Aspen Peak - Niche Media - Aspen living at its peak
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photography by c2 photography Artificial berms, such as those built on Snowmass Mountain, exaggerate the sloping curves of a trail—and provide daring riders with a thrilling obstacle. "Riding my bike on diRt, pedaling haRd, swooping and flying thRough the foRest, makes me feel like a kid again." —ann driggers "Riding my bike on dirt, pedaling hard, swooping and f lying through the forest, makes me feel like a kid again," says Ann Driggers, finance director for Garfield County, who has been riding in the Roaring Fork Valley for 15 years and leads weekly women's mountain rides. "Nowadays I also value mountain biking as a great way to keep fit and to relieve the pres- sure and stresses of other aspects of life." While it's hard to cover 10 miles on a day hike, it is more than doable on two wheels, which afford near-effortless descents. And while most of the area's best hikes require a drive to the trailhead, Aspen's top riding destinations are just a short pedal from downtown. Smuggler Mountain, which serves as a gateway to dozens of singletrack—especially narrow trails, usually the width of a bike—is no more than a mile from the city center. Meanwhile, the new purpose- built trails designed to lessen suffering and emphasize fun at Sky Mountain Park, in the open space separating Brush Creek and Owl Creek Valleys, are just a 15-minute spin from West End. They invite both beginner and expe- rienced bikers to enjoy their rolling terrain with easygoing, park-like berms—sloping turns in the trail—and gradual grades. The Valhalla downhill trail in Snowmass, built in 2012 by Gravity Logic—a world- renowned bike trail design company from Whistler, BC—revived the local, gravity-fed bike scene that now features more than 50 miles of lift-accessible and interconnected trails. At almost three miles long, with 1,400 feet in elevation drop, Valhalla is chock-full of dipping berms, thrilling wall rides, and per- fectly constructed jump features—all so smooth, in fact, that the course now hosts races where bikers ride without chains. "A lot of the focus is on making easier trails," says Mike Pritchard, executive director for the Roaring Fork Mountain Bike Association, a nonprofit founded in 2008 to create and sus- tain the valley's mountain bike trail systems. "We have fantastic classics like Government and Sunnyside for [those] who enjoy the chal- lenge, but people are also opening their eyes to how fun it can be when it's not so steep." Aspen's mountain biking roots date back to CyCle City Head to these local shops for tips on where, and what, to ride. AjAx Bike And Sport the largest bike shop on the western slope and the exclu- sive scott and Cannondale dealer in the valley, ajax offers 32 years of experience in fts, rentals, and service work. 400 E. Cooper Ave., 970-925-7662; ajax bikeandsport.com BASAlt Bike & Ski owned and operated by friendly, local cyclists and mechanics, basalt bike & ski occupies a new, welcom- ing space in willits town Center where it offers a large selection of high-end brands (the only giant dealer in the valley) plus premier apparel and accessories. 731 E. Valley Road, Basalt, 970-927-3460; basaltbikeandski.com HuB of ASpen the oldest bike shop in the valley and the only trek dealer in town, hub of aspen boasts authentic roots. it also started aspen's frst cycling school, and services lance armstrong's bikes. 315 E. Hyman Ave., 970-925-7970; hubofaspen.com ute City CyCleS with a $20,000 ft machine and an educated staff, ute City Cycles deals yeti, look, Cipollini, bmC (local pro tejay van garderen's preferred brand), and more while focusing on custom bike fts. stop in whether you need a custom paint job or advice on where to ride. 231 E. Main St., 970-920-3325; utecitycycles.com Continued on page 34 32 aspenpeak-magazine.com LIVING THE LIFE