Ellicottville: A Mountain Bike’s Dream Destination
Ellicottville: A Mountain Biker’s Dream Destination
Both Holiday Valley and HoliMont Offer Premier Trails for Athletes & Families of All Skill Levels
Above Photo / Rich Rumfola, ellicottvilleNOW
Whether it’s been several years or just a few days since you’ve ridden a bike, there’s a mountain biking experience for you in Ellicottville! Holiday Valley and HoliMont offer a range of options including trails of varying levels of difficulty, lessons, races, and more. Don’t have a bike? No problem! Both resorts are well equipped to outfit riders with top-of-the-line bikes for all skill levels.
HOLIDAY VALLEY TRAILS
Dash Hegeman, director of marketing at Holiday Valley, is excited for another great season on the trails. “I’ve been trying to get out and ride as much as possible,” he said. “The trails here have been really fun this spring and I’ve been riding them whenever I can, so I’m looking forward to doing more of that throughout the summer.”
At Holiday Valley, both mountain bikes and e-bikes are available for rent, with even more options available this year. Not familiar with e-bikes? They’re definitely worth trying, says Hegeman. Just like regular bikes, e-bike speed is controlled by pedaling, but riders have the advantage of choosing the amount of extra power needed to ascend hills or cover challenging terrain. Eco, trail, and boost mode settings help riders of varying abilities ride together and meet their goals!
“This summer, I’m really excited to say that we’ve invested in a brand new fleet of Trek Rail 5’s, which are incredible bikes that can easily handle all the terrain that we have located throughout our network of trails,” said Hegeman. “E-bikes are great because they allow anyone who has ridden a bike to get out in nature and be confident that they are going to be able to complete the ride.” Geared primarily for adults and teens, e-bikes are $80 for a two-hour rental or $100 for a three-hour rental and $20 for each additional hour (helmets are included with rental).
Those who have their own mountain bike or would like to rent one have several options at Holiday Valley. Five different trails ranging in difficulty from easy to moderate allow mountain bikers to enjoy the beauty of Holiday Valley with the opportunity to connect to an even larger network of trails. “I would say accessibility is our differentiator,” said Hegeman. “We have a network of fun trails that can be ridden and enjoyed by just about every rider. Our mountain bike program is designed to get people out on the trails so that you can choose your own adventure. We have a number of trails that will take you throughout the resort but you can also access over 35 miles of WNYMBA (Western New York Mountain Bike Association) constructed trails in the McCarty Hill State Forest from our trails, which adds a totally different dynamic to riding here.”
The Spruce Lake chairlift takes mountain bikers to the top of the mountain to choose their trail. Hegeman explained, “Our trail system is evolving but the work has been done in-house by our Mountain Crew along with some fantastic assistance by WNYMBA volunteers, who designed the Senear Valley flow trail which runs from Spruce Lake over to Champagne and then cascades back down to the bottom of Yodeler. The build was a fantastic community effort.”
Lift access for mountain bike and rider (with their own bike) is $30 for the day and is available weekends through Oct. 15th. A mountain bike rental for one of Holiday Valley’s new Trek Roscoe 7’s is $60 for the day and includes one lift access or you can rent a bike with all-day lift access for $75. “When you rent a bike from us, we have a very knowledgeable staff who are more than willing to explain the various functions of the bikes and give you some pointers on how to ride them,” he noted.
To Hegeman, the chairlift is central to Holiday Valley’s accessibility. “The great thing about riding at Holiday Valley is that because of the Spruce Lake lift access for bikes, our trails can be ridden by just about anyone who has a little experience riding a mountain bike,” he pointed out. “Since the lift can take you to the top, you’ll have plenty of energy to ride the trails around the top of the resort and then make your way back down the hill to finish out your ride.”
Be sure to mark the calendar for July 22nd when Holiday Valley teams up with 42 North Brewing Co. for the third annual HillTAP Festival at Spruce Lake. Hegeman explained, “It’s a really fun outdoor celebration that intertwines great music, food, drinks, and outdoor fun. There will be e-bike demos there for people to try.”
HOLIMONT DOWNHILL MTB PARK
HoliMont’s Mountain Bike Park is now open for the season on Fridays from noon-7:00pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00am-4:30pm. The park features eight mountain bike trails that total nearly 10 miles of track, and more trails are currently in the works! Riders have their choice of Technical Terrain trails, which use mostly natural terrain such as gravel, rocks, roots, boulders, logs, water crossings and more, and Freeride Terrain trails, which include natural and constructed features. Freeride Terrain trails include jumps, ride-on features, jump-on features, gaps, narrow surfaces, quarter pipes, berms and more.
Known as the area’s only true lift-access downhill bike park, HoliMont offers uphill lift service via the Sunset lift and 23 Deasonbuilt carriers. Daily lift service is included with HoliMont membership or is $40 for the day for non-members. Mountain bike and helmet/pad rentals for both children and adults are available at HoliMont through Loud Performance’s onsite mobile service trailer. Loud Performance also offers onsite bike service, including some repairs, gear, accessories, and parts.
2023 is the second year that Loud Performance has operated their trailer at HoliMont, and they’re thrilled to be back. Owner Dee Dippel is excited to share the news that Loud Performance has upgraded their rental fleet for this year. “We have mostly all new bikes for this season,” he said. “We added a premium bike in addition to the standard bikes for those who really want a nice ride.” For more information on available services and rentals, visit www.loudperformance.com.
Dippel noted that while relatively new to the mountain biking world, HoliMont’s Bike Park has an impressive offering of trails that link to more than 35 miles of trail system, including the Finger Lakes Trail and the Ellicottville Loop, which has the IMBA (International Mountain Biking Association) EPICS designation. IMBA EPICS are highly sought after trails by avid mountain bikers, as they are technically and physically challenging primarily singletrack trails in a natural setting of at least 20 miles in length. Dippel is looking forward to partnering with Ellicottville’s Bike and Bean and HoliMont for “Roots, Rocks, and Ridges,” a weekend of racing at HoliMont and the surrounding IMBA EPICS trail system, taking place this fall.
HoliMont’s Bike Park promises great outdoor experiences for the whole family, as there are lessons for riders of all ages. HoliMont’s downhill immersion camps are perfect for young riders or new riders ages 7 and up and include lift tickets and instruction. Private lessons or small group clinics for adult riders can also be arranged with Bike Park staff; guided tours with one of the crew can also be scheduled by contacting 716-699-1030. Visit https://holimont.com/programs/bike-park/ for more information.