DOVER- The grand opening for Mount Snow’s new introductory downhill mountain biking trail was just like any other grand opening celebration with a ribbon cutting, a “thank you” speech, and invited guests in attendance. But what made the event on Friday, July 20, special is that the ribbon was a tree log propped between two bike frames, the scissors a chainsaw, and the “thank you” speech was given by a man dressed in full mountain bike padding to a crowd of invited guests perched upon bicycles.

That was the scene this past Friday at the top of Gateway (aka Trail 7) Mount Snow’s brand new, 2.5-mile-long-lift-serviced introductory downhill mountain biking trail. The trail was opened to the public following many months of planning and construction, dating back to spring 2011. Designed to be user-friendly for all abilities, Gateway is at least five feet wide and follows a number of switchbacks with smooth, banked turns while traveling through both open field and wooded areas with no more than a comfortable 12% grade the entire way down.

Tickets for lift and trail access are available at Mount Snow Sports and the bike shop offers a comprehensive rental fleet ranging from full-suspension downhill bikes to casual beach cruisers. Lift service is offered every Friday through Sunday until mid-October, providing access to more than 15 miles of well-maintained trails for all ability levels. To learn more about mountain biking at Mount Snow visit www.mountsnow.com.