The lifts may not move as many folks now as they do when Utah's precious powder is deep, but mountain biking continues to grow in popularity, as is evident by the advent of a mountain bike terrain park at Wolf Mountain this summer.
Most resorts offer free riding, but charge a fee for the lift.
Here's a look at the resorts that offer lift-served mountain biking in the summer and fall, with the dirt on each:
Brian Head Resort
The lone operating resort in southern Utah offers 200 miles of single track with seven trails accessed from the Giant Steps chair lift, which is open Friday-Sunday. The resort is in the process of adding one new trail. Lift and shuttle service begins June 23 and runs through Sept. 30.
The views, including some from 11,307-feet, are as breath-taking as the riding. Lift prices are $8 for one trip or $20 for an all-day ticket. Shuttles are $17.50 per trip. Rentals are available starting at $35.
Visit www.brianhead.com for more information.
The Canyons
The Flight of the Canyons gondola provides access to 20 miles of mountain bike trails. The gondola opens June 21 and runs through Sept. 3. The cost is $12 for an all-day pass and the gondola runs Thursday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Rentals are available Canyon Mountain Sports on the resort.
Deer Valley Resort
Deer Valley has 55 miles of trails accessed by the Silver Lake Express from Snow Park Lodge or the Sterling Express lift at mid-mountain. The lifts opened todayJune 14 and run daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. An all-day bike pass is $24 and a single trip is $16. Deer Valley also offers a season pass for $250.
Helmets are required. The Deer Valley Mountain Bike Rental Shop and Mountain Bike School are open daily for rentals and guided tours.
Park City Mountain Resort
Park City opened its lift service to mountain bikers in late May and will continue through mid-October, with daily service from noon to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
The cost is $11 for a single ride, $18 for a day pass and $250 for a season pass. The Town and PayDay lifts are open to bikers. Rentals are available.
Snowbasin
Live the Olympic dream and mountain bike the same mountain where the 2002 Winter Games downhill skiing competitions were held. Snowbasin opens the Needles Express Gondola June 22 for bikers to access more than 25 miles of trails. The gondola will be open Friday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Lift rates are $14 for one ride and $16 for an all-day pass. Bike rentals are available. Guided rides are offered on Friday afternoons from 3 to 6 p.m. for $15.
Snowbird
The Tram at Snowbird will allow mountain bikers beginning July 1 and will be the only lift serving riders this summer. Riders are allowed to explore the 12 miles of trails and roads for free before that date.
Mountain bike rentals are available through the Snowbird Activity Center and start at $35 for three hours. The Tram will run daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Solitude
This Big Cottonwood Canyon resort opened the Sunrise Lift for bikers, hikers and disc golfers in early June. The cost is $6 per ride to access 20 miles of trails. Bike rentals are available for $10 an hour or $35 a day.
Sundance
The resort is open to lift-served mountain biking daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. with service up the mountain via Ray's Lift. Rates are $18 for a full-day, $14 for a half-day and $10 for twilight. Rentals are available, as is group pricing. The Sundance Mountain Biking School also hold skills clinics for all levels of riders. Sundance is also offering the Mountain Biking Ladies Day Program, focused on biking skills.
Wolf Mountain
Wolf Mountain is offering lift-served mountain biking for the first time this summer, which includes access to the Wolf Lair's Mountain Bike Terrain Park, the first in the state. Cyclists can ride the Howling Wolf lift for $15 all day or $5 for a single ride.
The lift runs for riders and the terrain park is open Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until June 28th when mountain bikers will be able to ride Thursday through Sunday until Sept. 1.
No lift-served riding available at:
Alta
Beaver Mountain
Brighton
Powder Mountain
