Spirit Mountain Duluth’s summer mecca
Mountain bikers can buy a day pass for $46 at Spirit, which gives unlimited rides up the chairlift with your bike. | SUBMITTED
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JULY 2022
NORTHERN WILDS
DULUTH— Duluth’s Spirit Mountain has built its reputation as a prime Midwest winter destination since opening alpine ski operations in 1974. Cross-country and alpine skiers, snowboarders, and fat bikers all flock to Spirit in the wintertime for its 678 feet of vertical drop, oak forests, and beautiful perch overlooking the St. Louis River. But today, Spirit Mountain Recreation Area is a four-season destination, with just as much to offer gravity thrill-seekers, and other user groups, in the summer, too. The resort has transformed itself into a well-rounded destination with lift-served mountain biking, an adventure park, and a plethora of low-cost options like hiking and disc golf. There’s even a 73-site campground starting at $35 a night for walk-in tenting. Here’s a look at more summer adventures in Duluth’s west end. Start by getting your full body armor on—it’s time for some serious mountain biking. If trail names like “Calculated Risk,” “Wrecking Ball” and “Blaster” don’t get your blood pumping, you have a heart made of stone. This is the stuff of adrenaline dreams. These three trails are for experienced mountain bike riders only, but there are easier trails mixed in to the 19-trail system at Spirit as well. Caleb Schnell, who drove eight hours with his friends from the Quad Cities area of Illinois to check out Spirit in early June, explained his initial impressions: “The mountain was a little bit bigger than I expected, and a whole lot rockier. I’m not used to the rocks.” Schnell described the mountain biking as “challenging,” and added that he really enjoyed it. He insisted that the mountain biking in Illinois was “tame” compared to Duluth and said another huge draw for him and his friends was the “clean, fresh air” blowing in off Lake Superior. Mountain bikers can buy a day pass for $46 at Spirit, which gives unlimited rides up the chairlift with your bike. Plan on getting
in about two runs per hour down the long trails. The chairlift operates four days per week; Thursdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is also open on the Mondays of July 4 and September 5. Jon Regenold, director of resort services at Spirit Mountain, lists a bunch more opportunities for summer family fun besides mountain biking. He starts with the Timber Twister, which is an alpine coaster that riders can take down the mountain alone or in pairs, with complete control over their speed. Regenold describes the Twister as “unique for the region and fun for folks of all ages.” It’s open to ages 3 and up (passengers must be at least 38 inches tall and accompanied by a supervising companion at least 16 years old). Next is the Timber Flyer, which is a seated zip ride where people sit on a bench-style seat and wear a seat belt. They get zipped down the mountain and then brought back up to the start. Regenold describes it as “a little less intense than a conventional zip line.” People can buy single-ride tickets to the Twister and Flyer, or they can do an all-day wristband, with as many rides as they want on the attractions, including the scenic chairlift. Regenold suggests trying the chairlift “just to relax” if you’ve never ridden one in the winter before. “Riding the chairlift in the summer is really cool because you’re not just using it as a mode of transportation,” he says. Chairlift riders start at the top and ride the lift down to the Grand Avenue Chalet, with amazing views of the valley the whole way down. Check out the St. Louis River basin, the iconic Lift Bridge and Lake Superior, all from a bird’s eye view. The Riverside Bar and Grill in the Grand Avenue Chalet has a full menu for guests to enjoy, as well.
