Our mountain bike trails don’t get much better than this… and to celebrate we have a couple of DEALS for you:

50% off Mountain Bike Rentals
Offered through Sunday, August 4, 2024

Full day only, through this Sunday, July 28 – cannot be combined with other offers/promos. No advance purchase/reservation required – first come, first served at the rental counter in the main base lodge, but we have plenty of downhill bikes all tuned up and ready to go for ya. More info on BV Mountain Bike Rentals

20% off food at the James Moore Tavern & Village Cafe
Through September 18, 2024

for Summer Season Passholders (Sports Center &/or Mtn Bike Park) AND Anyone who purchases a lift ticket (bike park/scenic lift ride) &/or mountain bike rental or lesson. Not valid on drinks OR at the Mountain Market/Miso Hut. More info on dining options HERE

And while we’re at it – how about a winter promo…

Early Bird Winter Hotel Special

Book now and enjoy 15% off winter hotel and suite rates (not the Evangeline suite, though) – discount does not apply to some restricted room types or holiday dates and is subject to availability. Use code earlybird to unlock your winter savings at time of online booking. Check hotel pricing & availability HERE

The post Deals For Summer (& Winter) Fun appeared first on Bolton Valley.

I was a part of the bell pepper group (beginners) and the first week we learned about the bike, equipment, and focused on body positioning #readyposition. By the second week we were already going up the lift and down the green trail! Many of us were actually more nervous about loading the bikes on the lift than going down the trail but we crushed both! 

Week 3 we worked on cornering which I was most excited about because that’s where I feel I struggle the most. It was nice to hear that turns we were practicing on the flats of the progression park are actually harder than the ones going down the trail. After this lesson we went back down the green trail, and it felt like my best run! Looking through the turns and other tips I learned before the ride were super helpful. On our last week we worked on a technique called “peak and push”, this taught us how to deal with any drops or bumps we may encounter and allows you to be in control of the bike. 

We finished up camp with another group ride down Ebascootcha and you could notice the improvements we all had from our first time down, we were going faster and stopping less while being more in control. I really appreciated how before we rode each week we recapped what we learned the week before. I also enjoyed how we got to learn and practice skills in the progression zone and then apply them on the trail. Doing this helped make it feel less intimidating and led us to become more comfortable and confident while going downhill.

Overall the 4 weeks made me feel much more at ease riding. When I started I was nervous to go down the green trail and now I can go down Ebascootcha comfortably and am ready to try some blues! It also helps to be around people who are the same skill level as you, and share similar concerns. Gage and Jasmine were such kind and skilled coaches who made you feel welcomed and where no question was a dumb question. (You can book a Saturday clinic with Jasmine!) Our group may not have been the most advanced of mountain bikers but we definitely had the most fun! Everyone enjoyed camp so much we exchanged numbers to ride with each other again. 

If you are looking to start or grow your Mountain Bike journey like me try some of these offerings:

Rider Pack 

Bolton Fest Adult Camp 

Bikes & Gear

The post What to expect: Babe Force MTB Camp appeared first on Bolton Valley.

And we could use your help!

We enjoy naming new trails, but the challenge is, we just have so many directions we could take it. So we thought we’d take a moment to hear your opinions on the matter. As with most bike parks, we are mindful of starting / keeping a theme going and we’re sort of lucky to be walking into a few good options there.

Themes
(and trail names that go with them)

1. Aeronautical theme: It’s a jump trail, so an aeronautical theme makes sense… and, not for nothing, we just so happen to already have a trail just next to this one called Wright Bros. Sure, you probably thought that was a tip of the cap to the famed first flight on the Outer Banks near the turn of the 20th Century. Well, it’s not. But for the purposes of this exercise, it sure is handy that folks think that and continuing with that theme we offer you the options:
   Airheart (would probably show up on trail signs as Air + the heart emoji) – this a tip of the cap to Amelia Earhardt, of course
   JetBlue – We find flying the friendly skies with them is generally better than the alternative, and they have those little tv’s in the back of the seat and we love them for that. Also, this suggestion was offered by our hard-working trail crew, so it immediately gets taken seriously.
   Airbus – another one that came from the trail crew. Was also offered as a future black jump trail name. We’re not saying that’s coming any time real soon, but eventually, there can be no doubt and we want to be mindful of that evolution in this process.
2. Birds Aren’t Real theme: Okay, they might be real, but maybe not… could be spies, could be aliens, could be dinosaurs lost in time, who can be sure really? But whatever the heck those flying marmots are up to, we do like the notion of blue jump and black jump trails becoming:
   Bluebird – birds fly, you’re going to fly on this trail and it allows for the natural step up to Blackbird, or Raven.
   Three Little Birds – sure, checks the bird box, but probably it’s own thing going on here, covered with theme 3 here.
3. Numerology & Song Double Whammy:
   Three Little Birds – yeah, it sort of fits in the category above, but we like it more as a potential candidate for these 3 reasons: 1. We love Bob Marley and the simple sentiment of this song. We know, we know, that’s some basic b&*^*&^ status right there, but hey, sometimes you just have to submit to the easy button. 2. On the numerology front, this is kind of fun… if you look at our trail map you’ll notice we going from looker’s left to right we’d then have One Love (oh hey gain, Bob), Double Down (2) and then Three Little Birds. Dig, dog? 3. Song themes are fun… We’ve already got One Love in there and it would open up Pandora’s box on all new trail names going forward (in fact, the Blackbird idea offered above would work on this front as well).
4. Whip it Real Good: in some regards this last suggested trail name you’ll have the opportunity to vote on sort of fits into that the song bucket as well, if we just make it all about Devo’s classic “Whip It.” Which if you just clicked that link and watched that video, tell me you’re not happy and don’t want to go rip some jumps on your bike? So we offer you:
   Cool Whip – Song aside, let’s face it, this spreadable imitation whipped cream is more of a lifestyle than a food product. As would it be it’s grown up more advanced sibling Miracle Whip for the black jump trail in the years to come.
5. Zoolander / Movies Theme: This one isn’t a slam dunk on the theme train, per se, but we just think it’s a really funny (and fun) trail name to consider, so we’re adding it here:
   Blue Steel – “I’m pretty sure there’s a lot more to life than being really, really, ridiculously good looking. And I plan on finding out what that is.” Psssst, Derek, you just might find the enlightenment you seek on this trail…

What do you think we should do?

Vote Here:

The post Help Us Name the New Blue Jump Trail appeared first on Bolton Valley.

**Not transferrable. Must be used by one individual on 3 unique days. Valid through fall 2022.

Buy a Dirt Pass Now

Not sure how long this screaming deal will last, but with the new top-to-bottom beginner flow trail open and having just opened a new section of the new Blue Jump trail, we figured we’d make it real easy for you to come ride with us.

Vista lift spins 5 days a week through Labor Day (9/5) and then 3 days a week after that through Vermont’s legendary Fall Foliage Season.

Our independent, locally owned and operated ski and bike resort is conveniently located just off Interstate 89, just 30 minutes from Burlington/Stowe, Vermont and just 2 hours from Montreal and 3 hours from Boston. Getting here is easy peasy lemon squeezy… and once you’re here, you may not want to leave!

The new outdoor pool is now open, our concert series Live Music on the Lawn is free every Wednesday and Friday evening in August and we’re serving breakfast, lunch and dinner 7 days/week with gorgeous sunset views everywhere you look. Oh, and did we mention creemees?

Come on up to higher ground and see for yourself what all the hype is about!

The post Introducing: The Dirt Pass appeared first on Bolton Valley.

From Labor Day through fall foliage season, Vista will run 3 days a week (Fri to Sun 10am to 5pm), which is also our favorite time of year for scenic lift rides to the top of Vermont.

The post The Mid Summer Lift Shift appeared first on Bolton Valley.

$20 Half Day Lift Tickets* AND 20% Off Half Day Bike Rentals* (rentals in person). This was originally a July promo, but we’ve had so much fun with the weekday (and après work) crowds, sort of like night skiing in the winter, that we’ve decided to continue this promo right on through to Labor Day.
*Valid Wednesday to Friday Through Labor Day. Weekday lift hours Wed to Fri through 7/29: Noon to 8pm. Lift hours beginning next week (Aug 3) Noon to 7pm.

~

Downhill MTB Starter Pack – $99 for everything you need to try out the sport** Comes with:
Half Day Lift Ticket, Half Day Bike Rental, Group (Beginner) Lesson and Helmet/Safety Equipment. Friday to Sunday only, subject to availability. Please book in advance online.
**This one’s for beginner mountain bikers only (i.e. new to mountain biking and/or only riding green/beginner terrain).

~

Hope to see you around the mountain soon! And if it is very soon, perhaps you’ll be joining us for Live Music on the Lawn Wednesday and Friday all 2022 summer long) and/or Community Vendor Night (tonight, Wed 7/27 and again end of Aug/early September) and/or Friday’s first (of hopefully many) VMBA Local Chapter Night with our good friends at Richmond Mountain Trails and demos from Outdoor Gear Exchange and Zerode Bikes. Gonna be a fun week on the hill!

Check out the entire events calendar here:
boltonvalley.com/events

The post Green Means Go appeared first on Bolton Valley.

On August 21, Bolton Babe Force presented a ride day. A group ride was held in the morning for riders who were experienced on blues and black terrain. They ventured down Vista Glades, Wright Bros, Blue Jump, and Broken Bridge. 

The group ride was very adamant about riding, with minimal talking and discussion before each run. They zoomed on down different blues and black trails, enjoying one another’s company. Plus the whole time, women were encouraging others on their skills and comfort level. 

In the afternoon, there was a three hour lesson for riders who knew the basics skills of mountain biking and up. The participants were then taken down to the progression park to work on body positions in regards to how to do jumps and drops using the features that we have in our skills park. After some practice time and learning the basics, they then went up on the lift to practice their new skills on the trails. 

After such an incredible Women’s Clinic and Babe Force Ride Day, we’re so excited that Bolton Babe Force is transitioning into a year round group where babes can get together and be rad doing different adventure sports in every season!

The post Bolton Babe Force Ride Day appeared first on Bolton Valley.

That all changed summer of 2021. 

It’s Hannah here, I work in the marketing department at Bolton Valley, and one of my main duties at Bolton Valley is the trail reporter, so during the winter, I would be on snow skiing every day I came up to the mountain. But when we started to run the lifts and open our mountain bike trails, I found myself reporting on a sport I had no idea how to do. I spent hours learning the lingo and researching the mountain bike community as much as I could through the end of the winter and spring, but it just wasn’t enough. I even borrowed a friend’s mountain bike and had a friend teach me a few things in the progression park at Bolton Valley, but that didn’t really help, as it wasn’t the same terrain. 

So when our Mountain Program Director, Jen, reached out to me with all the information to upload a new Mountain Bike clinic specifically for women onto the website, I was impressed and inspired. The Women’s Mountain Bike Clinic would be four two hour lessons spread over four Wednesdays. It was for all ability levels, whether you had never been on a mountain bike to if you were riding Hydra and just wanted a few pointers on how to hit Waterfall Gap. 

The next day, I secured my spot for the women’s clinic, and all there was left to do was wait. 

It was showtime, it was time to learn how to mountain bike, and I was freaking out. My nerves were over the top about learning something new at the age of 23, let alone a dangerous sport.  

There were around 25 women who showed up at the clinic, and we were all split up into our groups. I was with a few other women who had the only mountain biked a few times and needed some more tips and guidance. 

In the first lesson, we learned how to position our bodies while biking, how to tilt our bike when it came to berms, rollover different features, maneuver our handlebars, and turn our wheels appropriately all while in the progression zone. 

While I was initially terrified of Bolton Valley’s terrain, I was slowly taught how to handle the terrain and conditions that the mountain offers. We started off slowly though, the second lesson we biked on the green and blue cross country trails Bolton has and learned more of the technical aspect of what trails would be out of the hill. We learned how to turn quickly and how to bike over rocks while maneuvering down a single track.

When it came time for the third lesson, we headed straight up the lift. For me personally, when it came to the thought of taking the lift up and biking down, I was extremely scared. I knew what the terrain was like from an on-foot perspective and I seriously did not know if I had the ability to get down. 

My hands started to sweat, and my legs were shaking as we made the first descent down the work road towards the top of Spillway. This section was steep and gravel lined the whole path. I was terrified my wheel would slip out from under me. But slowly as we made our way further down the work road heading towards “Wright Bros,” the nerves started to ease a bit and I became more comfortable on my bike. By the time we got to “Wright Bros,” all new muscles hurt, and I was still shaking from nerves and tiredness, but I headed down the trail with my head held high pushing my worries aside. It ended being just fine and after a few times, it was a lot of fun. 

We concluded the third session with another lift ride up and decided that we felt good enough to head down “Vista Glades.” I may have gotten a bit ahead of myself, but it ended up being an okay experience. Towards the end of the trail, I fell pretty hard on one of the steeper berms but it ended up being something that I needed to go through in order to get over one of my biggest fears: falling.  

I wish I could say ALL of my nerves subdued as the lessons went on, but my confidence level did start to showcase itself more and more with every run I took, so I could balance my nerves and confidence. By the end of the four weeks, I possessed the skills to successfully ride down three blue downhill trails Bolton Valley offers, including their work road. 

While mountain biking still makes me nervous, I feel more comfortable and confident every time I get on the bike. I also learned in a way that made me the most comfortable; being taught by awesome encouraging women. 

If you are interested in taking a lesson, check out this page! Just like in winter, they offer different lesson types and for all abilities, even for those advanced mountain bikers who want to further progress their skills.

The post Learning to mountain bike at Bolton Valley appeared first on Bolton Valley.

As soon as we announced our first women’s mountain bike clinic, it quickly sold out. With 25 women signed up, the group was split into beginners, intermediate, and more skilled groups. 

The beginner and intermediate groups began in the progression park working on skills needed to feel more confident with rolling over different features, tilting bikes appropriately, maneuvering the handlebars, and positioning their bodies to have proper technique. 

Over four two-hour lessons, every person learned vital skills to improve beyond the level they came into the clinic with. Whether it was actually how to mountain bike and roll over a rock garden or how to properly take off from a jump and land it. With the help from amazing instructors, everyone was supported and encouraged to improve their abilities. 

In the end, every single lady made it up the lift and down the work road, and at least two blues. Most ladies ended up completing three blues, and the advanced group practiced on the more technical blues and blacks.  

With everyone progressing and learning tons of new skills, Bolton Valley considers this a huge success. We even added a Bolton Babe Force Ride Day because the clinic gained so much attraction! With both events going so well and participants having such a blast, I think the only left is to have a Women’s Clinic round two. Who’s in?  

If you are interested in taking a lesson, check out this page! Just like in winter, they offer all sorts of different lesson types and for all abilities, even for those advanced mountain bikers that want to further progress their skills.

Make sure you check out the Bolton Babe Force page if you want to join this rad gal gang and stay up to date with current and past events, plus everything Bolton Babe Force.

The post Women’s MTB Clinic appeared first on Bolton Valley.

The mountain bike program is blossoming up here for Summer 2021, and our downhill mountain bike coaches/camp counselors got a weekend full training before the season really kicks off. Coaches learned about lots of technical aspects of sport, and also how to coach beginner to intermediate riders down some of the more challenging terrain the Bolton Valley has to offer.

In this video, Harlan from PMBIA gives us a run down of what happened up here this weekend! We will be offering mountain bike lessons and coaching this summer for people looking to dive deeper into biking at Bolton Valley!

The post Mountain Bike Coach Training appeared first on Bolton Valley.