Sugar is not on ASCG property.  It is actually on private land.  The last conversation we had with Springs folks, the estimate on Sugar closing is now much later in the year.   They are looking to build ~4 more miles of trail to accommodate for the eventual loss of Sugar.  They have hired the guy who designed FATS to build the new trails.  So if you don't like FATS, you're not going to care for this.

just get out and ride....

The company making the trails is this one:    (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links);  

The have done trail work at places like Uwharrie, Lake James, and DuPont.   They are from Brevard. Looks like they have a pretty good rep for making good trails.

One of the guys, Todd Branham, is also the owner of Blue Ridge Adventures  (You need to Login or Register to view media files and links);

Right now, Sugar is still open, I am hearing end of year before the closing takes place. 

The new trails will probably be open by the end of April. Some of the work done on School is dirt packed down on the extisting trail with some small re-routes. Its faster, some of the roots were buried. I expect this to wear down after some time, but who knows for sure. 

I rode all the new stuff at ASC this afternoon.  I am not sure it is officially open but the tape was down and people were on it.  The changes to the existing School Loop West are spectacular.  It has like 6-8 inches of new dirt on the entire darn thing plus 20 or so new "pump style" rollers that make it super fun.  I agree with other posters, that it is fast and a blast to ride.  i was feeling a little dupont "Ridgeline" vibe for sure.  The guys doing this work know what the hell they are doing.  There is also a new trail that basically parallels School Loop West. It's at least 2 miles and it's very cool. It starts just to the left of the School Loop West start. (from the HWY 160 entrance)  It starts off with at least 20 or so more of those rollers on it too.  Many are 3-4 feet high and a few go in-between two trees.  It makes the trail extremely dynamic and interesting.  It's almost as long, or as long as School Loop West.  I love how these guys used the terrain. They link long 1/4 mile or so flowy fast  sections with shorter twisty sections.  You realize how much better School Loop West is after you climb up School Loop East which hasn't had any work/improvements done to it as of yet.  IMO, if they added a one mile pump track, and took better advantage of the terrain of the prairie loop and added in a few TTF's plus a few more miles of new trail with twisty climbs, and maybe some high banked berms etc, they would have "the" place to go in South Charlotte. All in all ASC is definitely going in the right direction.

Maybe I like different style trails.  Maybe it will be better with a little age.  Maybe I'm just bitter about eventually losing Sugar and I'll warm up to it.

Either way, I rode it last week and didn't care for the changes to West.  It felt like I was riding a pump track.  I did ride a little of the new parallel section and thought it was fun.

I'll continue to ride it because of the convenience.  I'm hoping it grows on me.

Was out there today and Sugar is still open... I rode it from the river to the Complex. Up at the Complex, the new trail was taped off for some reason, so I didn't get to try it.

Instead I rode School West back to the river. I must say, that trail is unrecognizable from the last time I was out there (couple years ago). Hardly a root to be found. The direction I rode it (starting from the Complex) used to be my preferred direction, but I think now it probably flows better the other way. Seemed like most of the rollers, etc I was riding uphill and getting out of the way of people bombing down. Not everyone's taste as this thread has shown, but kudos to the folks putting in the work out there.

So, I'll probably regret starting this, but in reference to the Fisher blue trail... why is Sugar rated a black diamond? It is 99% smooth as a baby's bottom. For it to be black, and the fisher blue shows the lack of consistency in trail ratings, IMO. Don't get me wrong... love all the trails around here and I really don't care what they're rated, just wondering if someone knows the history about Sugar... did it use to be technical? I can't remember the last time I rode it, but I don't ever remember it being difficult.

Are all the new trails open now? 

Last time I was there, the one by the entrance near the baseball fields was still taped off.

OneGearrulestheworld wrote on 05/05/17 at 10:44am:


Rode the new longer section (behind the baseball fields) this morning. Long and fast. Even goes around a little lake/pond. Appears to be 1 way for each type: Biking starting at the bottom of Sugar Loop West and Walkers/Hikers starting at the top by the manned kiosk at the Recreation Complex Entrance.

Quite a variety at Anne Springs now. Well, until they lose Sugar Loop.

Attached a copy of my ride. The FAR LEFT is the new addition (looks to be close to 2.4 miles). 

I'm thinking they will be making a loop where the original school loop west will be the out and the new trail will be the back. You can also see the trail they created to bypass sugar.  The trail before the suspension bridge that leads to sugar has a fork to the right that takes you back to the north complex tunnel.

they are going to lose all of sugar I believe.  That would basically mean everything on that side of the suspension bridge and that side of the hwy.

is it paved, or are you being felicitous