Silver Mountain hosts extreme mountain bike races

KELLOGG — For all you extreme mountain biking fans, this weekend will see downhill mountain bike racers from all over the Pacific Northwest and Canada flock to Silver Mountain Bike Park for round 4 of the Northwest Cup Race Series.

The Northwest Cup is the premier downhill mountain bike race series in the Northwest with riders competing against each other for the fastest downhill time on a very rough track.

This year, Silver Mountain expects to see between 250-300 racers all vying for the podium.

This round of the Northwest Cup begins Friday, as racers practice their runs and look for the best lines.

After two days of practice, the timed competition will begin on Sunday, with an awards ceremony in the village that afternoon.

“We’ve added a new Pro and Expert course this year, which allowed us to move our Sport racers on to a much tougher trail this season,” Silver Mountain marketing coordinator Willy Bartlett said. “Even being around downhill racing for years, I’m blown away by how fast these riders tackle these difficult tracks. It’s hair raising.”

Easy access will allow spectators to watch as racers fly down the course while navigating challenges such as rocks, drops and tree roots.

Spectators have the advantage of being able to watch the event for nothing more than the cost of a lift ticket to the top of Silver Mountain via the more than 3-mile gondola ride.

Some of the best viewing areas are just a two-minute walk from the top of the gondola.

For more information, including ticket prices and schedule of races, please visit www.silvermt.com or call 208-783-1111.