Thread: Anyone want to ride in West Virginia?

Are there any mags (especially those from PA/MD/DC/VA) interested in spending a weekend in early September hitting some of the more epic rides in West Virginia? I'm new to the area and want to go check out what's on offer out there.

Also, another thing I'm thinking of is trying to find an epic XC ride that would be really good for checking out the fall colours. I might be missing the trails on offer in the PNW, but I figured a ride through the forest with full fall colours on display would have to be pretty cool and unique experience you just can't have out West. Might make for some good TR material too.

I just flew back to WV a couple of weeks ago and rode for the first time since 2003 there and that shit kicks ass. It was funny how easy the trails are there now to me, after living in Colorado for 3 years. But the fun factor totally blows Colorado out the water. I was only able to ride in Charleston, but the trails all over the state rock. You should definetly hit up the Snowshoe area, not necessarily the resort but there are a bunch of kick ass trails close. Holla if you need some advice.

Originally Posted by fondigley

Holla if you need some advice.

I will. What do you consider to be the must-do trails in WV? I don't have a DH bike right now (I sold it when I left Vancouver), just my XC bike, so I'm looking for epic XC rides than super gnar DH.

I don't really know what the epitome of East Coast mountain biking is, but I'm determined to find out.

In West Virginia, the Slatyfork area kicks ass. Rocks& Roots trail (part of the Base trail system there) is a really good one. The Gauley Mtn Trail is good. Props Run is ok, but very rocky. The stuff near Snowshoe kicks ass though.

Other area rides (not as far away as WV):

Reddish Knob - 6-7 miles of fire road climbing = 6 miles of sweet ass DH.
Elizabeth Furnace - 7 mile fire road climb = 4.5 miles of technical to sweet, flowing DH.

Both are great for fall colors and both are within 1.5 hours of DC.

If I have a new bike by then I will for sure meet up somewhere down there, I wouldnt trust my ancient schwinn on those trails. I am 80 percent sure I will have a new XC bike by then though.

What part of WV are you in? There are great rides all over the state.

fondig, The Forest was easy cause you've done it a thousand times...and cause you did Black Bear.

I've heard Snowshoe is about a 5-hr drive from Columbus...so maybe maybe there's a tiny sliver of a chance the wife and I could cruise over to the area one weekend.

Originally Posted by bagtagley

What part of WV are you in?

I'm in DC (well, Silver Spring, but right on the MD/DC border). I will be checking out some of the local rides, but I heard the best riding is in WV, so I figured I owe it to myself to get out there in the near future.

The biggest issue I have to deal with right now is transport though; it turns out my girlfriend will be need the car for pretty much every weekend in September. I might rent a car for a weekend or something though.

Jaeger -

haven't been out on the bike much this season for various reasons, so I'm woefully out of biking shape, but I'd definitely be up for a long XC-ish ride. I'm about 10 min. from you, over in College Park. Where have you been riding locally? Next time I get out, I'll shoot you a PM.

Would there be chairlifts? Seriously, I'd join you, but I'm not much into epic XC rides (unlike 99% of the folks around here it seems, I know, I suck...), but there are plenty of them to be had here. Other than what was mentioned already, look up Plantation Trail in Canaan Valley, and around the Slatyfork area in Pocahontas County.

Now, if any mags wanna ride Snowshoe, hit me up!

Heh, actually, I'd love to join you at Snowshoe as well, but I am just soooooo bad at DH stuff its embarassing.

Originally Posted by Particle

I've heard Snowshoe is about a 5-hr drive from Columbus...so maybe maybe there's a tiny sliver of a chance the wife and I could cruise over to the area one weekend.

Sure, you can make it in 5 hours....just make sure you've got a good radar detector.

Originally Posted by SnowRider4Life

Sure, you can make it in 5 hours....just make sure you've got a good radar detector.

I made Snowshoe in 8 from my cornfield in NW Indiana, no radar detector attached.

Originally Posted by Big E

Heh, actually, I'd love to join you at Snowshoe as well, but I am just soooooo bad at DH stuff its embarassing.

Doesn't stop me!

If enough people want to have a MTB mini summit at Snowshoe one weekend, I'd be up for that. Skill level unimportant - although it would be mandatory to possess beer drinking skills (or beverage of choice).

Thanks for all the trail suggestion. I'll check 'em out.

Big E: PM coming your way shortly.

Originally Posted by bagtagley

What part of WV are you in? There are great rides all over the state.

fondig, The Forest was easy cause you've done it a thousand times...and cause you did Black Bear.

Word is ranger john knows trails that make black bear to like winnie the pooh.

Id be up for epic XC, or epic Beer drinking.

Originally Posted by L8APX

Word is ranger john knows trails that make black bear to like winnie the pooh.

He and I built a freeride trail off of Middle Ridge a few years ago. It lacks flow, but it's fun. He said he was gonna add to it when I saw him last fall, but I haven't talked to him since. If there are others, he's holding out on me and I wanna ride 'em.

Though short, I still consider Pine Ridge and Ballard some of the funnest trails around.

Originally Posted by bagtagley

Though short, I still consider Pine Ridge and Ballard some of the funnest trails around.

Yep I rode both of those and they rocked, but really it was all cake, I think just cause they flow so well and I am used to long rocky sandy climbs where you are working your ass off, instead of real dirt. Even Mossy Rock wasn't that bad to climb. Oh and the lack of exposure that we deal with out here, I am sure helped mentally.

The expert 'trail of death' was nice and hidden, but I still managed to locate it on my climbs up middle. Nice signage at the top to go talk to John before riding.


As for sick rides in WV. Coopers Rock east of Morgantown on I-70 was always fun. I also like Big Bear, even more east than Coopers Rock, but I believe that costs a few dollars to ride there. There were a bunch of places we used to race that had decent trails, I would just search for trails. There is this Tea Creek trail outside of Snowshoe off the scenice highway that is the bomb. And of course, Canaan area. So many places.

Originally Posted by fondigley

Coopers Rock east of Morgantown on I-70 was always fun.

I was going to chime in on hitting this area. Lots of fast singletrack, my college years of riding mostly in this general area.

Exit off to the other side and ride the Hemlock Trail, a virgin hemlock forest. Breathtaking area. Low light with 100% canopy, ginourmous trees.

Down the road from Hemlock, to the right and up some dirt roads is Big Sandy. Ride down the trail, land at the waterfall and pull whatever you want off the 25 foot waterfall. Lots of kayaks hit those falls, cool to see.


Man, stop bringing back all these fond memories!

Originally Posted by bagtagley

What part of WV are you in? There are great rides all over the state.

fondig, The Forest was easy cause you've done it a thousand times...and cause you did Black Bear.

The 6" of NEW travel you have doesnt hurt either.........

I can think of at least 100 miles of trail outside of Morgantown that you couldn't do in a weekend, Nice drinking spot too. Cooper's Rock state park is particularly sweet with the fall colors in full swing. Fondig and I can give advice on trail sequences if you make it out there.

Plantation is a great piece of trail in the Canaan area. Lots of classic riding to be done there.

You could make a great weekend trip to snowshoe for sure. The shuttle runs aren't all DH race course material. Tons of regular fun trails. We used to get several laps per day from silver creek down to the golf course. They have done tons of work since i've been there.

Slaytyfork has amazing trails.

We used to road trip from Ontario to Slaytyfork every spring. Lots of great technical xc stuff.

Icould be talked into making the trip, provided I'm available that particular weekend (lotta shit up in the air the next couple of weeks)

I hate you guys, I love that place, souch good riding all over. Just pick your park/forest and enjoy.