The mountain bike trails at Deer Valley are going to look (and ride) a whole lot different starting this summer, as the Park City ski resort has big plans for trail upgrades. Mountain biking has become a big draw for ski areas looking to cash in on summer operations, and massive bike parks like the one at Canyons have proven there is a hunger for more among the mountain bike community. Deer Valley used to be the de facto downhill mecca, but recent years have seen the trail languish. But this year Deer Valley is bringing in the big guns as Gravity Logic has come on board to give the trails an overhaul.
According to Deer Valley, Gravity Logic is a world-famous bike resort development company, who has built successful bike parks in Whistler, Sweden, Wyoming and Colorado. Their goal is to modernize and update the existing trails at Deer Valley. They will first conduct a feasibility analysis of the current mountain bike/hike trail system and provide improvement recommendations. Selected upgrades will occur throughout the 2015 summer season, beginning in June and finishing in mid-August. According to Deer Valley’s mountain bike manager, Steve Graff, one of the scheduled improvements will be a two- to three-mile downhill mountain bike intermediate “flow” trail. This trail will be machine excavated and in-sloped with berms, rollers and jumps. To date, the majority of Deer Valley’s trails have been hand-built. The trail will be approximately four feet wide, as opposed to Deer Valley’s mostly single track trails, and will lead from the top of Bald Mountain to Silver Lake.
Gravity Logic Promo Reel from Robert Cocquyt on Vimeo.
“Gravity Logic is known for having designed and built some of the planet’s most well-known, most-ridden and time-tested trails,” Graff said, adding, “we are excited to work with one of the most prominent designers in the world to create an even greater resort trail system that has more mass appeal for novice to expert bikers.”
In addition to trail work with Gravity Logic, Deer Valley and Mountain Trails Foundation have partnered to create an extension of the Mid-mountain trail. The trail will lead from Silver Lake to the Deer Crest trail, eliminating the climb from Silver Lake to the top of Bald Eagle and circumnavigating Bald Eagle.
Summer operations at Deer Valley run seven days a week from June 19 through Labor Day, September 7, 2015, then weekends only through September 20, 2015, weather and conditions permitting. Lift-served mountain biking/hiking and scenic rides are offered from the Silver Lake Express chairlift at Snow Park, the mid-mountain Sterling Express chairlift and the Ruby Express chairlift at Empire Canyon. Summer chairlifts operate from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (conditions permitting) and ample parking is available at Snow Park Lodge. The resort website provides detailed information on mountain biking and hiking/scenic ride lift ticket rates, as well as information on bike rentals, clinics and tours.