Already a popular summertime destination for mountain bikers and golfers, Snowshoe Mountain Resort is hoping to attract even more visitors with the addition of new activities. Starting this Saturday and continuing every Saturday through Labor Day, the West Virginia resort will begin running the Western Express high-speed quad. The scenic lift ride will start at the top of the mountain, giving riders a view of the valley as they descend 1,500 vertical feet. At the bottom of the mountain, riders will find Arbuckle’s Cabin, offering cookouts. Lift ride prices are $6 for adults and $2 for children 12 and under; steak dinner reservations are required for evening lift rides to Arbuckle’s Cabin.

Despite soaring temperatures in the D.C. area, Snowshoe’s Joe Stevens reports that the high temperature at the resort has yet to exceed 75 degrees. Comfortable temperatures may be partly responsible for a surge in golf visits this year; the resort’s Hawthorne Valley golf course recorded more golf rounds this past May than any other May since the course’s opening in 1993. PGA Pro Chip Hierlihy oversees the Hawthorne Valley golf course, and has volunteered to answer questions or offer golf tips from fellow golfers in cyberspace. His e-mail address is chierlihy@snowshoemtn.com.

Snowshoe’s Mike Valach has been busy at work preparing for the launch of the new Snowshoe Outdoor Adventure Program, which will debut on Saturday, June 26. The Program will feature mountain bike and other sport camps, a BMX course, a climbing wall, a skate park, hiking, fly fishing clinics, and more.

Meanwhile, mountain bikers are taking advantage of the resort’s 125 mile trail system, which opened on May 1. The resort features two fully-staffed mountain biking centers, where one can rent equipment or get advice on the best trails. Maintained trails are offered for bikers of all ability levels.