Keeping up with the Kimptons: A Photo Tour of Kimpton Hotels

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The Mountain Bike Riding Camp is run out of the High Peaks Cyclery Mountain Bike Center (518.523.1176; www.highpeakscyclery.com/mtnbikecenter.html), which is located at the entrance to the cross-country skiing course inside the Verizon Sports Complex. Two-day camps cost $195, including lunch both days. Daylong camps run $100 (lunch included). Both the one- and two-day courses follow the same general schedule: The morning is spent on obstacle navigation—banked curves, jumps, log and stream crossings, sand and loose gravel—along with ascending and descending techniques, instructions on when to shift, how to align your body on the bike, and how to pedal for power. After a quick lunch back at the Mountain Bike Center, you spend the rest of the day tearing through the course, putting that morning's lessons to the test. If your skill level is deemed Kinta-worthy, you'll hit some singletrack. Dates for the camps vary; CLICK HERE for the most up-to-date schedule.
The Mountain Bike Center also offers half- and full-day bike and helmet rentals. There is a nominal $6 entry fee to the course. Guided moonlit rides are also available.

At first glance, the terrain at Van Ho seems more suited for beginner and intermediates, though log crossings and man-made jumps keep things interesting along the stretches of grass single- and doubletrack. The wooded singletrack routes are considerably more technical, but they are poorly marked and hard to locate, and the trail map is equally confusing. Ask the guides at the Mountain Bike Center to point out the Kinta, and any other recently cut singletrack.

The Verizon Sports Complex (518.523.1176; www.orda.org/verizoncomplex.htm) also includes the 1932/1980 bobsled run, the newly constructed combined bobsled/luge/skeleton track, and the biathlon course. You can take runs on the 1980 bobsled course year round, starting midway up the track, for $30.

When to Go:
Van Ho is open to mountain biking from mid-June to mid-October. Check with High Peaks Cyclery for specific dates each season.

Getting There:
Lake Placid is located in the middle of the High Peaks Adirondacks region on Routes 73 and 86, about 2.5 hours from Albany and about five hours from New York City. Take I-87 north to the scenic Route 73. Van Ho is located within the Verizon Sports Complex on Route 73, six miles south of Lake Placid. Follow signs to the cross-country skiing course.

Regional Outfitters:
High Peaks Cyclery (331 Main Street; Lake Placid, NY 12940; 518.52.3764; www.highpeakscyclery.com) has been a Lake Placid cycling institution since 1982, and runs both mountain bike centers at Van Ho and Whiteface Ski Resort. They offer half-, single-, and multi-day bike and helmet rentals, and offer a variety of other guided outdoor pursuits throughout the Adirondacks region.

Where to Stay:
Placid Bay Inn (70 Saranac Avenue; Lake Placid, NY 12946; 518.523.2001; www.placidbay.com) offers quiet, reasonably priced cottages and rooms (some with kitchenettes) on the shores of Lake Placid. Free canoe and paddleboat use and pool access are included.

Whispering Pines Campsites (Cascade Road at Route 73; Lake Placid, NY 12946; 1.800.437.9322; www.adirondacks.com/whisperingpines) is located directly opposite the entrance to the Verizon Sports Complex. It has a variety of camp options, from tent sites ($17 per night) to self-contained cabins ($57 per night).