again this year

 

[pirate28]

What is that... about 3 1/2 hours - 4 from Baltimore?

 

[RD3]

What is that... about 3 1/2 hours - 4 from Baltimore?

That sounds about right.

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

Brungeman and I had a discussion with some of the powers that be this weekend and this thing looks like it is going to happen in a big way if riders show they have interest in a 7 springs gravity park.

Looks for some pics and a hopeful sticky thread in the near future.

 

[pirate28]

This is really exciting... The drive up there from the Baltimore area is really easy, AND there are numerous full-on campgrounds in close proximity to Seven Springs. Here is one of the first ones I found...

this thing looks like it is going to happen in a big way if riders show they have interest in a 7 springs gravity park.

How should I let them know that I'm interested!?

 

[V-Dub GTI]

Is it lift assited? Its only like 3 hours away and i might try to hit it up!

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

Official Release from the powers that be:

---
I am extremely pleased to formally announce that the Seven Springs Resort MTB Gravity Park's first trail will be officially opened Labor Day Weekend and the following seven weekends through Autumnfest.

Check out construction:

http://cu.7springs.com/pages/gallery.php?gallery=296993

Stay tuned for more park / trail details, Fall Season Pass Rates, rental info, packages etc.

This IS going to be HUGE!

One small step for MTB'ing, one giant step for MTB-kind.

Start spreading the good news.

RK

---


The park is going to be lift assisted, riders can show interest by showing up on opening day this labor day, that’s right the first jump/dh trail is opening on labor day which is also the 24 hours race, should be a great atmosphere.

The lift servicing the front of the mountain will be running (if you haven’t been there the front lift is lighting fast). Plans are to have an a-line style trail and a bunch of others going next year. Apparently the resort is looking at running 2 lifts next summer front and back. Park rental and lift pricing is currently in the works.

I want to stress this is in the planning stages and rider acceptance is huge here. If we show we want this thing it will happen in a big way. I can update everyone when I know more but things look great right now.

_Bill

 

[brungeman]

Yes it is lift assisted... the new owners have hired the "FR/DH division" (for lack of a better description) of IMBA to help design the trails. The first one is coming along nicely. Lots of doable tables that you can air or roll. The berms are getting tons of attention, and are going to be fast as hell! they want one really well done trail completed this year. Which (as was stated) will be lift assisted. It is a high speed lift that they are looking to retro fit to hold bikes.

the pricing will be obviously very good, some numbers were bounced around but nothing is set as of yet, but lets say with wisp only around an hour away from 7-springs... you could make a weekend out of riding Wisp for a day and 7-springs for a day, and not break the bank with travel expenses. Plus they are looking to keep 7-springs open for an 8 weekend fall season, which is past when most resorts close.

the resort is also looking to do things right with rentals, and a proshop. The new owners are really looking right now to see if the demand will be there to put the money in for the full on all out development of a FR/DH park. They have purchased 4 new pieces of equipment to help with the building so lets just say they have the money and have already put a lot of money and time into revitalizing the resort in the past few years.

this will be cool for all of us in this area we will have Snowshoe, Wisp, Denton, and now 7-springs.

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

Brungeman and I will be keeping the board up to date with some spy shots and info as it comes along.

Thanks for looking.

 

[Jettj45]

Is seven springs planning on hosting Dh races or just building trails?

 

[Mr Ridiculous]

Whoa...Is Seven Springs really only an hour from Wisp? That's awesome news for me, since i'll be in morgantown. May just have to check it out.

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

At this point trail building and establishing a program is priority 1. I think races will be an afterthought but i dont see why they wouldnt, it would just make sense.

_Bill

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

All are welcome to hang w/ us in pgh...it is about an hour drive for us to the mtn...I will be there constantly once this machine gets rolling.

Unfortunately i will miss opening weekend due to a boring Whistler/North shore trip.

_Bill

 

[RD3]

Press release from 7 Springs:

"SEVEN SPRINGS, Pa. – Seven Springs Mountain Resort invites mountain bikers to drop in and check out our new lift access gravity mountain bike trail, the first step in the development of a bike park at Seven Springs! The new trail will open Sept. 1.

Cross country mountain biking, similar to cross country skiing, is an aerobic sport that provides an outdoor experience. Downhill or gravity mountain biking is similar to downhill skiing, offering a thrilling adrenaline rush as riders challenge themselves to control the nature of gravity – and, of course, return to the top via the high-speed chairlift.

“With a growing number of visitors to our winter terrain park we want to offer an ‘action’ sport that entertains those resort fans during the spring, summer and fall,” comments Chris Woods, Outdoor Recreation Manager.

Freeride mountain biking is growing in popularity at ski areas across the country and around the world. According to the National Ski Area Association, 83 ski areas offer lift-access mountain biking helping downhill mountain biking to become a multi-million dollar industry. “With the development of this first trail, we are taking the first step to providing a quality bike park and resort amenity to our guests,” adds Woods.

Seven Springs contracted the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) and former downhill mountain biking professional Judd De Vall to build and design the course to meet their standards of environmental responsibility and sustainability.

“IMBA firmly believes you can build trails that are both challenging and sustainable,” said Chris Bernhardt, IMBA Trail Coordinator. “If a trail is prone to erosion, it will damage the environment, cost the resort a lot of money to maintain and have the potential to be hazardous to riders because of ruts and washouts. We know we can build fun, technical trails that won't become rutted ditches, and that is why we have people like former downhill pro Judd de Vall on our staff. Jumps, rock gardens, berms, drops, step-ups, wall rides; with the proper knowledge, you can construct a fun trail that won't erode away every year.”

After catching a ride to the top of the mountain on the high-speed six-passenger chairlift, riders will descend the mountain for nearly a mile. The forested mountain trail features many elements including bermed or banked turns, rolling and tabletop jumps accented by challenging natural terrain. Riders of all abilities will enjoy the intermediate gravity trail, while advanced downhillers will appreciate its features and flow.

During the trail’s grand opening on Labor Day weekend, Sept. 1 and 2, riders are encouraged to submit their ideas for the trail naming contest, as well as suggestions for future trails. The grand prize winner will receive an eight week trail pass and $100 certificate good for mountain bike apparel in the Seven Springs Recreation Center.

The trail will be open weekends beginning Sept. 1, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Downhill mountain bikes, helmets and protective gear have been added to the fleet of rental equipment. Each rider will be required to purchase a Gravity Bike Pass. For more information and rental prices, please visit www.7springs.com.

About Seven Springs Mountain Resort:

Seven Springs Mountain Resort, located in Seven Springs, PA, is the state’s largest ski and four-season resort, and was recently rated the number one resort in the mid-Atlantic region by the readers of SKI magazine. The resort is easily accessible from either exit 91 or 110 off the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Seven Springs Mountain Resort can accommodate more than 5,000 overnight guests in its 10-story high-rise hotel, nearly 1,000 condominiums and town homes, cabins and chalets. The resort is also expanding and enhancing its accommodations with continued development of the latest resort community at Southwind at Lake Tahoe.

For more information on Seven Springs, visit www.7springs.com or call 1-800-452-2223. "

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

of all weekends for me to be riding the north shore and whistler it has to be this one...i guess i wont be complaining though...

 

[meatboot]

This sounds really cool. One of the very few things that make me regret moving from the DC area.

 

[theg1ant]

This sounds really cool. One of the very few things that make me regret moving from the DC area.

Same here. The only thing i miss down here in ATL is easy access to some gnar

 

[dan wask]

Press release from 7 Springs:
"return to the top via the high-speed chairlift."

If they get a good program together, and wisp doesn't turn the speed knob to 11, this could be a wisp killer.

 

[yellowrake]

If they get a good program together, and wisp doesn't turn the speed knob to 11, this could be a wisp killer.

Does seven springs have a 4000 acre lake? Mountain Coaster? White water rafting river? They need to do one heck of a lot of building if they're going to be a Wisp killer. I hear the taking applications Dan

 

[SK6]

Very very nice! Very nice indeed.

 

[dan wask]

Does seven springs have a 4000 acre lake? Mountain Coaster? White water rafting river? They need to do one heck of a lot of building if they're going to be a Wisp killer. I hear the taking applications Dan

I should have phrased myself better. The lifts are what I was referring too.

I'm not going to do a whole lot of ass kissing, but wisp is my favorite mountain in the area, and with each race the course has been getting progressively nicer. The switchbacks the last time=the ****.

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

Wisp is doing great as a resort, in my past few visits this summer i have been very pleased. The last time i was a bit annoyed as there were trees down all over the trails...To top it off some meathead employee was screaming at everyone getting off the lift...

IMO the more mountains to ride at the better but I agree something needs to be done with that lift, 7 springs has comitted to running 2 lifts next summer one of which is the Polar express, that thing is light years ahead of the wisp lift. You can triple your amount of runs in a day...

For me the wisp lift is a bit of a deal breaker...

 

[brungeman]

prices are now established...

http://www.7springs.com/things_to_do/downhill_mtnbike.php

 

[manhattanprjkt83]

OMG you gotta love the shot of old school Jurgen Beneke on the header! I was at that race back in the day.

I will be purchasing the $99 season pass this summer to show my support.

 

[BigHitComp04]

Is there only going to be one trail opened on Labor Day weekend...?

 

[brungeman]

Is there only going to be one trail opened on Labor Day weekend...?

yes...

 

[jvnixon]

some cell ph pics from porc: http://flickr.com/photos/pghmtb/sets/72157601693222494/

 

[skatetokil]

so on the slow wisp lift front, their operator or somebody was saying that the state of md requires that they run it at about half the speed they can run it in winter. is there any logic to this or are they just retarded? i have literally never been on a lift that slow. can we pressure the state to cut that idiot rule out?

 

[drt_jumper]

so on the slow wisp lift front, their operator or somebody was saying that the state of md requires that they run it at about half the speed they can run it in winter. is there any logic to this or are they just retarded? i have literally never been on a lift that slow. can we pressure the state to cut that idiot rule out?

It apparently is actually the law due to the fact that the chairs do not detach at the top and the bottom....it is also because of the scenic chair lift rides...dont want grandma coming off the chair and run over by the next one...oh and lots of big things trail and slalom wise happened this past weekend at wisp....the slalom course is off the chain now! If you want to place well in slalom at the last race you better be pretty good at jumping!

 

[VSBJake]

7springs was super fun today.I've never been so stoked to ride just one trail all day. I was thinking of driving to wisp in the afternoon after riding 5-10 laps on the trail but ended up having so much fun we stayed all day.

Lots of flow to the trail; EVERY turn is bermed out with several fun jumps on the way down. If I remember right it was:
Berm,roller,berm,table,berm,hip,table,berm,dub,berm,berm,roller,
roller,dub,berm,berm(Lg natural wall style),berm,pedalpedalpedal,
table,stepdown,g-out,berm,berm,berm,berm,berm.berm,berm,rockdrop(or jump to tranny),bump jump to fast chicane,up,down,berm,dub,dub,runout,3taped out grassy slalom turns, repeat.

a little over 2 1/2 min run at full speed. All the jumps I'd say are between 5-15 ft gaps. Struggle to gap the step down to the tranny even at full pedal, but it's a good 20ft. it comes after the only real flat section. This trail would be sick to have some kinda 2x race on slalom bikes. That's pretty much how we rode the trail every run.

I didn't take any pics, but there was a lot of people who were; should be some around soon.

Reccomend everyone go ride it for yourselves. If it's not enogh to keep u happy, there's the alpine slide too! (we took a run on it too......with Fullface and goggles!)

 

[jvnixon]

If anyone is looking for more info:

Video / GPS / Pictures

http://www.sicklines.com/courses/pennsylvania/seven_springs

 

[ridetoofast]

yeah that trail is a blast. i was there sat/sun. some time sat THREE of the four chain ring bolts fell out of my saint crank so i had to rent a stinky deluxe on day two.
what were y'all riding/wearing?
i was on a session 77 sat and a stinky sunday. both days i had an iron maiden jersey and black/yellow 661 pressure suit.
i never was able to clear that table just before the step down...that are just seemed really slow, but everything else was just stupid fast.
did it seem like the last set of jumps (first double) was wayyyy to easy to over shoot for y'all? i was repeatedly landing past the down ramp.

 

[jvnixon]

I was only @ 7springs on saturday, rode wisp on sunday.

On saturday i was riding a white ecd. Blue TLD shorts, sicklines t-shirt, 661 kyle strait knee pads

 

[VSBJake]

that jump and the very first table too...... had to really try not to overshoot.

 

[dan wask]

definately not enough woods for my taste. Until they get more trails going, I'll save myself the extra hour drive and have more fun (from the looks of it) on wisp's stuff. Especially now that Mike has gotten dirtjumps(?) and a slopestyle thing goin on up there, even if I do have to deal with a hella slow lift.