Voted the Okanagan’s Best Place for Adrenaline Rush by locals in Okanagan Life magazine’s Best of the Okanagan awards, Silver Star Mountain Bike Park in Vernon is gearing up for opening day of the summer season on June 27.
For those who can’t wait, the resort is providing a sneak peak for locals and bike enthusiasts by opening early for two bonus days on June 22 and 23.
“The resort has so much to offer in summer, including trails to suit all types of riders,” said Ian Galbraith, Silver Star bike park manager. “We’re particularly excited to open our new cross-country trails this year and offer riders of a wide range of diverse terrain, technicality and amazing views.”
Fed by the Comet Express lift, the bike park features 18 dedicated mountain bike trails and jump features and a vertical drop of 760 metres (2,000 feet). The park’s longest run is the seven-kilometre Paradise trail, a wide, hard-packed trail from mountaintop to village. Paradise is one of five multi-use trails riders shared with hikers. From the paved path that loops around the beautiful Victorian vacation homes at the Knoll to the paved cross-mountain trail leading from the village, Silver Star offers an easily accessible, vast hiking and biking alpine network.
The 2013 expansion into cross-country biking trails takes advantages of the resort’s extensive Nordic trail system. Opening with the green Mountain View trail and three black diamond trails, the cross-country network will include seven trails in total. Hikers can join interpretive guided alpine tours, which provide a unique perspective on the area’s history, flora and fauna, or venture out on their own to explore the alpine wildflowers and stunning views along five dedicated hiking trails. The Summit Chair offers a scenic lift from the village to mountaintop, operating Friday to Sunday.
Wine lovers will toast the Okanagan’s best vintages during the summer wine festival, a two-day culinary experience Aug. 9 and 10, featuring workshops, winemaker dinners and the signature Mile High Wine event. Guests can travel the valley wineries, all under the open sky, as 30 wineries from across the Okanagan Valley will showcase their new varietals.
In addition to day and private camps, the mountain bike school has a star-studded lineup for 2013, including a cycling and yoga camp with Ryan Leech, one of the most respected and talented riders in mountain biking. Thomas Vanderham and Matt Hunter will lead the five-day Elevate camp from July 1 to 5. On July 6 and 7, the park welcomes the Trek Dirt Series Woman’s Mountain Bike Camp, and from July 8 to 12, Bas van Steenbergen and Dustin Gilding will coach the overnight Base Mountain Bike Camp.
“The growth in this sport is astounding and we’re excited to offer support to young riders, women riders and elite riders,” said Galbraith. “Opening day is just around the corner and you’ll soon be riding, jumping, flowing or pumping down your favourite trail.”
Home to downhill mountain biking’s B.C. Cup and the B.C. Championships, being held on July 28, Silver Star is known among elite riders as one of the world’s top bike parks. The bike park will be open seven days a week from June 27 to Sept. 2. One-day lift tickets are $40 adult, $36 youth, $31 child and $36 senior. Season passes are $379 for adults, $319 for youth and $259 for children. New for 2013 is a cross-country only season pass for $37.60 and a day rate of $5.
Silver Star provides Norco bike rentals and protective gear, as well as downhill mountain bikes designed specifically for kids. The mountain village offers a plethora of retail, restaurant and accommodation services for summer vacationers from hotels, executive condos and vacation home rentals to RV and camping sites.