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Chairlift-Accessed Mountain Biking Offered At Dodge Ridge
dodge ridge
Crews work on creating mountain biking trails at Dodge Ridge Ski Resort, which is due to open for the inaugural season over the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 13 and 14. Photo Contributed

For the first time ever in the 71-year history of Dodge Ridge Mountain Resort, the Central Sierra destination will open the mountain to chairlift-accessed mountain biking on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 13 and 14, 2022. On Opening Day, Saturday, Aug.13 at 9a.m., when the lifts start turning, there will be a competition to see who can get first chair for the inaugural season kick-off preceded by a ribbon cutting and official commemoration of the moment.

The Dodge Ridge Mountain Bike Park will operate every Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through the end of October (weather permitting) and will evaluate Mountain Bike Park operations for November based on conditions at that time. Single day lift tickets for the inaugural season will go for just $49 for ages 13 and older or $39 for kids 12 and under. Mountain bike season passes will also be available at just $199 and $139 respectively, with mountain bike season pass discounts available for 2022/23 Dodge Ridge Winter Season Passholders. Rental packages will also be available with full suspension bikes, along with helmet, knee and elbow pads. Visit DodgeRidge.com/Mountain for details.

All riders will descend from the top of the Motherlode Chairlift 3 at the 7,400-ft. elevation and traverse out across the mountain with nearly five miles of Beginner/Lower-Intermediate Freeride rollers and banks available on opening day. The crews at Dodge Ridge are also working hard on both an Intermediate Technical and an Intermediate Freeride trail currently in development and slated for completion shortly after opening weekend. Additional trail builds are planned throughout the summer and into fall, introducing more intermediate to advanced trails with approximately nine miles planned for this season. Visit DodgeRidge.com/Mountain for updates.

For the opening weekend festivities, the mountain will showcase live music on both Saturday and Sunday along with bike shop retailer booths and other industry vendors passing out swag and showcasing their best on the Base Camp Bar + Grill sundeck. There will also be promotions and giveaways to score as the weekend of events adds onto the summer activities that have been happening all summer at Dodge Ridge, including chairlift-accessed disc golf, picnicking and hiking, along with yoga classes and bounce houses for kids. The newly transformed menu at the resort’s Base Camp Bar + Grill will also have the BBQ and smoker cooking along with free live music every Saturday and Sunday, including a full list of free backyard summer games like cornhole, ping-pong, foosball, shuffleboard, horseshoes, giant Jenga and more.

Located in Tuolumne County off highway 108 in Pinecrest, Dodge Ridge Mountain Resort is the closest destination for year-round mountain recreation with easy access from California’s Central Valley, Monterey and the greater Bay Area. For reservations and additional information visit DodgeRidge.com or call (209) 965-3474.