Yesterday, a friend and I hit up Snoqualmie Bike Park for an afternoon session (3-7pm end-of-day tickets). My initial impression was quite positive, although some trail design choices left me a bit puzzled. Here’s a breakdown of the trails we experienced:
Blue Trails: Warm-up and Flow
The blue tech trail serves as an excellent, mellow warm-up. Similarly, the upper section of the green flow trail is beginner-friendly and enjoyable. However, the lower portion of the green flow trail felt excessively berm-heavy, with too many back-and-forth turns for my liking. Regarding the blue flow trail, the jump lines in the upper section are a bit perplexing. Specifically, there are instances of a small double jump leading directly into a large table top, without sufficient run-up space to build speed for the second feature. This design might be challenging for riders who are still progressing their jumping skills at Snoqualmie Bike Park.
Black Trail: A Step Up in Challenge
The black trail at Snoqualmie Bike Park is a definite highlight. It offers numerous appealing optional lines, including a cool, compact slab feature. In terms of difficulty, the black trail is legitimately black, comparable to trails rated black at NOTG (presumably referring to another local riding area). It represents a significant increase in challenge compared to the blue trails, which lean towards the easier end of the blue spectrum. Riders progressing from blue to black trails at Snoqualmie Bike Park will find this a rewarding step up.
Black Forest Trail: Steep and Dusty Tech
Black Forest, designated as a double black tech trail at Snoqualmie Bike Park, proved to be very steep and quite dusty on the day we rode. The trail begins with a very challenging rock roll, featuring a sharp edge at the bottom. I chose to bypass this feature via the available ride-around. Beyond the initial rock roll, the remainder of Black Forest felt more akin to a single black trail in terms of difficulty. It definitely felt less challenging than Predator, another trail likely used as a benchmark for difficulty. While the dusty conditions made it somewhat difficult to fully assess, Black Forest wasn’t my favorite trail on this visit to Snoqualmie Bike Park.
Slab and Tickle Trail: A Phenomenal Double Black Experience
Slab and Tickle, another double black tech trail at Snoqualmie Bike Park, is truly exceptional. However, the choice of the initial feature – a sizable gap jump with no ride-around option – is somewhat peculiar, especially considering it’s the only jump feature on the entire trail. Immediately following this initial feature is an incredible slab, estimated to be 20-25 feet in length. From there, the trail continues to deliver a series of hits, featuring numerous beautiful and engaging off-camber lines. In terms of difficulty compared to other double black trails, Slab and Tickle would likely be on the easier end of Whistler’s double blacks, perhaps slightly more challenging than Schleyer (again, likely referencing Whistler trails for comparison). I was very pleasantly surprised by Slab and Tickle and am eager to ride it again at Snoqualmie Bike Park.
Overall Impression of Snoqualmie Bike Park
In conclusion, the trails at Snoqualmie Bike Park generally justified the price of admission ($36 for the afternoon ticket). Based on this experience, I would definitely consider returning for another ride at Snoqualmie Bike Park. The variety of trails offers something for different skill levels, with the black and double black trails providing a good challenge for more experienced riders.
