Mt.Washington has developed a biking trail map in time for the 2001 summer season. Some 20 trails have been color-coded and overlaid on a map of the mountain, making it easier for increasing numbers of mountain bikers to get around.
“It’s a huge growth area,” Director of Resort Services Don Sharpe said. “We’ve committed to building a great deal of trails this year. A lot of it is weather dependent (as of June 20, there were still five feet of snow at the top of the hill).”
Sharpe said hikers will be discouraged from walking the bike trails, for safety reasons. “We have other trails for that. There are points where (the trails) cross, and people will just have to respect each other.”
The mountain hosted an Eco-West Adventure Race on June 30, which involved biking, hiking and kayaking 55 kilometers of alpine terrain. The August long weekend features Adrenalin Fest ? a weekend of bike clinics, learning how to fix bikes and build trails. There will also be a concert and a race.
“We’re trying to get a sanctioned race for September,” Sharpe said. Sharpe said the mountain bike trails have been marked with an environmental consciousness. “We’re very careful not to go into delicate, sensitive areas. If we didn’t create trails, (bikers) would create them on their own,” damaging the ecological balance, he said.
There are two main single track trails with several branches, offering a variety of routes down and a view from around every corner. Intermediate trails start at the base of the Eagle Express chairlift.
The Eagle Express is capable of carrying mountain bikes up to the summit, so riders can traverse their way back to the lodge. For the first time, Mt. Washington is offering a mountain bikers‚ season pass for $120. “It pays for itself after eight times on the chairlift,” Sharpe said.
People with winter season’s passes can upgrade to the mountain bike pass for roughly $56. A day pass for rider and bike is $14.95.
The bike trail maps are available on the hill. Sharpe said he would eventually like to expand it to a full-blown site map, but that is a project for next year.