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“ R iding in the bike park is like a powder day, every day,” VP of business development at Whistler Blackcomb, BC—home
That may require bringing in outside help. Rob McSkimming,
says Jon Schaefer, the GM of Berkshire East, Mass.—
home to Thunder Mountain Bike Park. Clearly
recommends that resorts work with a professional company to
attuned to the exhilaration of downhill mountain biking, to one of the largest downhill bike parks in North America—
Schaefer made this observation during the 2016 NSAA Bike develop a plan and guide the trail building process. “It is worth it
Park Summit at Windham Mountain Resort, NY, last sum- to get it right the first time,” he said.
mer. And, like the other bike park operators and industry The popularity of Whistler’s bike park has grown expo-
experts consulted for this article, he’s also well aware of its nentially since it opened in 1999, and in many ways is very
potential as a considerable revenue generator at ski resorts. similar to the resort’s winter operations. “The same princi-
Clearly, mountain biking is gaining more popularity ples apply,” said McSkimming. “[You] focus on providing
throughout the country. Bike technology has become more excellent guest experiences delivered with the best possi-
sophisticated and so has the quality of the trails being built. ble guest services. Continued investment in developing and
What are successful resorts doing and what can other opera- maintaining trails will only improve the riding experience.”
tors learn from them? Bike parks have typically two types of trails: (1) natural
or technical and (2) flow or freeride trails. Technical trails
BIKE PARKS VS. MOUNTAINS WITH TRAILS are usually built by hand and have natural obstacles like rock
gardens, roots, natural berms, and streambeds. These trails
tend to be more fall line-oriented and potentially more chal-
Many resorts have allowed bikes on their lifts in the summer lenging and on rougher surfaces.
for years as an added attraction. Initially, the typical moun- Flow or freeride trails, on the other hand, tend to be
tain bike enthusiast was fairly skilled, and the trails were machine built, wider, and smoother. They are more meander-
usually built by hard-core aficionados who were employees of ing and include manmade features such as dirt jumps, wooden
the resort or members of the community. berms, wall rides, and ladder drops. These types of trails are
Even though the sport is still relatively young, a lot of similar to winter terrain parks. Many features have a ride-
things have changed over the years. Today, there’s a big around option for guests whose confidence or skill level may
difference between a mountain with bike trails and a moun- not yet match the challenge. These options, along with a pro-
tain with a full-service bike park focused on providing great gression of trails and possibly a skills park, provide an oppor-
guest experiences. Two of the biggest changes are advances tunity for guests to develop their skills at their own pace.
in technology—including hydraulic disc brakes, full sus- A lot of bike parks—including the Highland Bike Park
pension, and lighter and more durable materials—and trail in Northfield, NH—have a combination of both types of
design, both of which have made the sport more accessible trails and cater to a wide range of ability levels. Mark Hayes,
and more appealing to a larger slice of the population. Highland’s president, recommends a thoughtful approach to
“It is the quality of trails that make or break a bike the initial planning phases. “Spend the extra time to build a
park,” said Bob Holme, GM of the Trestle Bike Park at trail correctly and the trail will endure the abuse of Mother
Winter Park Resort, Colo. A quality trail is one that can Nature and heavy traffic,” he said.
stand up to the toughest challenges, including heavy traf- Well-built trails drain water well so there are relatively
fic as well as erosion due to weather and draining water from no puddles and the water has somewhere to go (preferably
snow and rain. But even the best built trails need a trail crew off the trail), Hayes said. That may include using culverts
to maintain them so the park can consistently provide the and sloping to drain water. Ideally, the trail is built from top
best riding experience for guests, Holme said. to bottom since that is how the rider will experience it, and
As with skiing and snowboarding, there needs to be a reverse grades can be used to intentionally slow down a rider
variety of trails too. According to Paul Mutch of Gravity before a steep berm or other feature.
Logic, which designs of mountain bike trails for summer Hayes opened Highland Bike Park in 2003 and is on
resort operations, “History shows you will not be success- a mission to grow the sport, even going so far as to share
ful with one trail or a ‘build one trail and see what happens’ numbers—information traditionally guarded among many
approach.” In other words, a resort that’s contemplating resorts. Hayes identifies “training and trails” as the two most
whether or not to get into the bike park business should con- critical components for a successful bike park and for grow-
sider building a beginner, intermediate, and advanced trail, ing participants. “Without beginner trails, the sport never
at a minimum, he said. grows. Intermediate and advanced trails keep the riders

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