LOCALadk Magazine

LOCALadk | Bike is 50 ft. taller than the intensely popular Highland Mountain of New Hampshire, where thousands of riders flock to each season. "It doesn't matter how tall the mountain is, if the trails are built specifically for riders, people will come"says volunteer trailbuilder Ed Moorehead. Ed's spirit, along with his and his friends' labor is what has led to the emergence of Oak Mountain as an additional gravity fed two-wheeled riding option in the Adirondacks. They have two trails built to completion for their first official summer season of operation in 2013. The mountain will also be ready to host a stop on the popular Gravity East downhill mountain bike you they are not trying to create the same big mountain, steep, gnarly experience found in other parts of the Adirondacks. "That opportunity already exists, and it's awesome," says one of the volunteers. They use words like "smooth", "flowy", and "buffed out" to describe the trails they envision building. Eli echoes the theme of accessibility in the construction of the trails at Oak Mountain when he says," We are building a lot of the trails here so that a large cross section of people can come to ride and have a good time." race series at the end of July, with a trail designed specifically for racing. Lead trail builder Eli Glesman gushes with excitement when he talks about the potential of Oak Mountain. He proudly states, "There's so much terrain here, it's unbelievable." the summer progresses. With all of the pieces coming together for a top-notch bike park in the Southeast corner of Adirondack Park, Matt, Laura, and the trail crew hope to attract riders from larger population centers like Albany, Syracuse, and New York City. Matt and Laura continue the inviting theme of the mountain with modest pricing for their lift accessed cycling terrain. $35 gets you access to the lifts and all the trails. There is a $10 discount for those arriving after 2 p.m. A season pass is only $198, and inexpensive pricing options exist for riders who only wish to use the lift once or not at all. You can't help but recognize the beautiful, symbiotic relationship at work at Oak Mountain. The riders are helping the O'Briens launch a three-season business that will sustain their young family as well as offer a boost to the town of Speculator. What the riders are gaining in return is a place to create new trails in their own unique vision, a privilege that many committed riders yearn for and never get. All parties benefit, with the ultimate winner being anyone who visits Oak Mountain and has a new opportunity to experience lift-served mountain biking in Speculator, New York. R The motivated crew of chainsaw wielding, hoe swinging volunteers, who make the trip to Oak Mountain on weekends and days off from places like Utica and Remsen are steadfast in adhering to their mission of creating a fun and inviting place to ride. If you ask them, they will tell Owner Matt O'Brien expresses his sincere gratitude for the help the volunteer riders offer. He simply says, "Without them, there wouldn't be any riding here." Matt has given the volunteer trail crew complete freedom to build the type of trails that they want to ride. He hopes to support the development of the bike park with a fleet of rental bikes and other services specific for mountain bikes as Ed Moorehead LOCALadk Magazine Summer 2013 47

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