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Sunday River's Expanded Mountain Bike Park Delights Fans

July 21, 2009 - NEWRY — Extreme sports fans, 10-year-olds and dads on guy trips – they're all discovering Sunday River's mountain bike park.

For those like David Christensen, who lives mountain biking, the expanding downhill trail system at the resort is a no-brainer for a day in the sun.

"I cross-country ride all over. But I like downhill better. I'm more of an adrenaline junkie," said Christensen of North Conway, N.H., dressed in full body armor.

For others like Julie Tomchik, who traveled from Cape Cod, the experience of flying downhill with her child was an unexpected choice last weekend – but reason enough to visit their winter ski mountain.

"It was so easy. A piece of cake. We had lunch at the North Peak. It was beautiful," said Tomchik, 50. "We took all the easy trails. Some were a little too intense."

With a handful of fire roads open to mountain bikes, beginners like Tomchiks can enjoy the Chondola ride up and the challenge getting down. There are six beginner trails mixed in with 22 expert and intermediate single-track trails, and more on the way

Despite the recession, Sunday River is beefing up its mountain bike park.

This spring, the resort laid off 32 employees, but the three-person bike park staff remained intact – and is busy expanding beginner terrain, adding six miles of trails to the 20-mile system.

Boyne Resort, which owns Sunday River and Sugarloaf, has the goal of becoming the "best four-season resort company in the world by 2015."

Already Boyne Resorts, which includes 12 resorts and ski mountains, is the third largest resort network in North America. It moved East in 2007 with the purchase of Sunday River, Sugarloaf and New Hampshire's Loon Mountain.

Immediately, the Kircher family, which owns the resort chain, started adding activities for the summer.

"The trails were closed from '04 to '06. They opened again in late '07, right after the signing. We were on stand-by. There has been significant trail building since then," said Sunday River bike park manager Steve Boulanger.

Sugarloaf also has mountain bike trails at the Carrabassett Valley mountain.

But Sunday River, even more so, has been motoring ahead with a terrain park by offering lift service, access to the lodge and safety staff.

It hasn't been hard to lure the regulars of this pumped-up sport of $4,000, 40-pound bikes and pads. But now at Sunday River, folks like Tomchik and her 10-year-old son are finding it fun to explore.

"Cooper took a header on (an intermediate trail)," Tomchik said. "He figured he might as well try it."

Even on beginner trails, gentle berms, jumps and roller coaster-like turns allow both timid and technical riders alike fun zooming down and around the wooded byway.

Boulanger spends his days on the lifts looking for lost riders – or berry-picking black bears in fields of strawberries. Or, he's at work expanding the network of 28 trails.

Regulars like local Eric Stephenson like it. A former bike shop manager in Boston, Stephenson has been riding at Sunday River since the park opened in 1993. He's had one high-end bike after another, but he never tires of the downhill action on North Peak.

"I just got into it. And $20,000 later, here I am," he said.

There's terrain for the in-between riders, too.

Bob Keegan of Saco came with three friends for a "Father's Day guy trip." The men go on a different adventure each year.

For their last run of the day, they tore down "Keep it Going," the freestyle terrain with jumps and spur trails that lets both the daring and doubtful ride side by side.

The speed satisfied all.

"We wanted to go downhill fast and uphill easy," Keegan said.

It's not as simple as just cutting trees and placing signs. In order to help beginners down the mountain, Boulanger and trail builder Austin Ouellette modify the landscape to minimize the severity of the fall line.

They did this with great success on "Second Thoughts," a winding single-track trail that snakes through the woods in a fast but gradual fashion.

"This is our most popular trail, among experts and beginners," Boulanger said.

Then there is "Endor," a bit more gnarly with its steep rails and narrow boardwalks. And this slick, scary and skinny stuff is not even the most difficult trail – that might be "Tombstone."

But right now, Boulanger and Ouellette are busy building "Easy Tiger." Sections include more than one berm, creating a dirt luge of sorts. At top speed, it provides all the adrenaline willing bikers want. But even hitting it with brakes, it's a gentle, swinging ride.

"Beginners will get the grasp of what makes mountain biking fun. They'll get the feel of coming into a turn and then onto another," Boulanger said.

By DEIRDRE FLEMING, Staff Writer, Portland Press Herald, July 19, 2009


Lakes:
Regions: Sebago, Rangeley


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