Recommendations for novice MTN biker in GORE area

My wife and I (Poindexter) just got our first MTN bikes.  We have serious adrenaline withdrawal with the ski season being over.  Our 20th wedding anniversary is on the way, and dexter has opted for MTN bikes versus jewelry.  Gotta love that, no?  

Anyhow, turns out that we have quite a bit of single track down here Long Island.  Any recommendations for when we travel back up North???

We, of course, will be heading back to Garnet Hill where we x-country ski.  Any other recs?

Thanks

Garnet Hill X-C trails are very ride able, the snow shoe trails also but a bit more advanced, rooty single-track. Ski Bowl Park offers some very nice trails, some technical ,some flowy, one somewhat easy and a connection to town. Note They may be more than beginner, noting that these are your first MTN bikes. River Road out of North Creek to Ripaius is very beginner friendly.

Being Novice I might suggest taking a ride out to Great Camp Santoni (sp)..about 5 miles of wide dirt path.  Pack a lunch and a fishing rod, then take a hike before your ride back.  

Luther Forest in Malta is where I take beginners for single track. Gurney Lane Trails in Queensbury were decent, too. Those ski bowl trails also look pretty beginner friendly.

mattchuck2 wrote

Luther Forest in Malta is where I take beginners for single track. Gurney Lane Trails in Queensbury were decent, too. Those ski bowl trails also look pretty beginner friendly.

Welcome back MC.

I have only seen a video of the Ski Bowl, so when I saw CMR's post I txt'd Steve Ovitt.  He described the trails as intermediate and above.

Anyone ridden them?

X2 on the Camp Santanoni ride. Very nice and the trip back out is real fun with plenty of downhill zip. No big hills to climb except the one that descends to the camp/lake.

Harvey wrote

I have only seen a video of the Ski Bowl, so when I saw CMR's post I txt'd Steve Ovitt.  He described the trails as intermediate and above.

Anyone ridden them?

I was just judging by what I could see from the parking lot. That video shows a little more rowdy stuff that is further up, I guess.

I'd say the snow bowl trails are intermediate +, mainly because of the vertical.  Lot's of climbing.  Not for a beginner unless they have the lungs.  

Thanks to everyone for the replies!  I just got an email from my local bike shop and my bike has arrived.  I'm very excited.  

Santanoni looks like a great first ride for us.  Frankly, we had been talking about hiking that trail for some time, and I like the fact that we'll end up by the water.  Should be fun for us and our 13 year old son.  

MC, I found Luther Forest on a MTB site and it looks like a very good starting point for us to try single track.  Thanks for the tip.

We'll probably give the Ski Bowl a try as well since it's so convenient and we have hiked around there as well.  

Has anyone tried the Speculator Loops?  Or anything you recommend that is novice/intermediate in the Lake Placid region?  

There's a lot of trails in the Lake Placid/Wilmington area. Some one will weigh in on them. Scotty ? HPD ?

Nice video Zachary!  Thank's for posting it Harvey.

Are the trails at the bowl marked?  I saw at the end of the video that there are a couple of intermediate trails which I'd like to check out.

BTW, I like how you bookended the day with coffee at Sarah's and drinks at Bar Vino.  Not a bad way to spend the day...

Tons of stuff in Wilmington, LP, Saranac:
Hardy Rd Trails
Flume Trails
Craigwood
Loggers/Lussi
Mt Pisgah
Dewey Mtn
Barkeater Trails Alliance is on FB and have a website.  You can often find ScottyJack in the Barkeater territory, rutting up the trails, not yielding to climbing bicycles or pedestrians and stealing peoples dogs.

Great trails off of exit 20 as well- Gurney lane trails that MC touched on.  The drain out fairly quickly, not very technical with some short climbs and very fun flowing downhill sections.  They're doubling the trail count this year as well.