Rugged High Country
T
he High Country is known for its scenic views of fall colors from atop the many peaks dotting its landscape, but as the area’s mountain bikers know, unforgettable experiences can just as easily be made by immersing oneself into the rugged slopes of these same hillsides. The Appalachian Mountains have long provided the exhilarating terrain that mountain bikers from across the country come to enjoy. Fortunately, the High Country provides numerous trails
TERRAIN
that bikers can tear down on a cool autumn day, the most popular of which is the Rocky Knob Mountain Bike Park, located just east of Boone off US Highway 421. Rocky Knob provides four trails, including the 1.6-mile Rock Branch Loop, which is classified as a moderate loop. For more experienced biking enthusiasts, and for those who may have a little bit of hobbit in them, the Middle Earth Trail provides one mile of advanced mountain biking trails. Also included in the park is the 3.6-mile long
Boat Rock Loop and the three-quarters of a mile Ol’ Hoss Trail. The Ol’ Hoss Trail is considered the most challenging trail in the park, while Boat Rock Loop also shares its own challenges, though not quite as strenuous. Until Oct. 2, bikers can enjoy the slopes and momentous views from the bike park at Beech Mountain Resort. The resort is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Thursday to Sunday and offers a wide variety of options for downhill enthusiasts. During the other days of the week, the trails at
The High Country’s Complete Mountain The High Country’s Adventure Store Complete Mountain Adventure Store
Emerald Outback offer several popular trails for bikers to enjoy, including the Westerly Hills section, the Wild Iris Loop and the West Bowl Loop. The resort itself features three advanced black diamond trails, such as Upper Black Bear, Lower Black Bear and Chamberlin’s Gap. Moreover, there are eight intermediate blue trails, including Upper Copperhead, Lower Copperhead, Hellbender, Upper Burmese Python, Lower Burmese Python, Canbrake, Whistle Pig and Drop In. The easier trails in the
perfect for mountain biking
park include Upper Green Mamba and Lower Green Mamba, which provide an opportunity for beginners to spin their wheels. There is also a bike park at Sugar Mountain Resort. Visitors can ride the chair lift whether they are biking or not, but for those with a set of two wheels have several options to choose from before careening down the resort’s scenic hillside. The number two trail, the Show and Go, is marked as a double black diamond trail, meaning it is the most difficult. The other more dif-
ficult trail in the park is the East Coast Rocks trail and it is marked as a single black diamond. Three other trails are blue square trails, including the Rally Alley, Harescramble and Super Natural. The number three Carolina Cruiser is one of the most gentle trails on the park. To learn more about the mountain bike trails and operations at Sugar Mountain Resort, click to skisugar.com. To learn more about the offerings at Beech Mountain Resort, click to beechmountainresort.com.
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167 Locust Street (Lower Street) Spruce Pine, NC AUTUMN TIMES 2021
