Nature, Taxes Kind to Snowmass Biking Trails

Last August, 1,400 mountain bikers from around the world participated in the first national-caliber races to be held in Snowmass Village, in five disciplines including cross-country, downhill and mountain cross events.

Some went straight from the Snowmass National to Athens to compete in the Olympics.

It had taken years of hard work, a belief in Snowmass’ potential and four consecutive years of regional races in this small mountain town, which often sits in the shadow of Aspen. But in 2004, local officials and mountain bike enthusiasts finally could show off what Mother Nature had made possible: a world-class network of trails.

“The planets aligned for Snowmass Village in the sense that we’ve been working through the ’90s on developing this trail system, which attracted the races. Then racers discovered some of the best terrain for mountain biking in Colorado,” said John Wilkinson, an enthusiastic biker, longtime trails committee member and now a town councilman.

Because of Snowmass’ variety of terrain, from knuckle-clenching technical downhills to smooth, winding singletrack to gravel and paved roads, people such as Bryan Smith, a local cross-country mountain bike racer, can stay close to home to train.

Then there’s the convenience factor.

“We’ve got the majority of the trails in the valley that are readily accessible. I can be from door to trail in five minutes,” Smith said.

Winding through woods, negotiating stream crossings, steep climbs and fast descents are the essence of mountain biking. But many competitive cross-country venues can’t offer that kind of variety in a course compact enough for good viewing and racing (pros usually do more than one loop).

Snowmass’ 13-mile cross-country course, with its 3,000 feet of climbing, can and does. It exemplifies Snowmass’ terrain and has garnered rave reviews from competitors.

“It’s mostly singletrack, has

areas to pass, technical (sections), fast downhills – and if you take the time to look around, it’s beautiful,” Smith said.

Built on a hillside adjacent the ski area, Snowmass is naturally conducive to serious biking. But without a vision of what mountain bikers like, and the extensive trail work that follows, Snowmass would not be where it is today.

In 1986, voters approved the town’s first real-estate transfer tax, dedicating its proceeds to trails, open space and transportation. Since then, the tax has been raised from a half- percent to 1 percent, and renewed twice by voters, the previous time (in 2004) in perpetuity. Money raised by the tax, coupled with work done by the all-volunteer local trails committee, town officials and the Snowmass Rangers (summer mountain employees of the Aspen Skiing Company) allowed the trail network to grow and get continuously better.

“We had to redo a lot of trails and make them grade-friendly for climbing,” Wilkinson said.

It all paid off in the late 1990s, when a stand-alone NORBA (National Off-Road Bicycle Association)-sanctioned cross-country race took place in Snowmass. Then, in 2001, the first Blast the Mass regional race came to town. Every year, the number of competitors has increased.

“We had a vision to work up slowly with regional races and now the nationals,” said Snowmass Ranger Steve Rausch, who heads the trail-building crew. “Our trail system evolved with this. We like to think that the quality of our trails and venue was great when we started and that the race officials could trust us that any new trail would be of the same high quality, and have rewarded us with bigger races throughout the years.”

Mountain bike racing in general is growing in participation, but “events like Snowmass are growing at a higher rate,” said Eric Jean of Arvada-based Cycle Cyndicate, event promoter for the Snowmass races, among others.

Jean calls Snowmass’ cross-country course “a classic racers’ course” – rugged and technically demanding. The Banzai downhill is “one of the rider’s favorites,” he said, “wide open and fast, but with a good mix of technical.”

It’s also spectator friendly – most of the course can be viewed from the chairlift.

Snowmass races are free to watch and open for anyone to enter. The competitive venues are open to the public (outside of race time), and this year the chairlift is free. All trails can be found on the Snowmass Village Summer Trails Map, available free at local shops and around town.

“The place has a whole lot more potential, and we haven’t reached it,” Smith said. “It could be an even larger destination on the map for competition.”

INFOBOX

Five best rides in Snowmass

1. Government: Snowmass’ signature ride. A one-way trail that can be combined with others to make a loop, Government in its entirety stretches nine miles, although the more popular option is a 5 1/2- mile section from Snowmass to Buttermilk, starting at the top of Wood Road. Stream crossings, rocky fields and other obstacles require strong technical ability; swift, swooping descents through aspen forests are the rewards. Ride the other direction from Wood Road and it’s all singletrack with several tricky stream crossings and a long, steep descent to the westernmost part of Snowmass Village.

2. Rim: The working person’s classic (portions can be ridden on an hour lunch break). This trail traces the western ridge of the Brush Creek Valley, offering amazing views in every direction. Starting on the south end offers a moderately steep ascent followed by a rolling descent through aspen forest and scrub oak highlands. You can bail after about three miles onto a paved road, or continue through a grinding, exposed ascent to a long, fun downhill for a total of seven miles. In the opposite direction, the trail is more difficult, but feasible.

3. Cross Mountain loop: A great introduction to Snowmass singletrack that gives you a taste of the cross-country racecourse without the initial 2,000-foot climb. Take the Burlingame chairlift and climb to Cross Mountain, which parallels Government and is slightly easier. Turn onto Powerline for a fast descent, the Blake Trail for undulating singletrack through aspen forests, and the paved Owl Creek Trail to the Rodeo lot and catch a free bus back to the mall.

4. Blake Trail: With a combined elevation change of only 237 feet, the Blake Trail is a great intermediate singletrack that winds mostly through aspen forest – a good option on a hot day.

5. Single Track Circle of Snowmass: The local epic ride, this is a 24-mile loop (about 3 to 4 hours) with 3,000 feet of climbing. It combines the length of the Rim Trail, the Highline Trail (a short section of high desert open singletrack), the Blake Trail, a short but steep section of climbing up Stark’s and Powerline trails, sections of Cross Mountain and Government, and a long descent back to the mall. “You get a little taste of everything,” Village councilman John Wilkinson says. “From timberline to spruce forest to cactus, you’re taking in the ecosystem of the valley in one ride.”