Staring at the e-mountain bike for the first time, I ponder, “Are you that bad boy of the biking world, driving too fast with a wide-tooth grin, or that pretty girl in high school who just can’t help doing everything better than everyone else?” As a longtime “unplugged” mountain biker, I want to hate you. Still, as I effortlessly navigate the buff switchbacks climbing higher, faster and without my audible panting, I stare up at Mount Timpanogos and down at the bike and acknowledge, “Amazing!”
Visitors to the Wasatch Back have plenty of options for e-biking, but riding the trails at Soldier Hollow are among the best. Nestled above Heber Valley — minutes from Deer Valley Resort and Sundance Mountain Resort — SoHo is best known as the venue for the Nordic Skiing and Biathlon events at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games but, to locals, this section of sprawling Wasatch Mountain State Park has, for decades, been a year-round playground and preserve for athletes and enthusiasts alike.
Although hiking and biking trails wend their way along the Park’s boundaries on the Wasatch Back like the Provo River below, those in and along SoHo are unique. They include first-class singletrack — well-engineered and maintained — that welcome numerous high school, amateur and professional mountain bike events, but they are otherwise quiet during the busy summer season. Apart from race days, bikers rarely see another rider climbing Pete’s Climb, a meandering intermediate trail or descending Abandon Ship, an advanced downhill bomber. More than 10 miles of additional singletrack and even more sitting adjacent to SoHo await.
Gems Hiding in Plain Sight
Utah and the Wasatch Back, in particular, are flooded with mountain bikers and hikers after the spring melt, with wildflowers and wildlife lining these public and private lands. Soldier Hollow, part of Wasatch Mountain State Park, charges a minimal trail pass fee ($8 for adults, $5 for kids; $40 summer pass; $180-$235 for annual pass that includes Nordic skiing). In an area with a surfeit of free flow options, the fee keeps crowds down and the stoke high.
Those new to mountain biking can enjoy the green trails at their own pace, instilling confidence and competence. More advanced riders won’t have to stop, start or move over multiple times along the way. It’s the closest thing to having a private biking park in the Wasatch.
E-Mountain Biking at Soldier Hollow
As an unplugged, analog or OG mountain biker, I have long eschewed, resisted and harrumphed e-biking. “I’m in good shape,” “I don’t need an e-bike,” “When I get older,…”
Heber Valley[/service]. In Park City, e-bikes are prohibited on singletrack trails, except for special permit holders for riders over 65 or with a disability.]
I spent the day effortlessly gliding up the trails. Okay, except when I stopped to take a bunch of photos, and the bike finally shut off, and I unknowingly started the sturdy steed’s next climb with zero pedal assistance. I flowed down with as much energy as abandon and, like a spark, understood the amp-filled appeal. It’s just easier, allowing riders to enjoy all the other amazing aspects of this incredible terrain.
E-mountain biking allows you to travel higher, faster, and farther. In a single day, there is enough energy in your tank and the bike’s to explore any and all of the trails at Soldier Hollow. You can capture the high-altitude views of snow-capped Mount Timpanogos and then dip down to adjacent Deer Creek Reservoir for up to 15 miles of doubletrack bliss along the waterline.
Even easier, a bike carrier is not needed to reach the trailhead. Full-suspension Rossignol Mandate E-mountain bikes and “regular” MTBs in various sizes are available to rent at Soldier Hollow (Half-Day: 8:30am-12:30pm, $75; full-day: 8:30am-12:30pm the following day, $110). Helmets are provided. Reservations are recommended. Snacks and (amazing hand-crafted) coffee and cold drinks are available on site.
More Cowbell!
To watch and cheer the best mountain bikers in the region and world, visit Soldier Hollow this summer for one of its premier events. The Intermountain Cup — Wasatch 50 (over 2700’ of climbing over miles, at high altitude) will be held at SoHo on June 21, with young groms to experienced elites fighting for endurance race glory.
The following weekend features the Soldier Hollow Bike Fest, a UCI and USA Cycling-sanctioned race offering pros, amateurs and fans competition and prize money typically reserved for European venues. Bring your cowbells and cheer them on!
The mountain biking at Soldier Hollow is…electric. From e-biking to professional racing, SoHo provides world-class singletrack, scenic doubletrack, and the equipment to enjoy every rock, roll and switchback in the quiet of the Wasatch Back. It’s like having your own private Ride-aho.
