MqtRider
05-29-2004, 07:15 PM
Taken from 'The Mining Journal' www.miningjournal.net
Ski area wants biking to take off
By AARON PETERSON, Journal Staff Writer
MARQUETTE - Marquette Mountain Ski Area is hoping to become as well-known for summer activities as it is for winter recreation.
Manager Vern Barber said the hill will offer lift-service for mountain bikers beginning in June to access a system of new trails being developed by local mountain biking pioneer Mike Brunet.
Brunet, 32, of Marquette has been riding and developing local trails since the early 1990s when he gradually switched from bicycle motocross riding. One of his early projects was helping to design the North State BMX track in Marquette. Brunet said about five runs currently exist and he expects to increase that to about 10 by the fall.
"The whole goal of this program is to make Marquette the mountain biking destination of the Midwest," Brunet said.
The runs will include a mix of cross-country loops, fast downhill trails and free-ride areas with wooden and earthen obstacles attached to the land's natural features for doing jumps and tricks. Brunet said he plans to design the trails to be suitable for different skill levels with "cheater trails" allowing less experienced riders to avoid more difficult sections of trail.
To access the trails, riders will be able to use one of the hill's chair lifts that has been outfitted with hooks to attach a bike.
While other hills in the Midwest offer lift service to bikers once or twice a year for events, Barber said Marquette Mountain would be the first Michigan hill to offer it for the whole summer.
"We would be the only facility in Michigan offering this on this level," Barber said.
For years local riders have known about the series of largely unmarked trails in South Marquette, including ones that use ski hill property, Barber said, but the ski hill couldn't commercially promote the system due to liability concerns.
However Friday the Marquette Mountain board of directors gave Barber the official go ahead to pursue the trail system and lift service, signaling a change in philosophy to embrace the growing sport.
"Mountain biking has become one of the biggest growth sports in the last 10 years," Barber said. "For years we've had to just sit mum and not honk the horn about what we have here, but now we're ready to say 'They're here, they're ranked the Top 5 in the country and we've made it easy for you to find them.'"
Barber said the hill plans to charge $99 for a season pass and $15 per day for the lift service that is expected to run for about five hours on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Barber hopes to be offering the service by about June 19, a week before the Superior Bike Fest competition.
Bikers may still use the trails without the pass, but will not be able to use the chair lifts.
Brunet said the local mountain biking community seems excited for the prospect of lift-service riding but he thinks the area will see the biggest impact when news of the new service reaches metropolitan areas.
"When people from Detroit, Chicago, Milwaukee...hear about this, it's going to blow up, it'll be huge," Brunet said
Ski area wants biking to take off
By AARON PETERSON, Journal Staff Writer
MARQUETTE - Marquette Mountain Ski Area is hoping to become as well-known for summer activities as it is for winter recreation.
Manager Vern Barber said the hill will offer lift-service for mountain bikers beginning in June to access a system of new trails being developed by local mountain biking pioneer Mike Brunet.
Brunet, 32, of Marquette has been riding and developing local trails since the early 1990s when he gradually switched from bicycle motocross riding. One of his early projects was helping to design the North State BMX track in Marquette. Brunet said about five runs currently exist and he expects to increase that to about 10 by the fall.
"The whole goal of this program is to make Marquette the mountain biking destination of the Midwest," Brunet said.
The runs will include a mix of cross-country loops, fast downhill trails and free-ride areas with wooden and earthen obstacles attached to the land's natural features for doing jumps and tricks. Brunet said he plans to design the trails to be suitable for different skill levels with "cheater trails" allowing less experienced riders to avoid more difficult sections of trail.
To access the trails, riders will be able to use one of the hill's chair lifts that has been outfitted with hooks to attach a bike.
While other hills in the Midwest offer lift service to bikers once or twice a year for events, Barber said Marquette Mountain would be the first Michigan hill to offer it for the whole summer.
"We would be the only facility in Michigan offering this on this level," Barber said.
For years local riders have known about the series of largely unmarked trails in South Marquette, including ones that use ski hill property, Barber said, but the ski hill couldn't commercially promote the system due to liability concerns.
However Friday the Marquette Mountain board of directors gave Barber the official go ahead to pursue the trail system and lift service, signaling a change in philosophy to embrace the growing sport.
"Mountain biking has become one of the biggest growth sports in the last 10 years," Barber said. "For years we've had to just sit mum and not honk the horn about what we have here, but now we're ready to say 'They're here, they're ranked the Top 5 in the country and we've made it easy for you to find them.'"
Barber said the hill plans to charge $99 for a season pass and $15 per day for the lift service that is expected to run for about five hours on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Barber hopes to be offering the service by about June 19, a week before the Superior Bike Fest competition.
Bikers may still use the trails without the pass, but will not be able to use the chair lifts.
Brunet said the local mountain biking community seems excited for the prospect of lift-service riding but he thinks the area will see the biggest impact when news of the new service reaches metropolitan areas.
"When people from Detroit, Chicago, Milwaukee...hear about this, it's going to blow up, it'll be huge," Brunet said