Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort is celebrating the grand opening of its new mountain biking trail – Big Mtn. Trail. The trail will officially open for the public Monday, July 14, at 11:30 a.m. At seven-and-a-half miles and an average grade of eight percent, it is one of the longest, continuous trails in Utah, with breathtaking views from Gad Valley.
The Snowbird Big Mtn. Trail, which was designed and constructed by Utah-based Alpine Trails, starts at the top of the Snowbird Tram (11,000 feet) and traverses much of the Gad Valley area, going through beautiful wooded glades, open awe-inspiring meadows and challenging rocky terrain.
“The Big Mtn. Trail is one of the most scenic and varied trails we have built,” said Ben Blitch, president of Alpine Trails. “The trail is also extremely long and varied. It will be fun for experts and intermediates alike with different aspects, views and terrain. It has five different personalities, which is what makes it such an awesome trail.”
Snowbird and Alpine Trails worked in partnership with the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest to create a trail that was both exciting and fun, while respecting viewsheds, watershed concerns and natural areas. The trail was built and will be maintained using mountain bike industry best management practices.
The Big Mtn. Trail is open to bi-directional riding until 11 a.m., at which time the Tram opens and the trail becomes one-way downhill only. The Tram will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. for mountain biking.
Snowbird offers a variety of mountain biking instruction for all levels of riding. Although the new trail is classified as an intermediate trail and is recommended for riders with some mountain biking experience, Snowbird does offer a variety of cross country loops at the base of the mountain that are more suited for beginners.
A day pass for mountain biking off the Tram is $29 per day. A Snowbird mountain biking season pass is $125. 2013-14 and 2014-15 Snowbird season pass holders may purchase a mountain biking all-day pass in July for $10 a day. A season pass holder upgrade including mountain biking is $99 per season. Snowbird also offers a full fleet of 2014 specialized dual suspension mountain bikes to rent through Snowbird Sports. Instruction and tours are available. Snowbird All-Day Activity Passes can be upgraded for $10 to include mountain biking. Mountain scooters will not be allowed on Big Mtn. Trail, and it is closed to hiking after 11 a.m.
For more information about mountain biking at Snowbird go to
www.snowbird.com or call (801) 933-2418.
But my point was just that its getting way crowded, more expensive, and they have plenty to cash to spend, hopefully next time, on a real trail building company like Gravity Logic.
I have had a pass there the last four years and I live at the mouth of little cottonwood. I visit there alot..see ya on Baldy.
Merica
The only real pedally part was the base area of the trail where we bailed out on the access road... which was only a couple hundred feet of trail we skipped on a 7 mile mtb trail. The trail is not for touristy bike riders. It is baby head rough in areas with some short tech sections but there was plenty of smooth trail. The terrain changes as you descend which is unique and there are a few nice surprises on the way down (LCC rock/boulder section replica... not as hard but very similar in style). The nicest, flowiest parts are way too awesome to express and is really worth the recently decreased price to $19 a ticket. Another example of how the Bird is taking your inputs into account. This is just the beginning and they're into some unreal ideas.... the first public legitimate big mountain lines, anyone?
In the past, I would have said corporation Snowbird would never invest the resources to do something like this properly, but I'm hoping the new majority owners (The Cumming Family) might prove me wrong.
Also, fire Bob Bonar, the worst thing to happen to Snowbird ever, winter or summer.
The killer winter terrain is a lot to do with happenstance of where their land lies, they did not build this great amazing mountain, the earth and how the weather patterns form have a lot to do with their success.
On top of that, this is a business! I know of half a dozen trails around the bird that were HAND CUT by a few people who did a far better job than a build crew, with machines… the vertical and the potential are there, the vision so far is not.
Here is my synopses of the trail, If you like more moon dust than north star, more switch backs than upper rush (more switch backs that kill flow than you can shake a stick at), Like 4' rollers that are just begging you to pop off them, but have zero landing, and enjoy trails that are rough enough for a DH bike but seem to have a mindset built around "enduro " then you will love this trail.
If this sounds like it might not be fun, then you should just shuttle the trail that is just down the canyon from it, cause it is far more fun so far.
Honestly, I don't want another bike park like canyons, they have that locked down around here and will continue to make rad bike park trails. I want techy/ gnar DH, which the bird has the environment for, but just not this trail right now.
of course their hiring of alpine trails yielded an expensive, barely fun, not better than when they started result (see the updates to draper DH).
snowbird easily has the terrain and vert to be the best bike destination in the US. easily. don;t get why they haven't bothered to do it for real.
in case you don't get it, great bike destinations are built via epic single track (see: park city, winter park, whistler) not "my first flow trail" flat, lame sidewalks.
If speed and flow are the concerns, then perhaps road bikes would be more suitable.
Its like the grand opening of an overhyped restaurant serving overpriced shitty food to out of town tourists...good luck with that.
Its like the grand opening of an overhyped restaurant serving overpriced shitty food to out of town tourists...good luck with that.
This trail was the mind baby of an aging, out-of-touch mountain president who refuses to work with anyone or take advice from people who know better, and a trails company that shouldn't necessarily be building MTB trails who also underbid the project (among other things). A lot of bad decisions were made to create this problem, and it wasn't just one issue.
The management team at Snowbird was directly told they could charge a solid amount for season passes and day tickets, but ONLY if the trail was 'done right'. It seems they forgot that part of the advice and simply decided to price gouge an open and eager market, which is disappointing.
The pinecone connector is nice alternative to pedalling fire roads on pcmr to the crest. But it's a connector.
Dropout is a fine generic 1mi flow trail I suppose.
Try riding days fork, tibble, Holman, etc. those are incredible trails.