| Sundance Resort Bike Trails
|
|
 |
Because of its lower altitude, Sundance offers ski-lift service to
mountain bike trails about a month earlier than any other ski resort --
seven days a week after Memorial Day weekend.
You can buy single lift rides, or buy an all-day
pass for $18 (2009, subject to change) or a half-day starting at 2:30. You can
knock off 50 miles of first-class downhill in an afternoon.
Looking
west to the back side of Mount Timpanogos, with a ski slope in the foreground. June 5,
2000 by Bruce. |
|
The singletrack trails are fun and well-maintained. Turns are banked for
bikes. Most of the riding is in aspens and pines, with an occasional meadow giving you a
great view of the back side of Timpanogos. There are many permutations of
the downhill routes to explore.
Dominic drops over a rock ledge on Rock
& Roll, one of the few trails with expert sections. July 26, 2003 |
|
 |
The singletrack trails are on the skilled-intermediate
level. Doubletracks are upper-beginner level due to gravel on some
slightly-steep areas. But with the ski lift eliminating much of the work, Sundance
is a good spot for a beginner with reasonable riding skills but
none-too-strong climbing.
Easier stretch of trail through the aspens. June 5, 2000 |
| There are three major routes that branch from the same singletrack about
1/2 mile from the lift. Branching options let you select different scenery
and difficulty level. These major routes include Ray's Run, Scotts Pond,
and Archies Loop.
Heading towards Scotts Pond, Bruce
takes a little air off an aspen trunk. July 26, 2003. |
|
 |
Ray's Run is a more-or-less straight plunge down the mountain with an
option to fork to Boneyard via Rock & Roll or continuing down to Lower
Bobsled. There are a lot of banked turns in the trees, about 4 miles top
to bottom. The Upper Bobsled
version of this route gets our vote!
Scott's Pond Loop features Switchback Alley (appropriately named) and a
lovely ride around a pond, then connects to Rock & Roll - Boneyard or
to Archies Loop.
Chad and Dominic rocket around a switchback
in the pines, on the Boneyard Trail. July 26, 2003. |
| Archies Loop is a fairly straight cruise around a mountain, taking you
to an impressive view over the North Fork's junction with Provo Canyon.
Archies connects to Boneyard, which dumps out on the service road just
south from the lift. The ride to Scotts Pond and around Archies Loop is
about 4 miles.
Cruising past Scotts Pond.
|
|
 |
Getting
there: From I-15, take the Orem 800 North Exit and drive straight east (towards
the mountains) to the mouth of Provo Canyon. As 800 North divides, take the left fork up
into the canyon on US-189. Five miles up the canyon, turn left at U-92 and drive two miles
to Sundance. Lift passes are sold in the bike rental shop at the northwest corner of the
building closest to the parking lot. Ray's lift is 100 feet west of the bike shop.
|
|
