Squaw is building a bike park

**sierraskier** · 04-30-2010, 01:44 PM

May or may not be news. Construction starts this summer and will be phased over the next several seasons. I met the guy yesterday in the Slot, already forgot his name. They intend to compete seriously with Northstar and eventually take 40% of Whistler's business, so seems like they are serious. We'll see.

'Bout time.

**kidwoo** · 04-30-2010, 01:48 PM

Was it kyle?

**sierraskier** · 04-30-2010, 01:50 PM

can't remember honestly. I was about 5 beers and 3 sake shots deep at the time. really nice guy, wayfarer specs, from reno...knows you and brookes apparently

**cpj.slc** · 04-30-2010, 01:50 PM

wow, that is cool for the Tahoe crowd. Maybe the clowns in Utah will take the hint and get serious about it too. Probably not though

Keep us up on the goings on. It would be much easier for me to make a trip to Tahoe than to Whistler.

**Arty50** · 04-30-2010, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by sierraskier

They intend to...eventually take 40% of Whistler's business, so seems like they are serious. We'll see.

So they're going to replace their Sierra kitty litter with tacky North Shore dirt?

Don't get me wrong. This will be awesome. But thinking it's going to take that much of Whistler's business seems nutty.

**funkendrenchman** · 04-30-2010, 03:20 PM

Originally Posted by Arty50

So they're going to replace their Sierra kitty litter with tacky North Shore dirt?

Don't get me wrong. This will be awesome. But thinking it's going to take that much of Whistler's business seems nutty.

Ya, not a chance...

**beast** · 04-30-2010, 03:29 PM

Originally Posted by sierraskier

They intend to ... eventually take 40% of Whistler's business, so seems like they are serious.

Great news and lofty goals. Was he 5 beers and 3 sake shots in, too? Stoked for 'em, especially if they have their ducks in a row to pull it off.

**davep** · 04-30-2010, 03:57 PM

Originally Posted by Arty50

So they're going to replace their Sierra kitty litter with tacky North Shore dirt?

Don't get me wrong. This will be awesome. But thinking it's going to take that much of Whistler's business seems nutty.

If they put Giga-$$$ into watering and removing rocks... still not coastal BC dirt but could be better than our alternatives!

I'm in the same boat as you: compete with whistler?!? c'mon. But as long as they compete with Northstar I'll be happy

**lameduck** · 04-30-2010, 04:44 PM

Stevens pass will be competing with Whistler as well

**Arty50** · 04-30-2010, 04:56 PM

The Stevens Pass project sounds rad. I can't wait to see what happens there.

**whiteness** · 04-30-2010, 08:38 PM

I just moved back to Northern Cal from Hawaii so I'd love some info on the places to ride here... we had a pretty nice DH scene there... So how is Northstar? A lot of trails? Do they do XC stuff as well? I guess I can do that anywhere practically.

**RaccoonFace** · 05-02-2010, 10:04 PM

DH bike here I come!

okbye

**nickwm21** · 05-02-2010, 10:13 PM

I wonder where on the mountain they would run it. Funitel and KT seem like plausable options...

**kidwoo** · 05-03-2010, 12:07 AM

Cable car and squaw one access.

**frorider** · 05-03-2010, 09:48 AM

yup, sorta old news, but it appears to be more and more likely to actually happen.

the comment about Whistler might be somewhat out of context.

since tahoe's bike-riding climate is pretty much perfect, out-of-town 'destination bike holiday' means you can stay for 4 days and be essentially guaranteed good riding weather every day.

add to that the fact that the FS has recently come around to building some features on the growing network of good trails.

then add to that the rumor/plans involving a third bike park development that would come after squaw's.

then throw in Reno as a cheap and easy airport destination, followed by a short drive to the bike parks (well, 2 of the 3 anyway). and Mammoth is not too far to the south if you get bored. and Downieville already has some name recognition in the shuttle-served XC category.

then, with a large grain of salt, imagine that all the above coalesces into the emergence of an identity as a bike vacation mecca, promoted along the lines of Ski Lake Tahoe (i.e. it's not about stealing riders from N*).

then, yeah, maybe years from now, the region does compete w/ whistler, at least for some kinds of riding. that's how some here are thinking about this. :shrug:

**frorider** · 05-03-2010, 02:37 PM

opens july 4th.

**skiingsamurai** · 05-03-2010, 02:58 PM

Originally Posted by lameduck

Stevens pass will be competing with Whistler as well

competing like a kid with a lemonade stand and MinuteMade.

Ill be going to stevens some this summer, but they've got their work cut out to put a hurting on whistler. Maybe in a few years when they have many more trails developed

**Shogun** · 05-03-2010, 07:47 PM

Whistler was amazing back in 04 last time I went....I'm curious to see what Squaw will have this summer and how it will compare to Whistler, obviously it will take a few season to get it going but it's Squaw, I'm sure they wont disappoint.

**skiingnow** · 05-04-2010, 11:10 AM

40% of whistler's business... hmmm that would be ~ 400 riders.

We've been to this area a few times to ride XC. The bike park will be a good addition to add some variety to bike trips!

It is a beautiful area.

**Dhelihiker** · 05-04-2010, 01:34 PM

Red dog and squaw creek could kill it

**kidwoo** · 05-04-2010, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by Dhelihiker

Red dog and squaw creek could kill your entire day riding fixed grip chairs

Yup.

65464

**mick** · 05-12-2010, 02:57 AM

Knowing squaw management, they will probably build a sick bike park and then close it to the public.

**skiingsamurai** · 05-12-2010, 09:24 AM

its a shame DH MTB isnt in the olmpics

then Squaw could host some events and play on them for another 50 years

**prmulligan** · 05-12-2010, 10:45 AM

Am I the only one that doesn't like the idea of marketing the region as any more of a mtb destination than it already is?

**AKbruin** · 07-09-2010, 04:52 PM

Squaw Valley’s renowned mountain bike park will reopen on July 16, 2010 for the first time in almost a decade. Lake Tahoe’s legendary mountain bike park is back in action, with over fifteen miles of dedicated downhill single track and mountaintop cross-country trails.

Formerly the site of the Mountain Bike World Cup, Fat Tire Festivals and Downhill Mania events, Squaw Valley’s bike park has been completely rebuilt to increase the flow of the trails and incorporate more freeride elements using the mountain’s natural terrain.

Squaw Valley is also opening three intermediate cross-country trails on top of the mountain. Bikers can enjoy scenic loops through fields of wildflowers with views overlooking Lake Tahoe and the Sierra peaks.

Click here for a map of the bike park
Click here for photos of Squaw Valley's bike park

Sounds promising. . . .