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Though much of the action you’ll notice in California this year will be on paved roads as bicycling events take it to the streets, if you’ve never tried downhill, mountain biking, watch out! You could become addicted and your children forever changed by the adrenaline rush of working with nature, while putting on the breaks.

Mountain Bike season approaches…are you ready for the challenge? If this dry weather continues, mountain resorts will be starting their bike season early. Mammoth Lakes (in photo) sometimes shovels snow off the trails as late as July, but when it’s dry, the season may launch as early as May and run through September. And the fun doesn’t stop at Mammoth. Wherever there’s a California ski resort with gondolas or chair lifts, you’re likely going to find summer mountain bike passes.

Before there was snowboarding or free skiing, there was mountain biking, so the joke goes at Mammoth Village. It is revered as one of the best mountain bike destinations in California with trails for all levels and all ages of bicyclists (family-friendly and first-time adventures await!) Located in the high Sierra Nevada mountains, Mammoth sells passes, offers rentals, and has shuttle at the Adventure Center located at Mammoth Mountain Main Lodge.  It is known as Bike Park headquarters providing trail access and Panorama Gondola loading. Get ready to rock, roll and fly! With !70+ miles of dirt track and a descent of 3,000 feet from the summit, good times are straight ahead, or around the bend. Mammoth is also popular for its paved road riding, which is a different beast.

Check out conditions at mammothmountain.com before you go!

MOUNTAIN BIKE BASICS

• Mammoth Lakes uphill access requires a Bike Park Pass.
• Bike Park Shuttle runs approx. every 30 minutes from 9am to 4:30pm daily from the Village to the Adventure Center.
• Panorama Gondola runs daily from 9am to 4pm daily beginning in July from the Adventure Center to the summit.  There are two on-and-off points: mid-mountain at McCoy Station and Mammoth Mountain summit.
• Rest Stops provide shade and drinking water, plus picnic tables.
• Bike Rangers make rounds in the Bike Park to answer questions and assist with gear.

SERIOUS TRAILS

• Seven new freeride trails built in the last three seasons.
• Twilight Zone includes  “The Deep End”, a nine-foot tall, 50-foot wide, elevated, banked wooden bowl structure.
• Velocity and Chain Smoke (accessible from McCoy Station) were redesigned to provide more armored berms, wooden ramps and dirt jumps than ever before.
• Kamikaze is the ultimate top-to-bottom downhill experience.  Take the heart-pounding and legendary trail for one of the fastest descents you’ll ever ride. It provides challenging freeride trails and a series of wooden ramps dubbed Shock Treatment before flowing into the new Kamikaze Jump Run.
• Skid Marks to Bullet. Skid Marks is steep, rocky and complete with tight turns and Bullet is a well-established, world-class downhill.

BEGINNERS

• Downtown 5 mile trail starts at the Main Lodge, climbs ever so slightly for the first mile before turning into a gentle downhill, ending in town at the Village.
• Paper Route can be added to the ride. It includes a covered rest stop and the scenic viewpoint overlooking Twin Lakes.
• Big Ring, Timber Ridge and Juniper are accessible from Paper Route.
• Off  The Top trail is accessible at the mountain summit when you take Panorama Gondola. The 8 mile ride is steep, offering an abundance of twists and turns to work on your bike handling skills and concentration. Views of the town and valley below,  Reds Lake and other attractions are part of the excitement and beauty of this trip. Hop on Mountain View to Beach Cruiser to return to the Adventure Center.