Borne Awesome!
13 May 2014
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Q&A: Keystone Bike Park!!
Who are you and what do you do at Keystone Bike Park?
My name is Evin McNeill and I am a Keystone Bike Park supervisor.
How long ago was Keystone Bike Park developed? Who or what was the driving force?
Keystone’s Bike Park opened in 1992. It was first designed as a cross county trail system, and as the popularity of downhilling grew, the park added suitable terrain and expanded its operation.
How many visitors do you get in a weekend/season at the bike park?
We’re not able to release specific numbers, but we’re one of the busiest bike parks in Colorado, with steady business June-September, with the height of our business coming on weekends.
What is the most popular trail at your bike park?
Paid in Full is definitely one of our most popular trails; we’ve done a good bit of work on it over the last two seasons and our guests have really responded positively to the changes
Will there been any new trails added this season or will you be re-developing any existing trails?
This season we’ll introduce some re-routing to existing trails. We are currently working with the Forest Service on new trails and we hope to make an announcement on progress there shortly, with the hope to open new terrain in the next season or two.
Describe the predominant “style” of riding at your park? (Natural vs. Manmade, DH/Tech/Steep vs. Flow/Features) Typically, what kind of terrain do you have? (Rocky, Dry-dusty, Tacky, Roots)…
Part of what makes Keystone so popular is the variety of terrain our Park offers, and we have some of all of the above. Over the last few years we’ve been adding to our flow trails and revamping many of the man-made features offered throughout the Park. Our terrain is naturally technical, and we’ve been adding more beginner and intermediate terrain, with hopes to continue to increase that count in the future. We’ve also recently introduced a bike lesson program, with beginner and intermediate lessons in group and private formats. Additionally, last season we developed a skills park at the base of the mountain, which doesn’t require a lift ticket, and allows riders to continue to develop skills in an enclosed environment with various terrain simulated (rocks, bridges, roots, berms, table tops).
What is the mountain bike scene/culture like at your bike park?
Keystone has a lot of loyalists, both locally and from the greater Colorado market. There’s definitely a sense of community within our riders with a strong core scene. We’ve also continued to see a growing younger ridership over the last few seasons, as we’ve introduced lessons, a skills park and more beginner terrain. We’re excited to grow this “next generation” of Keystone loyalists.
Tell me a little bit about Keystone’s mountain town. Are there any restaurants or bars that mtb-ers like to spend their time?
Keystone has a thriving mountain Village at the base of the mountain, with several bars and restaurants. Our bike crowd tends to flock to Inxpot (for both breakfast and après), Kickapoo and 9280 Taphouse. The resort also offers a number of other on-and-off mountain activities, for bikers and their families to enjoy throughout the summer. We’re located in the heart of Summit County, with several other riding destinations in close proximity.
Tell us about any big events that are happening this summer at the bike park?
Keystone hosts a number of events throughout the summer. Our largest bike event is the Big Mountain Enduro and last season we hosted our first-annual Betty Fest, which has a huge success and we look forward to continuing to host this event and grow our female ridership. We also have a number of signature events in our Village, including the Blue Ribbon Bacon Tour and Bluegrass and Beer festival, which are favorites among our riders.
When is your typical season? Do you have an opening date yet?
Our season typically stretches from mid-June to mid-September. We have Opening Day set for Friday, June 14th this year.
What does the future hold for Keystone Bike Park?
We’re looking to continue to grow and improve our existing trail system, with a focus on flow, varied jump lines and berms, and continuing to grow our bike event and race offerings. Our goal is to develop a park that truly offers something for every level and type of rider in a consistent and authentic way, with a thriving bike scene that also takes advantage of all of the resort’s summer offerings.
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