Riders' Choice Awards Reveal Top Bike Parks of 2014

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09 April 2015

Push to The Latest: No

SAM Magazine—Jackson, Wyo., April 6, 2015—Mountain bike riders in North America have crowned the top bike parks as part of the second annual "Best Bike Parks Riders' Choice Awards" produced by MTBparks.com, a comprehensive online guide to North American bike parks.

More than 3,000 riders cast votes this year on the top lift-served mountain-bike parks in eight separate regions: Western Canada, Eastern Canada, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic/Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, Northwest, and the Rocky Mountains.

Topping the list are Whistler Blackcomb, B.C.; Sugarloaf, New Brunswick; Highland Mountain Bike Park, N.H.; Mountain Creek, N.J.; The Rock Complex, Wisc.; Silver Mountain, Idaho; Winter Park, Colo.; and Angel Fire, N.M. A full listing of results in posted online.

In addition to voting for best park, riders were also asked to provide ratings in more than 20 other categories, including best base area amenities and best technical trails. Good said she will be releasing more data from the survey in the coming months.

"As resorts continue to embrace the growth of mountain biking during the summer months, the survey provides valuable feedback to resort decision makers and trail crews about what's working and what isn't,” said Good, whose background includes working in the ski industry.

Good launched MTBparks.com in 2012 after encountering sporadic and inconsistent information while planning a mountain bike trip across the Western U.S. As a result, she saw the opportunity to highlight bike park operations that were excelling.

"There is so much potential for resorts to help grow mountain biking as a sport and as an industry because of what they are able to offer in terms of variety of terrain, accessibility, progression, and rider experience," Good said. (To explore that potential, attendees at the SAM Summer Ops Camp in September will have the chance at a special behind-the-scenes tour of the Mountain Creek bike park operations with MTBparks.)

Beyond the awards, the site allows users to submit content, photos, videos, and news on upcoming events. Riders can also cash in on the MTBparks Pass that offers a wide range of deals, including a free lift tickets at 18 bike parks, as well as lodging packages and discounts on gear, maintenance, and rentals.