After years of seeing pictures, hearing the reviews, and wanting to see what the hype was all about, I finally got to try the Saddleback Bike Park for myself. Once I arrived to the mountain, I was not disappointed with what I found. The trails were running great, the sun was mostly shining, and the stoke was high for not just my group, but the others we could see and hear from the chair.
Conditions:
At A Glance
9
Trails Open
70°
Temperature
1
Lifts Open
Partly Sunny
Weather
100%
Precent Open
Dry / Dusty
Surface
For first impressions, the conditions didn’t let us down. The sun was out, and the light breeze you could feel from the chair kept us cool all day long. The dry surface got a little dusty in some places, but nothing a hose and a shower couldn’t fix!
Top Trails:
We were able to explore all of the trails off the South Branch. We didn’t check out the advanced Bronco trail since we didn’t want to climb up to the base of the Kennebago Quad. While we rode the ones below the lodge, there were some standout trails that I don’t want any visitors to miss!
Don’s Delight
Best Overall Trail
Wow. This was a fun trail. It has that technical feel that was different from most of the trails with big berms and fast riders. This felt more laid back as the singletrack trail went way out away from the main area. For those who have skied Saddleback, think of it as the “Lower Hudson Highway” of the park.
The trail, which is used for both downhill and uphill climbing traffic, has places to pull off and let people go by. While we didn’t see anyone climbing the trail, if you see someone, the rider headed uphill gives the downhill rider the right-of-way. When passing, just make sure you slow down and give as much space as possible.
One thing I noticed was how many bridges the trail crew built for this trail. There were 8 different bridges. While they are all marked ahead of time, it’s still good to use caution on and around these bridges. For the last bridge, the crew built it around the trees and allowed more experienced riders to try their hand at a skinny. This was tricky but very fun once everyone figured it out. Of course, being on fatbikes didn’t make it any easier.
Mr. Dually
Best For Berms
The other standout trail of the day was Mr. Dually due to its fast, flowing nature. The amount of hoots and hollers coming from the woods set the expectation really high for our group. After we went through it once, we had to keep going back. On the third or fourth run, I decided to count how many berms we hit on that trail alone, and the number was quite shocking. 21 berms on the first section, and 14 on the second. Add that together and you get 35 berms on one trail.
Trail Marking:
The trails were always very well marked. Whether it was a jump or drop over on Rusty Usual or bridge markings on Don’s Delight, the trail crew did a great job keeping the riders informed of what’s up ahead.
The trail signs were also very well marked and made sure we didn’t miss our turns or end up on the wrong trail. While some members in our group were faster, it ensured we all rode the same trail.
Using The Lift:
After you get to the bottom, you’ll scan your season pass (which is what our group used) or your single-day ticket at the gates just like you would during the winter months. From there, you walk your bike around to the wait board, located on the downhill side of the lift. When the bike carrier arrives, you quickly load your bike into the slot. One piece of advice if you are with three people; have one person stand by the lift operator at the control pedestal so they don’t have to walk as far around. Once the bikes are loaded, follow the carrier around to the “load here” board and sit down when the chair comes.
At the top, the operators will unload your bikes and have them ready for you when you get off. These employees are working hard to make sure you have a good time – make sure to thank them when you retrieve your bike.
A very special thank you to the crew at the top. We were using fatbikes, which made it harder to put them into the carriers. This also made it hard to take off at the top. I want to thank them for their hard work and for allowing us to have fun all day long.
Tips & Tricks:
If you decide to go visit the bike park for yourself, read through our tips and tricks to ensure you have a great day in the dirt.
- Save the Bike Patrol phone number in your phone in case something happens to you on the trails. (207-864-5671 ext. 214) Please note, patrol is only available during lift hours. Any time after that, you are at your own risk.
- Pack wet wipes or a cloth that you can clean your arms, hands, and face after your ride. Your car will thank you.
- Take a photo of the map at the top, or download one from Saddleback’s website, as there are a lot of places without good reception, and being able to have the map will be more helpful than you know. Trail Map: HERE
- Pack water and snacks. Thankfully, our day wasn’t super hot, but having water or snacks on the lift gave us that extra boost we were all looking for.
- Eat a big breakfast before you start. This is especially important on Friday through Sunday since they start at 9:00am.
- The South Branch Quad sends the last chair up at 5:47pm on Thursday and 3:47pm on Friday through Sunday. This is very important as once the last chair leaves the terminal, you won’t be allowed on the lift. Don’t let that be a “Don’t do what I did” moment!
- Because you need to carry your ticket or pass, make sure you have pockets that zip. The last thing you want to do is pay another $5 for a Flow Card that you lost along the trail.
- If you’re riding with a backpack, make sure to take it off on the lift. The straps could become caught in the chair and could lead to some unsafe situations. Take it off and you’ll be fine!
Check it out on your next trip to Rangeley!
Reposted with permission from MainelySkiing.com and you can see the original article at this URL.
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