Mammoth Mountain Bike Park
By Bill Becher

Riders at the top of Mammoth Mountain.

Mammoth puts the mountain into mountain biking, all 11,053 feet of it.

Standing on the windswept peak after a ten-minute gondola ride that rises over 2,100 vertical feet, riders absorb the breath-taking scene before taking one of the three trails down the mountain. The easiest is Off The Top, a switchback trail that provides views of the spires of the Minarets to the west.

There are more challenging trails from the top like the world famous Kamikaze. That's part of what makes Mammoth Mountain Bike Park special - there's something for all types of riders.

"Even your reasonably fit 60 year-old grandmother could make it down a trail like Off The Top," said Dave Geirman, who manages the park. Grandma might need some practice in negotiating the pumice pits, but there's nothing too scary on this trail. Mammoth was known as "Pumice Mountain" before the ski resort was built. There is lots of this gray stuff about the size of the gravel in fish tanks. Riding it takes a bit of getting used to, but it's relatively forgiving if you fall.

Courtney Moore likes the X-zones.

"The X-zones are cool," said Courtney Moore, 11, of Bakersfield. She's talking about the short "enhanced terrain" areas marked by funky signs that provide extra adrenaline jolts at no additional charge. Moore began a gold medal-winning junior amateur down hill racing career after first experiencing mountain biking at Mammoth at age 6. Her mother and father also ride at Mammoth.

While some might grouse at having to pay to ride, the advantages include no conflicts with hikers as they have their own trails at Mammoth - the bike trails are for bikes only. The bike park has four full-time employees during the summer season maintaining trails. And of course you can't get a gondola ride up the Santa Ana River trail in LA.

"We're all gravity racers. We like going downhill," said Courtney Moore's father Ric. "Mammoth has something for everybody - uphill, downhill and cross-country. Where else can you go and find 80 miles of single-track?"

According to bike park manager Geirman about 20 percent of the trails are beginner, 60 percent intermediate, and 20 percent expert. Recently built trails are designed to flow with the terrain. Up hills are set to limit the grade that riders have to pedal. Some trails high on the mountain have felt strips under the pumice to provide a base. Several years of riding buffs trails to a firm, luge chute consistency.

"We're going back to our roots," said Dave Geirman. "Now that we've built more trails for beginners and intermediates, we want to lure back the expert down hillers."

The roots of the Bike Park are in the high speed run called Kamikaze. Mammoth at one time hosted a multi-day road bike race. When interest grew in the new sport of mountain biking, Geirman helped start the Kamikaze, a three and a half mile mountain bike run down Mammoth Mountain on a dirt service road. Racers soon were hitting 60 miles per hour at the NORBA races at Mammoth.

Riders check out the trail map.

As the mountain is undergoing massive new construction the races are no longer held, but about 80 miles of the mostly single-track trails at the park are open after the snow melts. Hard core fitness riders can get a 10 buck trail pass and ride the entire mountain, those that want to ride down, not up, can buy a pass that includes the new high speed gondola. And you can get off half way up if you don't want to ride from the top.

The trails are self-guided, with canopied rest and water stops. Park rangers patrol the trails and can answer questions and provide directions, although trails are generally well signed and the free map is excellent.

For those wanting to try mountain biking or sample the cushy ride of a dual suspension bike there are rentals available, which can include a short orientation ride with a ranger. The bike mechanics at the Adventure Center who service the rentals are happy to perform minor adjustments, but if your bike needs work, there are several bike shops in Mammoth.

Downtown is a favorite trail with beginners and experts. It winds through the piney woods from the Main Lodge to the town of Mammoth. You can get some exercise pedaling Uptown, but you don't have to pedal back up the hill if your pass includes rides on the Bike Park shuttle bus. On Downtown you can see families with kids and others having fun. Downtown is also a good trail to get some experience before riding other trails on the mountain.

Paper Route will deliver you to a Twin Lakes viewpoint near the Lake Mary Road and back and is also a good beginner ride.

Cross country riders with more skills and desire for some moderate climbing can ride Beach Cruiser to Red's Lake and back. This trail loops through wooded areas. Many of the trails are designed as one-way trails, so there is less chance of meeting another rider coming the other way.

Getting some air on Beach Cruiser.

Seven Bridges Trail, which actually has eight wooden bridges, is one of the newest intermediate trails. Reached from the McCoy Center (formerly the Mid-Chalet) and Brake Through Trail, it twists down a dry streambed on a single track with some moderate drop-offs.

For the experts, there are two new World Cup caliber downhill runs: Velocity and Bullet, but be aware that there are some steep drop-offs and tough technical sections on these diamond runs.

Geirman says that while the major mountain bike trail building at Mammoth is done, new features like a BMX style jump area and a North Shore of Vancouver Island style section with teeter-totters and bridges are in the works.

And don't forget in the winter there is skiing at Mammoth.

IF YOU BIKE

Mammoth Mountain Bike Park is located at the Mammoth Mountain Ski area, about a six-hour drive from Los Angeles. The park is open as the snow melts in mid to late June and closes at the end of September.

You can purchase a bike park pass at the Mammoth Adventure Center near the Main Lodge, Stormriders Bike Shop in the Village, or at Little Eagle. One day passes are $10 adults, $5 children 12 and under for trail riding only, and $29 adult and $15 children for unlimited access to the Panorama Gondola, Bike Shuttle, and Eagle Express and trails. Other packages, season passes, and bike rentals are available.

Mammoth riding tips:

Drink plenty of water and use sunscreen as you can dry out and burn quickly at Mammoth's altitude. Helmets are required and should fit properly. If you ride the technical expert downhill trails you may want a full-face helmet and some body armor or at least knee and elbow pads.

It can be cool at the top of the mountain when it's hot at the bottom, so bring a light windbreaker. Watch out for sudden thunderstorms. Take shelter away from ridge tops and tall trees; lift poles, and other lightening attractors.

In Mammoth's sandy pumice concentrate on keeping your front wheel straight and your weight back. Steer by leaning, as a sharp turn on the handlebars will cause the front wheel to dig in and stop your bike.

Wide tires (2.2 to 2.5 inches) and reducing your tire pressure to about 35 pounds will help get you through the pumice, but if you go too low you may get pinch flats.

Dragging a little rear brake as you pedal through turns will help keep you connected. But try to do your major braking when you are going straight, before turns.

Start easy, don't ride alone, and watch out for other riders.