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Hawk

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Mad River Valley / MA
If I really wanted to ski I would just go out to California and visit friends at Palasades or Alpine. Seriously, if you have to ski dirt, grass and rocks or walk, it's not worth it to me. I have done plenty of that through the years. No need to now.

There is also so much snow all over the west that the back country is limitless right now. Some of the videos are epic.
 

ss20

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Jan 13, 2013
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A minute from the Alta exit off the I-15!
If I really wanted to ski I would just go out to California and visit friends at Palasades or Alpine. Seriously, if you have to ski dirt, grass and rocks or walk, it's not worth it to me. I have done plenty of that through the years. No need to now.

There is also so much snow all over the west that the back country is limitless right now. Some of the videos are epic.

Year round skiing this summer in Utah is 100% certain now that June has/will continue to be abnormally cold.
 

abc

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Mar 2, 2008
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Lower Hudson Valley
If I really wanted to ski I would just go out to California and visit friends at Palasades or Alpine. Seriously, if you have to ski dirt, grass and rocks or walk, it's not worth it to me. I have done plenty of that through the years. No need to now.
I don’t do it any more. But I used to do it. It’s fun in its own way. No different than picking my way around rocks and cliffs out west. It’s the hunt that’s the fun.

But then again, I’m a mountain biker. So finding my line when there doesn’t seem to have a clear path is the kind of stuff that makes the outing “fun”. I guess that carries over to skiing through dirt and grass.

When I’m on my road bike, I like roads that are silky smooth. But that can get old if it’s the only roads I ride on. Kind of like carving freshly groomed runs in the morning. Enjoyable but don’t feel like doing only it day in and day out. So when I take my mountain bike out, the last thing I want to ride is smooth trails. I WANT obstacles!
 

jimmywilson69

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Oct 18, 2010
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Dillsburg, PA
BUT you don't have a suspension and a heavy bike, so it CAN"T be MTB


I'm with you. I ride my gravel bike on some single track MTB trails. Obviously the less technical ones.
 

SkiingInABlueDream

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Aug 2, 2006
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the woods of greater-Waltham
Which part of OBSTACLE did you not get!

Better yet, show me a smooth trail in Moab, with obstacles. ;)

Then tell me about “flow”.
Of course I know what obstabcles are. Im a mtn biker who rides tech most of the time. You don't what flow means. Flow trails are bike trails that are generally smooth but have turns, usually bermed, and often jumps and/or drops. The trail is designed to be ridden at certain speed, usually fast, at which speed the rider "flows" through all the features. And while the jumps and drops on many flow trails have B lines that make it possible to "ride" (in a vague sense) the trail on a drop bar bike, it's a given that you wont be taking the turns as fast (or enjoyably) as you would on even a hard tail mtn bike (that's a segue to geo) and jumps/drops dont even enter the picture unless you enjoy OTB'ing. All of which circles back to my original point, you're not really "riding" flow trails on a drop bar bike.
 

Domeskier

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Oct 15, 2012
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New York
I like that seatless mountain bike riding where they hop around on boulders like mountain goats.
 

abc

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Mar 2, 2008
Messages
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Location
Lower Hudson Valley
That is not what I am saying - I am saying you don't do it properly. I can pretty much ride most mountain bike trails with my cyclocross (gravel) bike. Getting air not so much but don't on my Mtn bike either (or skis).
I ride my gravel bike on some single track MTB trails. Obviously the less technical ones.
you're not really "riding" flow trails on a drop bar bike.
Yep!

Except those “obviously, less technical” ones. ;)

Flow trails are bike trails that are generally smooth but have turns, usually bermed, and often jumps and/or drops.
Plus, roots and rocks.

This insistent on SMOOTH, combined with suspension, had basically dumb down trail riding to ”point and shoot”, not too different from road riding!

In a time when road riders are seeking the variation of NOT SMOOTH surface by venturing onto gravel and even single tracks, mountain biking community‘s insistence of SMOOTH SURFACE is such a sell out. Too many “features” in mountain bike trails had been “smoothed out” in favor of “flow”!

Grooming out them moguls!
 

Hawk

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Nov 22, 2016
Messages
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Location
Mad River Valley / MA
I ride the North Shore of Boston. Lynn Woods, Harold Parker, the Fells and All over Manchester, Gloucester and Rockport. I have also rode at Moab, Purg and Fruita. It does not have the vertical that out west has but pound for pound it is WAY more technical and knarly in a genreal sence. You can always find crazy trail anywhere you go but all the general trails, especially Lynn, are complete cover with rocks, roots and drops.
 

deadheadskier

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Mar 6, 2005
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Southeast NH
I don't see a problem with offering both. I'd argue that the push for smooth, flowing, gravel trails is in response to road biking becoming far more dangerous than ever before. Gravel riding allows for the more low impact, aerobic workout riding that road bikers are looking for, but in a safer fashion. Dedicated asphalt bike trails are crazy expensive to build and maintain.

In 2023 I find road biking nuts. FAR too many distracted drivers to worry about compared to the pre cellphone era. I'm glad I live in a neighborhood that most people drive 20mph or less. Makes me less worried about my kids riding their bikes. But I always tell them to suspect every car they see has a distracted driver.
 
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