By Aaron Rubin, Standard Correspondent
Multiple races, including the Vermont Overland, Gnar Weasels, and those as part of the Flow State Mountain Bike Festival will take place at Mt. Ascutney this summer.
WEST WINDSOR — Ascutney Outdoors in West Windsor is the go-to site for hiking and mountain biking activity this summer, including a few races. Here’s what’s in store for hikers and bikers at Mt. Ascutney this summer.
Kickstands Up!
Adding to the more than 45-mile network of trails at the mountain is a new “flow trail” this summer for bikers to enjoy, said Erik Schutz, president of the Ascutney Trails Association (ATA). The new trail is called “Kickstands Up!” and is an intermediate-level path for bikers running from “the current height of our trail system…down to the skills park,” said Schutz.
“Kickstands Up!” is a “machine-built” bike trail that was excavated to be an active route with bumps and ups and downs for a more challenging terrain for riders ready to take a step above the easier novice trails.
“It’s like a roller coaster ride on your mountain bike down the hill,” said Schutz. “That’s basically a flow trail because you get into a flow of turning and going up and down. And a lot of the rollers, you can jump them.”
Schutz said the trail, which was approved via a grant from the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative, should be ready to open to mountain bikers by the end of July, coinciding with the mountain’s Flow State Vermont Mountain Bike Festival during the final weekend in July.
Norcross Trail
While no new hiking trails have been established for the season, there is one called “Norcross” that was carved out two years ago that many mountain goers have still yet to discover and enjoy. The trail begins at the right-hand border and continues easterly, almost circumnavigating the mountain.
Schutz said the stand-alone nature and serenity of the trail make it a unique route for hikers, runners, and also bikers.
“There’s not too many bike trails in New England/Vermont that you can bike for almost three miles with almost no trail intersection. When you’re on the Norcross trail, you’re on it and you feel remote. You go through different forest systems… there are ledge areas. We have three bridges and a couple boardwalks.”
The trail also conveniently connects with multiple trails on either side of Mt. Ascutney that lead back to its two bases along Vermont Route 44, so hikers and bikers can find their way back to their cars, said Schutz.
Flow State Festival
45-plus miles of hiking, biking, and running trails await mountain goers looking to connect with nature and explore the highest peak in Windsor County this summer.
The aforementioned Flow State Vermont Mountain Bike Festival will be held July 28-30 at Mt. Ascutney and will transform the facility into an all-out paradise for mountain bikers of all ages. Festival goers can participate in guided rides around the network of trails, clinics and workshops for all skill levels to improve their technique and skills, and bike demos and gear vendors. Schutz said the event is a fundraiser for ATA and offers new biking experiences through aspects such as the bike demos, where bikers can ride an ebike for the first time.
“If they’re in the market for a new bike they can come here,” he said. “And it’s an opportunity for vendors to show what they have for bike parts.”
There will be plenty of food and drink vendors and live music to keep goers satisfied and entertainment throughout the weekend. There will also be open spaces for camping to accommodate those who travel from outside Vermont to experience the fun the event has to offer.
“It’s very popular…a lot of people do come from out of state to visit and local Vermonters. We have a good volunteer crew that helps out, we have [what] we call ‘shenanigans’; adults ride teeny-tiny toddler bikers and try to race each other,” said Schutz. “It’s really about mountain biking in general. Ascutney trails is one the unique trail systems where you can have a big tent and ride 40 miles of trails right from one place…there are a few others, but not many.”
For more information on the Flow State Vermont Mountain Bike Festival, visit flowstatemtbfestival.com/vt.
Vermont Overland
Mt. Ascutney will serve as the starting point for the Vermont Overland Bike Race that takes place on Aug. 26. The challenging race is a 55-mile course featuring close to 7,000 feet of climbing along old, unmaintained public through-ways.
Ascutney Outdoors executive director Jonathan Nichols said biking enthusiasts should expect a wider and different kind of terrain compared to the mountainous kind for the Flow State festival. Because of its routes along older roads, riders should also expect a scenic experience.
“It’s more a gravel ride slash race than a mountain biking. For that event, it starts and ends at Ascutney Outdoors but actually is out within a whole bunch of surrounding towns, traveling [a] sort of backroad Vermont thing in the woods…on old unmaintained Vermont roads,” said Nichols.
The race will benefit Ascutney Outdoors, the Reading/West Windsor Food Shelf and the Woodstock Area Mountain Bike Association.
For more information on the Overland race, visit vermontoverland.com/overland.
This weekend
The Gnar Weasels Race takes place this Saturday at Mt. Ascutney and is open to all skill levels to ride up to 18 miles on the mountain’s various routes.
“The beginner [race] is one lap and that’s six miles. The ‘sport’ race is two laps with 12 miles, and the ‘elites’ do three laps [with 18 miles],” said Schutz.
Online registration can be found at bikereg.com/gnar-weasels and ends at 5 p.m. on July 7.
Ascutney Outdoors is partnering with Vermont Bike and Brew and the Upper Valley Land Trust for a bike ride fundraiser on Sunday, July 9. The race starts at Mt. Ascutney and goes along dirt paths into neighboring communities. There will be two races held, one from 9-11:30 a.m., and one from 12:30-3 p.m. Pre-registration is required and is $75 per participant. There is a limit of 20 people per race.
As part of the event, riders can rent an ebike to tour the 15 mile route. All proceeds for the event will go towards the Land Trust for their continued mission to conserve outdoor recreational spaces like Mt. Ascutney. Reservation can be made by calling the Vermont Bike and Brew at 802-274-2277.