JUNE 25/2009 - With exactly six months until Christmas, Silver Star got an early present when it broke its own record for most visits on opening day.

"It's kind of like Christmas for a lot of mountain bike riders," joked Cam Sorensen, Silver Star Bike Park director. "It's a long time to wait for the park to open and everyone is excited to get out and ride again. I know I don't sleep as well the night before we open.”

That probably has more to do with the long days of preparation getting the park ready for the season. Sorensen and his trail crew have been burning the candle at both ends getting the trails ready.

"Winter certainly takes its toll on the trails but we've got them buffed and super-smooth. We've made some changes to Double Dog, Rock Star, and Pipe Dream that I think riders are really going to love," said Sorensen.

All the hard work paid off Thursday as the 1,600 vertical feet of trails welcomed riders from throughout the Okanagan, the Mainland, Alberta, and Washington. Lifts run daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Silver Star Bike Park will continue its popular Extended Play every Wednesday, keeping the lifts open until 7:30 p.m. The park will once again close after the September Long Weekend. However, new this year an additional weekend has been added Sept. 12 and 13.

"We're hoping the additional weekend will be a big draw with our season pass holders, as well as with traffic from Vancouver and Calgary," said Michael Sherwood, general manager of Silver Star. "The hope is that we get a great response and then we will eventually be able to add more weekends in the future."

Sherwood said because the economy is dictating more "closer-to-home" vacation options for families, the resort is being more aggressive in the market. Every Monday in July is Ladies Day. For every woman's full-day regular priced ticket purchased, Silver Star will offer another free lift ticket for a female rider. In addition, every Monday through Thursday in July until the 23rd, Silver Star is offering one free kids' lift ticket when an adult purchases a regular-priced day pass. Both of these programs require visitors to download a coupon from Silver Star's website.

"Our Bike Park continues to grow in reputation, so we hope we can attract new riders," said Sherwood.