Kingdom Trails Association and Q Burke Mountain have reached agreement on access, management and revenues relating to the mountain biking trails on the ski resort’s property.
The nonprofit recreation group and the ski area were at an impasse in December, but announced in late May after subsequent negotiations they had settled on a plan that serves mountain bikers well, KTA executive director Tim Tierney said.
“It’s all good,” Tierney said by phone Tuesday following a groundbreaking ceremony for a new hotel that will open at Q Burke in December 2015. Tierney was thanked during the ceremony for his organization’s contribution to the mountain and the community, which has become a nationally renowned destination for mountain biking.
In a news release announcing the deal, Q Burke CEO Ary Quiros said he was excited for the expanding resort to complement Kingdom Trails Association’s offerings.
“We are really looking forward to working together to continue to make this area an incredible place for mountain bikers and their families,” Quiros said.
Use of the trail network and downhill bike park will not change significantly for riders.
The agreement treats cross-country trails on Q Burke property a little differently than the downhill bike park. Q Burke will continue providing chair lift access, and will take over park maintenance. Elsewhere on the property, cross-country trails will remain under the care of Kingdom Trails through the organization’s standard landowner agreement.
The association’s network for biking and cross-country skiing encompasses more than 100 miles of trails, much of it on the private property of more than 50 landowners.
Cross-country trails on the mountain will remain open seven days per week to Kingdom Trails Association members.
When the bike park at Q Burke opens June 6, association members will have free access during non-operating hours. On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, bike park access will be available for park pass-holders. Both groups offer daylong and seasonal passes.
Quiros said Tuesday that mountain biking is an integral part of the resort’s future — one that he expects will rival skiing as a staple of operations. Climate change is one reason the ski area is diversifying, Quiros said. He said reliance on cold winter sports might not be viable for the location in years to come.
It’s also part of a recreation-centered business plan that includes a proposed aquatic center and tennis facility, expected to open with the first hotel in December 2015.
Q Burke’s sister mountain, Jay Peak to the north, also has diversified, with an indoor water park, golf courses and other amenities to make it a four-season destination. Jay Peak president Bill Stenger, who consults on Q Burke operations, said mountain biking’s potential for volume will make it a key to the resort’s success.
Whereas a golf course’s traffic is limited to roughly 225 players in a day, he said Jay Peak’s water park can accommodate up to 2,000 visitors per day. It’s a similarly high tier of traffic they’ll aim for at the bike park.
Tierney said that with Q Burke taking over some of the organization’s territory, Kingdom Trails Association will look to improve its existing trail system and possibly expand further north and into the town of Kirby.
The association had secured a grant to fund planned work at the bike park. Tierney said Q Burke paid $19,000 to compensate the organization for the value of the grant.
