Snowshoe's backcountry is a mountain biking fairytale.
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- čas přidán 19. 10. 2020
- Is this the best loam you can find on the east coast? These trails truly are surreal, captivating and challenging.
We spent a lot of time in Snowshoe, WV this summer. Ali and I purchased season passes, but the bike park was running on a limited schedule. So, we took advantage of the downtime and set out to explore every trail we could possibly find in the backcountry.
This magical forest is a playground of whimsical singletrack flush with perfect loam. They have their own rhythm and character that brings a fresh challenge all of it's own.
There is a core system of mapped backcountry trails, but to find the rest, you'll have to get out there and explore. Many of these trails you won't find on the maps, and you won't find an obvious trailhead without paying attention.
Most people traveling here are focused on the lift access gravity riding. But, for those willing to put in the work, there's a whole other world to explore.
Get out there and see the world my friends, it's a beautiful place!
I pedaled that airport trail way back when on my 26" wheeled hardtail with V-brakes. I replaced the brake pads after day 2. They were gone. It was fun to master skills and realize what I could do and where I needed to just walk.
It still looks glorious. A bit more comfortable now on a dual susp bike that is meant for that terrain.
Heading down for the UCI weekend...so pumped to ride down here.
Hope you had a blast at UCI!
Beautiful. But I see the video is 2 years old. I wonder what it looks like now? Trashed out? “Developed and over used? Or hopefully still beautiful great trails. I used to ski there those early years when they first opened.
Another excellent video. I cant wait to ride.... I was told today it will be ANOTHER 4 weeks until mine shows up.
Thanks, Oper8or! Fingers crossed you don't have any more delays. These 2020 backlogs are insane.
Brings back awesome memories of pre-bike park times. Airport Runway, Enchanted Forest, Cupcake Run, etc. And the bike shop was located at Silver Creek where you grabbed your bike and rode directly into the woods. I tell my friends about these trails but to them it's all about the bike park. Thanks for showing this. Now subscribed.
With the Bike Park being closed during the week, it was really encouraging to check out these classics! I think they are definitely worth exploring. Thanks for subscribing to the channel, cheers!
Same the back country is amazing
I’m absolutely shocked how much this looks like the Pacific Northwest. I live in Chattanooga now, but lived in Bellingham and rode the shore. Thank you for this video. I’m already planning my trip.
Between the backcountry and the park, it's one of my favorite spots on the east coast.
Been riding there since 2006! Never hit that side! Now I hit an e bike I am definitely going to go hit it!!
You should! Total blast exploring the backcountry around there.
Dope, I can't wait to try those trails
Snowshoe will be a must visit for me next year. I'm not sure I'll see that awesome back country, but I do appreciate you showing this side of the park.
Very nice vid as usual. I've been digging your content man. It's very good!
Thank you, Dave! You’ve got to get up there next season. Hands down some of the best riding around.
Dang... I really need to check out the backcountry side of Snowshoe. Great video!
Thanks, Adam!
Subscribed. Great trails
Nicely done here yet again 🕶👍🏼
Thanks, my man!
Those look like some amazing trails. I enjoy the more natural trails like those than bike pack trails. It also looks like your riding a 2020 Hightower, which is perfect for trails like those. I have the same bike and it absolutely loves tech and flowy trails. Great video. I'll have to check that place out, it's only 2 hours from where I live. Thanks for sharing.
If you’re only 2 hours away, you need to get up there ASAP! Great backcountry across the valley at Slatyfork as well.
Great vid. I want to try to get there.
Thank you, Jonathan. Definitely worth it!
Those Ferns!!!!
Omg... THE FERNS!!!! 😍
Wow, I just booked my room at Snowshoe for a weekend in June, I think I'll get in early on Friday and go play in the backcountry for sure! I've ridden the park a ton, but never the backcountry, I feel like I'm definitely missing out!
It’s so freaking good, and constantly growing. I am eagerly counting down the days to opening day!
Sean, how was your visit as it pertains to the backcountry? Hope it was mint! Let us know here.
@@gregice5946 it was great, had to talk my buddies into it, but once I got them back there, they couldn’t get enough!
Oh yeah!! 😎
Yeah, buddy!!! 🤘
So stoked! At Snowshoe all week. New P(s) - awesome. Will be scouting (and hopefully ripping) some of these trails this week. Likely obvious - but is there a fairly obvious climbing trail back to the top of the resort? Real question behind the question - is there a decent (killer) way to loop these? Thanks so much - glad you are back from your injury - keep posting the content! Happy to show you some local flavor if you are ever in the Raleigh area. Thanks again.
Hey Rob! A good bit of the climbing is on the forest roads out there. You can make all sorts of link ups. Everything up there eventually connects back into something for the most part, so it’s pretty easy to ramble around and discover the unmarked/unmapped stuff. You’ll find maps posted up here and there for the established roads and back country trails to use to make link ups.
heading there this weekend. is there a recommend loop to take on the backcountry to get a bit of everything?
WOW! Didn't know about these backcountry trails in Snowshoe! Are they marked or available through Trail Forks or MTB Project? Thank you for the great video.
The marked Backcountry trails are all on Trail forks, or almost all of them at least. Outside of Airport Rd., Airport Ridge and Rough & Tumble, most of what is in this video is not located on any maps that I'm aware of. Lots of gems out there to explore and find!
Nice riding through some of those lighting changes. I had trouble watching where the tail was going next. Beautiful location and great editing.
You did miss a few of those features though. Lol. Maybe it's just because you don't ride there much or are they are harder than they look on camera?
Thanks, Trent. These trails can be tough to follow and have an interesting rhythm all their own. Didn't realize I missed any features. There's only one back there I've seen that I haven't hit, which is a roll on a wooden feature off the back of a boulder that wasn't in the video. Most everything else back there is subtle. Point out what I missed and I'll go after them next season!
@@SemiSendy maybe features is an exaggeration. I thought I saw 3 or 4 but at 715, looks like you could hit that rock on the left? And maybe 1119, taking that up to the right? Maybe neither are worth it. Sometimes the camera doesn't represent reality.
I've heard of the Fingers, but I don't recall any park map. Are these trails marked on trails forks or other apps? I was always wondering to find...though when there, I'm drawn to lift serve. Still would be nice to keep it fresh and explore new territory. Thanks for the vid.
A few of the trails in this video are on Trailforks, but as of today the Fingers have still not been added. They are now officially incorporated into Snowshoes recognized trail network, and there is a map at the entrance. The entrance is between powder ridge and mountain crest (on the mountain crest side of the road. The trails dump out onto powder monkey forest road where you can climb back up to the paved road and entrance. There’s some arrows and signage in the trail system, though it’s still not straight forward. All trails lead to powder monkey or the entrance though, so it’s fun to explore without worries of getting lost.
Annnnd now I’m missing snowshoe! Can we all just move there? ... I’ll start packing.
Let’s all go in on a McMansion 🤘😂
@@SemiSendy I might have to become a coal miner or something, but count me in.
Hi, how do you get to upper beaver dam? I went up airport run but followed some 2 track that was just a loop. Do you follow a little north on that field to find it?
On enchanted forest - where does Bobcat go?
I noticed you put back the coil shock, do you still using the cascade link?
Oh yes, I swap back and forth between air and coil, always on the cascade link.
Got a cascade link for my Specialized on your recommendation. Very pleased so far.
@@bigb7157 that's awesome. Glad you're enjoying it my friend!
Which silver creek trails are in this video?
What kind of drone setup are you using? Any editing on those shots? They look b-e-a-utiful.
Hey D.C., I mainly run Mavic drones these days. The Pro 2 has been a go to and what I used for these shots.
I shoot in D-Log (raw) and color grade the footage in post.
Cheers!
@@SemiSendy much thanks! Perfect tool for capturing WV!
Where is the main entrance of Fingers? I know there's one near the Powderridge condos, but I don't think that's where y'all started.
If fingers was the stage 3 enduro of the 2020 race it is rear loamfarm but closer you will see a trail to the left as your riding beside the houses and you pedal that up to a point where there is a trail of to the left and there is fingers it will pop your out beside the brewery 👍hope that helped a little
@@tysteorts7314 Yes thank you!
Yeah, it’s adjacent to Mountain Crest.
Kind of tricky to navigate, but those signs just popped up recently. You’ll know you’re there when you find the snowboard bench 😉
Any chance these will be added to trail forks? I know LoamFarm is on there now, but there isn’t too much other than the fire roads on the silver creek side. If not on trail forks, is there another place that has a map of the back country offerings?
@@ChrisPoli I'm really not sure. In these cases I take a stance of leaving it up to the locals/trail builders to make that call. There is an element of fun to going out and finding them by just exploring.
Hi. I have a pleasure to talk to You via fb-hightower/megatower forum. I have mounted cascade recently and going to squze there dhx2. I know that 500 fits and doesn't rub much but my weight is 207lbs. I have measured 600 lbs spring, it has 52mm OD. What do You think? Is it possible? Should I stay with my dpx2?
How do you get to the fingers?
Hey NOVA, the Fingers are a network of trails that are between the Mountain Crest/Powder Ridge condo's and the intersection to Silvercreek down by the brewery. They all either dump out onto powderpuff road or immediately at the intersection. There is an entrance on the edge of the mountain crest property right off the main road. You can also back trace them off of powder puff forest road by looking for trails coming down off the uphill side.
@@SemiSendy thanks so much, I’ve been riding the backcountry here for almost 5 years and have never even hear in these. What about rough and tumble, where is that one?
@@novamtb2039 no problem! Rough & Tumble is right off of the main road coming up the mountain from the intersection where Linwood Daycare is. It's roughly halfway at a significant pull off. When driving up, the pull off is on the right hand side as you're finishing a left hand curve. There is currently (as of last weekend) an Enduro stage sign from last years race taped to the uphill side of the guard rail on the edge of the pull off.
@@SemiSendy where do you end up? Do you need a lift ticket or a shuttle?
@@novamtb2039 on rough and tumble as you’re coming to the end of the trail you can go right and come out at the pull off with the “wild and wonderful” sign, or go left and come out by the creek immediately behind the lift in western.
This is the worst place to ride. Dont ocme here youwill have it . Stay in Virginia or NC.