Mountain Bike Trails | Zarnoff Bike Blog

23Nov/090

Mountain Biking Capital USA – Winter Park, Colorado

With 600 miles of trails, it's no wonder why Winter Park has gained the title of "Mountain Bike Capital USA". At the resort alone you will find 50 miles of single-track trails accessible via chair lifts and marked with signs identifying skill level. Once at the top of the lifts you may want to stop into the Sunspot for a quick bite to eat while enjoying the 360-degree views of the surrounding mountains. From there you can choose runs like the Upper Arapahoe, the resort's downhill race course, or wind down The Long Trail for a 7-mile novice ride.

In the Fraser Valley you can enjoy the trails of the Rocky Mountain wilderness while cradled by spectacular mountain views all around. The trails follow babbling brooks, glide through wildflower meadows and trek up rugged mountains.

All throughout the summer, there are races that are open to public and are available to many different skill levels. A majority of the races either start or end at Winter Park Resort, including the finale... The King of the Rockies. You can get more information about these races below.

Repairs, rentals and shops are easy to find, whether you are at the resort, or downtown Winter Park. You can also find a wide variety of restaurants and bars, with food that is just as good as it is diverse.

Music sounds better with a backdrop like the Continental Divide, and you just may find out for yourself, as there are music festivals and concerts happening almost every weekend during the Summer. Events like the Jazz Festival and the Food, Wine & Beer Festival may require advance planning for stays in Winter Park.

It would be impossible to cover all of the mountain bike trails of Winter Park and the Fraser Valley in one short article. However, once you get to here, there are a number of free mountain bike trail guides that can be found at most establishments.

Stay at the Base of Winter Park Resort:Slope View Bed and Breakfast in Winter Park, Colorado
Just a five minute walk from Winter Park Resort
970-531-2386

30Aug/090

Mountain Bike Runs To Take Over Ski Slopes In Summer

Last year was a good one for ski resorts around the world. Europe found itself with more snow than it knew what to do with on occasions last year and America shared similar dumps. Canada didn’t get as much snow fall as they wanted but it’s about time they shared a bit of the bad luck of recent years. A great deal of ski area owners breathed a sigh of relief as the economic downturn threatened to wipe out skiers and snowboarders all together. Many already began to think about new ways to make money in the summer months however, as everyone is well aware that they are not out of the woods just yet.

America introduced a bill to Congress recently which would make it easier for local ski areas to build summertime amenities. Many resorts in Europe have expressed and interested in the same idea. A typical ski resort would normally look to make around 15% of its total income during the summer period. If the facilities could be used for more sports and more organised events then this percentage could dramatically increase. The sport that has got the most attention and would be most suitable is mountain biking

There are often mountain bike trails at the base of ski mountains already and shops selling mountain bikes dotted around the areas. This would make the sport very accessible both to locals and visitors alike as they would not be forced to purchase or transport their own gear, just rent it as they would snowboards. The proposed idea however is for mountain biking a little more on the extreme side of things, utilising the ski lifts that are already in place to host downhill mountain biking events and competitions on the steep runs.

Roger Joules who runs one of Lake Tahoe’s ski resorts says “mountain bikers have been looking for some steep and challenging runs and our slopes are perfect for that in the summer. If we charge a small amount for the use of our lifts then it’s a situation where both parties win”. Roger has also said that they are looking into the possibility of building a wave machine on a section of the lake so that people can pitch up with their surfboards and ride some breaks in the summer months. This is still a long way off he points out.

1Jul/090

Finding Mountain Bike Trails

So you purchased a mountain bike and you have been riding for awhile. You are getting faster and more courageous on your mountain bike but you are getting bored riding on the same trails. You and your friends have realized that you need new trail excitement in your life.

So you have talked to your friends and people at the local bike shop for more information about trails in the area. Most of them pointed you back to the trails that you are familiar with but some have introduced you to a new trail or two.

To add to you trail information many of us in the mountain bike community suggest you try a very handy directory. This is a Google directory that lists sites which contain trail information. Once you browse the directory you will be surprised at all of the trails that riders have documented. I have found that no one site has all of the trail information so you have to browse through the directory.

The web address below will help you find the local mountain bike trails in your region. The link is a Google directory of mountain bike websites that list trail information. Most of the trails listed contain directions to the trail head so you know where you are going. So check it out it is pretty helpful.

Mountain Bike Trails

You can find new or near new parts on Bike Servant which lists mountain bikes for sale, bike parts and race events. See you on the trail.

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