Westridge at Snow Summit - oh, yeah

[bing!]

I don't have much bike park experience, but the little that I do noticed the following.

Not much difference between blue and black. Can hardly tell the difference. It may look scarier, but its all in the mind.

Now, double black, those things should be called something else. Like "git yerself sum insherance".

 

[SIK SD]

My wife proved this weekend that you can in fact roll over everything on Westridge Sorry to anyone who happened to come up behind her (us). If you did you probably heard me yelling "you got it" and her yelling "I don't got it" haha. I took her on it first because I too thought it would be easier than the other two. I think Cruiser is the easiest personally and then a toss up between MM and Westridge. She was on her Stumpy EVO and me on my Tallboy LTc. I actually think riding a non-DH bike was fun on Cruiser and Westridge as there are some pedal areas, no big drops, and some nice tight turns. I am sure the plushness of a big bike would have also been nice for sure. After a couple runs she settled in and while she never got much air she certainly couldn't wait to go back and ride it again the next day. Did anyone else notice how good the food was up top?

 

[bing!]

My wife proved this weekend that you can in fact roll over everything on Westridge Sorry to anyone who happened to come up behind her (us). If you did you probably heard me yelling "you got it" and her yelling "I don't got it" haha. I took her on it first because I too thought it would be easier than the other two. I think Cruiser is the easiest personally and then a toss up between MM and Westridge. She was on her Stumpy EVO and me on my Tallboy LTc. I actually think riding a non-DH bike was fun on Cruiser and Westridge as there are some pedal areas, no big drops, and some nice tight turns. I am sure the plushness of a big bike would have also been nice for sure. After a couple runs she settled in and while she never got much air she certainly couldn't wait to go back and ride it again the next day. Did anyone else notice how good the food was up top?

Yes, food was good. I talked to the cook and he cares about the food and how it is appreciated. Cool guy. Left a tip.

 

[mfoga]

i dont think they are misamarked at all. intermediate, means intemediate downhiller, not intermediate mt biker.
also what is a lip on a landing? i think you guys mean knuckle.

You better explain that to big bear. They are promoting this place in the papers are that is attracting more and more people , many are not downhillers.

 

[sirsam84]

Thanks for your posts, Surlygal.

I haven't had the pleasure of riding the park yet, but agree with this concept. After watching the videos, I think Westridge would be more of a ripper if the tables were softened and more forgiving. I mean, lower angled ramps with rounded landing areas. That way non-jumpers could get the feel of being airborne and hit the things at virtually any speed, while the flow would be directed down trail, as opposed to up in the air. I'd also think about making that last jump a little mellower because riders might be fatigued by that point. Otherwise it looks amazing!

Also, is there dedicated jumping area in the works? That'd be another way for riders to learn more skills and see good riders in action.

+1 on the jumping area...also graduated practice drops would be good...just got back from a northwest trip, and Duthie Hill near Seattle has it dialed when it comes to progression!

 

[mxvet]

Duthie Hill near Seattle has it dialed when it comes to progression!

that place is SO FREAKIN AWESOME!! Can't wait to go back!

 

[ladera Dave]

looks good I heard that they will have 10 new runs total awesome.
Mammoth has 80 runs.

 

[geek]

Lets hope whoever buys SS keeps this going.

 

[mfoga]

Lets hope whoever buys SS keeps this going.

I have a feeling the only reason this even happened was the fact they planned to sell. They are trying to show more potential revenue to potential buyers so I would think the new buyer would try to continue if not it will take more time to make back the cost of the purchase.

 

[Reedster]

I think a little skills area would be great. I was at The Canyons in Park City last summer. They are pretty new to the bike park scene too and only had 3 trails and I didn't get a chance to ride them. But they had a cool skills park at the base of their mid-mountain lift that accessed their runs. It looked like a nice little place to work on skills like jumping little tables, drop-offs, etc..

If Snow Summit had something like that at the base and some signage that indicated what users could expect on a given trail I think it would be a great tool for them and lots of fun for lots of visitors.

 

[dweinberg01]

I agree on the skills area and trail signage to indicate what to expect on the trail. Today was my first day there and I had some friends with me. I was able to clear the tables on Westridge pretty well- the one at the bottom through me a couple times, one time blowing the bead of the tire and I lost all my air.

I saw a mother and her two 12-15 year old sons up there. The first run, they were advised by Summit staff to follow 2n10 across the back of the mountain (Kudos to the employee that recognized the skill level of the person asking and recommended the appropriate trail) . I saw them a little while later at the top and recommended 2n10 to 1E01. They decided to take Cruiser and I ended up seeing them at the entrance to Westridge (the Bridge drop). I said as nicely as I could that she and the boys were over their head on those trails. She said that she was going to walk down the bridge and, again I told her not a very good idea. I guess they ended up walking down along the side of the bridge and trying to ride Cruiser just to get down the mountain. The next time I saw her was about an hour later and her hands, knees, shins and chin were ground beef. She was tough about it and continued riding with her sons, but she was hurting. She said that she fell going down Cruiser and that it was "no joke".

I think signage at the trail heads indicating for example:3-5 drops, large/steep jumps, long intense rock sections: would alleviate the issue of unprepared people on the trails and would diminish liability to Snow Summit in doing so. It seemed there were a lot of people up there today that did not really know what black diamond/blue square/green circle indicators mean. They just showed up to ride and ended up very unprepared. A little warning goes a long way in my opinion.

 

[herzalot]

This guy was there on Sat.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stillmrg-Photography/473124739403011

That's the guy - Thanks.
Here is my radical, big 6" of air, Napoleon Dynamite photo. What you can't see in this picture is that "I'm faster than you..." Yes, I realize this is the whimpiest picture ever intentionally posted on this site. I'm just that manly that I can take the insults - fire away!



Thanks stillmrg photography for letting me borrow the image. I'll put it back when I'm done.

 

[McG715]

Chris it's a "Pedro" photo.. Napoleon never even got off the ground..

I think it's a cool lookin pic..

 

[scan]

....if you took a spill you are ready!!!!

 

[geek]

That's the guy - Thanks. Here is my radical, big 6" of air, Napoleon Dynamite photo. What you can't see in this picture is that "I'm faster than you..." Yes, I realize this is the whimpiest picture ever intentionally posted on this site. I'm just that manly that I can take the insults - fire away!

What that photo doesn't show is you jumped the yellow pole, photographer was just a little slow with the shutter. That would be my story anyways. :lol:

 

[jcw]

That picture makes it possible for air-wimps like me to think, "I could do that!"

Props

 

[herzalot]

One of the following scenarios was true on this picture:
A.) I was leading a newbie for his first time and we stopped just above this spot so I could warn him.
B.) I absolutely annihilated the berm directly above this, losing all of my speed.
C.) I may be only 6" off the deck, but I cleared the entire length of wood anyway, due to my speed.


@jcw...ummm, Thanks? That's what I'm here for - to make all of the rest of you look good by comparison. :bang:

 

[jcw]

actually, I was being fairly serious...

 

[McG715]

I'd be inclined to go with C because I know you're FAST but I'm thinking if you had enough speed to clear the wood you would appear a bit higher in this pic.. so I'm going with A

:beer:

 

[surlygal]

If you clear the wood it's super soft go ahead as me how I know