Lutsen is no more!!!

[3gmikey]

In case you aren't aware yet I will be the first to inform you. Lutsen mountain is no longer a mountain bike mecca for Minnesotans. Lutsen has given Mountain Bikers the BIG:nono:!!! They are no longer allowing lift access to bikers, and I am not sure if you are even allowed to ride their trails at all, lift or not. Bummer. I usually only make it up their 2x a year but now that number will be dramatically lower. Check out this link to find out more.:incazzato:

http://www.lutsen.com/summer/sawtooth_park/mountainBiking.cfm

G

[soupboy]

No surprise. Even when it was "open" it sucked.

[jeffgude]

Interesting that they dropped horseback riding as well. So will they just close up completely in the summer?

I was there once many years ago,. and the trails were a muddy mess.

[MTBgirl]

Yes...quite sad indeed. It has been discussed in great detail here:
http://www.morcmtb.org/forums/showthread.php?t=25341 (http://www.morcmtb.org/forums/showthread.php?t=25341)

as well as here:
http://www.morcmtb.org/forums/showthread.php?t=25359

I encourage everyone to voice their opinion to Lutsen Mountains regarding this. Maybe if they realize how many people they have turned away they will realize they actually have a good opportunity to make it profitable in the future.

[Don Youngdahl]

Interesting that they dropped horseback riding as well. So will they just close up completely in the summer?

I was there once many years ago,. and the trails were a muddy mess.

Muddy mess? Probably caused by the horses.:D

[Pandl]

In case you aren't aware yet I will be the first to inform you. Lutsen mountain is no longer a mountain bike mecca for Minnesotans. Lutsen has given Mountain Bikers the BIG:nono:!!! They are no longer allowing lift access to bikers, and I am not sure if you are even allowed to ride their trails at all, lift or not. Bummer. I usually only make it up their 2x a year but now that number will be dramatically lower. Check out this link to find out more.:incazzato:

http://www.lutsen.com/summer/sawtooth_park/mountainBiking.cfm

G

So can people from other states still go there, or it is closed to others besides Minnesotans? ;)

[WKWizard]

Is this the knob that made their decision for them?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_WjwvwsZBQ&feature=related

[jms]

LMFAO!!!?

i bet it is!!!:mad:

Peace,
Joe

[El Chupacabra]

That must've been quite humbling. I wonder if he filed a lawsuit.

[manual63]

What I find funny about this is how much of a missed opportunity Lutsen (and other ski hills) it is when they don't recognize what mountain biking can do for them. But I am not surprised. They gave mountain bikers lift access for how long and just completely ignored doing anything freeride worthy for it. I believe one of the reasons Steeple Chase didn't do so well was because it was a pain to get back up the hill. Ski hills need to make a full commitment to mountain biking, especially the freeride element, in order for it to work. It's a private business and they have to take the risk, just like any business, and build a true freeride park and have lift access, just like they do for skiing and snowboarding. There are a ton of freeriders up in that area (looks like Spirit knows it) and many others will travel 3-4 hours to spend a weekend at some awesome freeride park, but not some lame unkept trail that has no real features to it.

I hope Spirit Mountain sticks with their plan that Adam Buck is involved with. Only then will other ski hills possibly see the opportunity they are missing out on. If it works out west......it can work here......it's that simple.

[Bighit]

Lutsen is perhaps the worst run business of all time. I can't believe they are still open at all.

[Buck]

Wrong on the Steeple Chase account.(that had nothing to do with getting up the hill and everything to do with an insurance company holding them hostage)

Lutsen failed for many reasons. One of the big ones, I think, was the lack of real support from the Mtn Bike community. I think its comical that people are all speaking up now, I've seen this same thread in a few different forums...if people would've spoken up years ago in an organized manner there probably would be good trails up there. All the blame doesn't fall on the resort alone. We as the mtn bike community can't expect a company that specializes in WINTER sports to know a damn thing about biking. Yes we can point to whistler and western and eastern ski resorts as examples of success but if you look at their histories it is bikers who led the charge not the ski resort. (heck it took a couple yrs before the bike industry really started backing lift accessed resorts)

On the flip side: Lutsen did no real marketing of mtn biking, no events(although they used too). No real trail building efforts besides a couple cats from Pioneer Cycle that roughed in some fun trails. Yes it'd be great if they made the initial investment but in their defense why take the leap if they can make it on skiing alone cuz I'd bet money they weren't coming close to breaking even on the mtn biking stuff.

Spirit Mtn is in the process of redoing their Master Plan, I was told it would be released this spring, hopefully it looks good for mtn bikers but who knows. Mtn bikers had the biggest showing at the opinion gathering meetings, so huge props go to the Duluth cycling community for stepping up and taking charge! :cool: BUt at the same time Spirit makes bank on weddings during the summer. :sick: So I could see it going both ways.

its easy to say that if it works out west it'll work here, but that means people here need to step up and help make it work.

whoa, rant over. Crucify me as you see fit. :hit:

weRd
Buck

PS: and who knows maybe all I am spewing is BS. :confused:

[ryno lite]

Good post Buck!

[decoeric]

I agree well said...

[manual63]

its easy to say that if it works out west it'll work here, but that means people here need to step up and help make it work.


Exactly......and we (Buck, Tony, and I) are trying to get people to do just that!

MFC (http://www.mfcmtb.com/)

and

f-bom (http://www.f-bom.org/)

Don't forget that MORC has an interest too, but just not as specifically focused on freeride, BMX, and uh......uh...BigMX??

[jnet4548]

Lutsen has a lot of problems.

1.) The business is now run by the three dumb kids of the original owner.
2.) They've got way way way to much erosion which is ending up in the Poplar river which happens to be a protected trout stream so they need to find ways to comply or face fines.
3.) They building a new chalet @ the base of Moose, new rentals on Ullr and are expanding the ski terrain on the north faces of Moose and Eagle and upgrading all their snowmaking.
4.) The biggest problem is Lutsen will always be a ski resort. They don't care about the mountain bikers.

Someone posted that Lutsen's trails sucked which I totally agree with. Give the terrain they have to work with they didn't do a thing to maximize it. If they'd put in REAL mtb trails it would correct a lot of the errosion problems but there aren't enough riders their during the week to justify the expense. Maybe some day Lutsen will seek out the help of MTB groups for help in designing and maintaing trails but the three headed monster probably will never go for it.

[WKWizard]

Well, just for the record; I was one of those cats with Pioneer Cycles. I designed the flyers. We used to drive up about once a month and usually hauled a bunch of others along. We always had a good time!

[bhill]

good thing I checked before I drove up there.