Southern California mountain bike parks opening for summer despite coronavirus

Three mountain-bike-friendly mountain resorts in the San Bernardino Mountains have made dozens of pandemic-era changes in order to open for riders and hikers this summer.

Snow Valley and Rim Nordic Bike Park, which opened in time for the Memorial Day weekend, are sticking mostly to weekend operations so far. Snow Summit, opening June 12, will operate daily. Here are details.

Snow Summit

Big Bear’s Snow Summit Bike Park will open daily for the summer, starting June 12 — but with many details changed and some features unavailable.

Its scenic chairlift (one of two park chairlifts that will be open this summer) will be available to bikers and hikers, but its capacity will be limited to two guests per carrier. Cyclists will be responsible for loading their own bikes onto the carriers.

Guests should wear face masks and stay 6 feet apart, park management said. To help with that, park officials said in a statement they would be using “line maze configuration” to keep lift lines properly spaced. Lessons and rental gear will be available as in previous summers, now with “full sterilization” of gear between uses.

Eight trails will be open, said spokesman Tim LeRoy, but four beginner-level trails in the park’s base camp area will not open June 12 and probably won’t open this summer: Average Joes, Globogym, Pump Track and Mulchpit. Other popular kids’ activities at base camp, including a climbing wall, trampoline and panning-for-gold operation, are closed until further notice, LeRoy said.

A ride on Snow Summit’s Scenic Sky Chair costs $20 per adult (discounts for those who buy tickets online at least 72 hours ahead); children and seniors ride free. One-day adult mountain-biking lift tickets cost $36-$59. The resort urges guests to buy passes in advance, online, or by email or phone.

Snow Valley

Snow Valley Mountain Resort, east of Running Springs, opened for the season with minimal amenities on May 23. It is adding bike rentals starting Friday. Food and beverage service is due to begin the next day.

The resort, currently open Friday afternoons, Saturdays and Sundays, is asking visitors to sign an electronic waiver online in advance and reserves the right to revoke the ticket of any guest who does not follow health guidelines (including wearing a face covering when unable to adequately distance).

Snow Valley’s chairlift, designed to carry six passengers, will now carry two, with 6 feet between them. The cost is $25 per adult. A one-day bike-park lift ticket costs $49 on weekends and holidays, $42 on Fridays. (Holders of 2019-2020 Snow Valley Snow Passes get free admission.)

Rim Nordic Bike Park

Rim Nordic Bike Park, east of Running Springs, opened for weekends only starting May 23. It is offering bikes for rent (and rental bikes for sale), and its repair shop and snack bar are open, but there is no lift service.

Rim Nordic’s territory includes about 15 miles of single-track paths and fire roads, from beginner to advanced levels. (In winter, it attracts cross-country skiers.) Bike rentals are priced at $10 per hour or $30 for four hours. Its summer season ends Sept. 7.