This flowy trail runs all the way from the top of the chairlift back to the base lodge, crisscrossing the mountainside as it slowly wends its way down the mountain. The trail tread is utterly smooth with no obstacles to cause issues as you descend. However, it is still a singletrack ride, so those unfamiliar with mountain biking do still need to be aware of loose sections of dirt, gravel, small rocks, and flat corners.

The trail grade is mellow the entire way down. In fact, it’s so mellow that most people will have to do a good bit of pedaling in some sections. Again, don’t think of Pioneer as a beginner-level flow trail—think of it as a smooth XC trail that just happens to have a chairlift running to the top of it. Consequently, while a few of the turns are slightly banked, most of the corners on Pioneer are quite flat. Bear this in mind if you come into the turns with speed.

While most of the trail crisscrosses the open ski runs, some sections do dive into the trees, providing delightful flow through the pines. These sections generally have better dirt, providing a welcome break from the dryer sections out in the sun.

In contrast to the Swinger Trail, Pioneer switches back and forth from true singletrack, to sections of gravel road and doubletrack, and then back to singletrack as it descends down the mountainside. This series of transitions back and forth really reduces the ride quality of the Pioneer trail, making Swinger the clear standout as a top-to-bottom beginner run in the Breckenridge Bike Park. However, Pioneer does provide access to other trails in the skier’s right portion of the bike park, so you’ll likely find yourself on this trail at one time or another.