SS mtb is a great bike to have in the quiver, but a very poor only mtb.
As a couple posters have alluded to, since the whole niner and 275 thing came on, people are practically giving away really, really nice 26 inch bikes. You can get a couple year old gently loved pro level dual suspension bike used for a bit over a grand on ebay. Less for a rigid bike with a fork.
The depreciation is sad really, but it is a major opportunity.
Save up for something like that.