Under Construction—Pavilions MTB Trail Coming This Summer
More good news to those who wish to conquer trails and mountains on two wheels! Check out the details of Niseko's newest beginner-level MTB trail.
Check out Waza and Mami Ken as they work to bring months of planning into the first stages of construction. They are the two masterminds behind the Pavilions Mountain Bike Trail. The pair are designing the course to be an entry-level to beginner-level ride that is perfect for first-time mountain bikers and children, but which is still fun for long-time enthusiasts such as themselves.
The Journey
Waza has been working to bring mountain biking to the Niseko area for well over a decade. He's been involved with most of the MTB trail development that has happened over the years here in the area in some way or another. "I just want to keep the awareness of MTB in Niseko on the rise", he said when we asked him about his involvement in industry. It's a passion of his that he's done all over the world, in Japan and back in New Zealand, and he is excited to see it taking off in Niseko.
Waza working the wheel, clearing up roots and smoothing out the trail.
What Makes it Good for Beginners?
The number one answer for this would be the gentler incline. When you think of mountain biking you usually think of helmets and body armour, something like the Downhill Series coming this summer. While certainly a great way to get your adrenaline going, full downhill MTB is a bit much for anyone new to the sport. Even a steep incline, such as the Asahigaoka Flow Trail, can be good for beginners due to its design, but the cross-country course that is under construction at the Pavilions will be even easier for riders to get started on.
The Pavilions MTB Trail will be a 1.5 km loop course and will have plenty of bumps and steady rises and dips to make for an exciting ride.
The Biggest News Is?
The new MTB trail will be open to the public, free to use and is planned to be maintained! While there are a number of open-use trails here in the Niseko area, few are maintained and rideable. This leaves the only viable riding options the private MTB trails and courses—not that this is a bad thing—but it will be a nice addition to have a well-maintained public trail.
Photos and video by Glen Claydon Photography. Photos and video are free to share and promote The Pavilions MTB Trail thanks to the generous sponsorship of a number of local companies and the land donation by The Pavilions Niseko.
