Downhill mountain biking at Purgatory
Lift-assisted downhill and cross-country MTB in Durango
Purgatory is one of the Southwest’s top ski areas, but come summer the snow melts and the trails are filled with bikers, not skiers.
Purgatory is open for mountain biking daily from the middle of June to the middle of August, and on weekends and Labor Day through early October. The lift runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Mountain biking at Purgatory offers something for everyone, from families looking to enjoy the mountains without the need to pedal to expert downhill bikers looking for a mountain with tons of features and technical challenges.
Mountain biking at Purgatory uses Lift 1, the high-speed six seater chairlift, to ferry bikers and their bikes from the base village at 9,000 feet to the summit at over 10,400. From the summit, bikers have a wealth of trails to choose from ranging from the moderate cruiser 7th Heaven to the World Cup DH, a pro line with massive jump features. Also from the top is Shangri-La, a new beginner trail that snakes far onto the backside of the mountain before topping out at the summit of Lift 4 and meandering through aspen forests and alpine meadows before returning to the base.
Scattered throughout the mountain are skills parks, a slalom course, a jump line, view points, and picnic spots. Just like in winter, the mountain is patrolled by a professional bike patrol crew.
Just like it is in the winter, getting up the mountain is easy in summer. How? Riders approach the bottom terminal and hand their bikes to lift staff, then walk up and sit down on the chair for a relaxing ride up. At the top, just hop off and scoot out of the way. Meanwhile, bikes are loaded by trained staff on empty chairs and hung safely by their wheels. The bikes are dismounted from the chairs at the summit by lefties and handed off to riders.
Purgatory Village in summer is much calmer and quieter than it is in winter, but there are still plenty of options for eating, drinking, shopping, and sleeping.
Downhill mountain biking, while extremely fun, is not the same as cross-country or trail biking, and riders will get the most out of the experience with the right bike. Downhill biking is best with downhill or enduro bikes that have bigger suspensions that eat up steep, rocky trails. Good candidates include the Orbea Oiz, Ibis Ripmo, Orbea Rallon, and the Orbea Occam, all of which can be rented in Durango from Brimstone Bikes.
To learn more about downhill mountain biking at Purgatory ski area, or about other mountain bike trails in Durango, contact the pros at Brimstone today.