Cam's Blog: It's So Close!

19 Jun 2013

It is close, so very close! It’s only a few more days to the first BONUS weekend (June 22/23). The Crew has been amazing this year and the weather has cooperated (for the most part). We had to move very little snow this year, and in fact I don’t think we had to shovel any snow by hand! We hit the stuff at the top early with the mini hoe to give it a head start and it paid off. The three main trails off the top, Super Star, World Cup and Challenger will be ready to go with a little ribbon of snow off to the side for the bonus weekend. By the time we get to regular opening it should be all gone. I like having that little snow tunnel effect for the first weekend. The difference this year it will be way off the trail. If you are not looking, chances are you won’t even see it. From Hub 1 down we are 100% clear of all snow.

With that being said, the very upper section of Double Dog will remain under snow for the time being. It is the darkest area of the trail network and faces due north. You will be able to access DD from the World Cup Junction just below Hub 1. You will only miss a few 100 meters of the trail and truth be told DD starts to really get good below there anyway.

The new section of Shazam that was built at the end of last year turns out to be snow storage (who knew?). To get the mountain roads open early to do lift maintenance and earth works we plow the road as soon as the winter season closes. All that snow ended up on the new section of trail. All around the trail is clear, except for the large piles of snow on the entrance. But, again we’ll only miss a few corners for the first weekend. From Hub 1 down Shazam is getting a full re-build. It will be soft, but it will also be FRESH! Watch for the hoe off the side of the trail. You will be able to tell how far we managed to make it and expect more by the time you make it back up for the full opening on June 27th.

Pro Star / Walk the Line will remain closed for the bonus weekend. It is really wet and the entrance berms are not finished and there are still a number of trees down on the trail. You can expect Pro Star to open next weekend.

Other than that the park is looking amazing and 92 and ¾ % open and ready to go! This wet weather this week is great! With the early snow melt the park was looking drier than we have seen it in years. The silver lining is the weekend forecast is looking good! So think sunny and warm thoughts for us. Have the park buff and ready to go; add a bunch of rain, order up some sunshine, open for the bonus weekend and pack the trails in! See you on Saturday!

LaterCam

ABOUT CAM SORENSEN: Cam has been heading up the trail crew at Silver Star since 2005 and has designed the master plan for the bike park trail network that you enjoy today with the help of some of his closest friends and colleagues on trail crew. There is no one that knows this park better because he's built every berm, designed every jump and dreamed up every new trail.