Bike park opens at Mountain Creek
VERNON Saturday, May 5 marked the opening and the inaugural season at the new Mountain Creek Bike Park (formerly Diablo Freeride Park). Boasting one of the longest lift-served riding seasons in North America May through October Mountain Creek is now offering season passes at its Web site: mountaincreekbikepark.com. The park's event season will kick off with the Mountain Creek Spring Classic USA Cycling Pro GRT/POC Eastern States Cup Series race on Sunday, May 20. The Spring Classic is a USA Cycling sanctioned ProGRT event held in conjunction with the POC Eastern States Cup series. Pro and amateur racers will be competing for more than $5,000 in cash and prizes. Winners will earn points in both the USA Cycling Pro GRT series and POC Eastern States Cup Series, with double Eastern States Cup Series points up for grabs as well as the USA Cycling NJ State Championship. Last year's UCI World Cup Champion Aaron Gwin, as well as USA Cycling 2011 National Champion Logan Bignelli and their teams are already confirmed to be in attendance for the Spring Classic. Gwin will assist with a ceremonial ribbon cutting for the new park to kick off the event. Event and registration details can be found online. Were so excited to see world-class professional racing continue at Mountain Creek and in the Rock Garden this May," says Marc Tremain, Mountain Creek Bike Park operations manager. "Ive been involved in and attended a lot of bike races around the country and there is something about the race crowds here in New Jersey thats just unlike anywhere else. Future oriented Mountain Creek Resort and Crystal Springs Resort owner Andrew Mulvihill says he has high hopes for the new park. I've been mountain biking for the past 30 years. I've been to Moab a dozen times and my favorite rides include Porcupine Ridge, the White Rim and Jacobs Ladder. What I'd like to see is for Mountain Creek to become a Moab of the East, a destination for all who enjoy biking in all its forms. Starting with our core downhill guests and expanding to open up our abundant mountaintop cross-country terrain to day and overnight guests." Mountain Creek Bike Park will offer riders a number of a new additions and improvements this summer. Check out the Web site for more information.