News Briefs

IMBA Trail News
Volume 14, Number 1
Spring 2001

IMBA Visits Seattle Hot Spot

Two IMBA staff members traveled to Seattle, Washington, February 9-11 to help local advocates develop strategies to improve access. Advocacy team members Dan Vardamis and Judd de Vall worked with Seattle IMBA affiliated clubs Backcountry Bicycle Trails Club (www.bbtc.org) and Singletrack Mind Cycling Club (www.stmcc.org), and IMBA Washington State Rep Len Francies. Despite the fact that Washington offers some of the best mountain biking in the U.S., Seattle off-road cyclists must drive nearly an hour to access appealing trails. The situation is made more complex by the large number of government agencies that manage metro area land. In addition, influential regional organizations representing other user groups override the interests of local volunteer mountain biking groups. To improve conditions, an action plan was developed with three main goals: Create a unified Seattle-area mountain bike advocacy organization, focus on developing trails in parks and forests where land managers are receptive, and increase IMBA's assistance through Subaru/IMBA Trail Crew visits, staff support and possibly a Northwest regional summit.

IMBA State Reps Network Grows

IMBA has added 17 top-notch mountain bike advocates to our U.S. state and Canadian provincial rep network. IMBA reps provide crucial information, contacts, and strategic advice to help individual mountain bikers and clubs keep existing trails open and build new trails. New IMBA state and provincial reps are: Ken Foraker, Alaska; Don West, Arkansas; Alexander Sokolow, Connecticut; Rob Johnson, Iowa; Jim Krutsch, Indiana; Bob Mueller, Minnesota; Jesse Peterson, Nebraska; Jay Jones, New Jersey; Dale Beesmer, Nevada; Charles Duke, Oklahoma; Tim Cusick, Pennsylvania; Tina Hopkins, Rhode Island; Phil Busching, South Dakota; Sam Poyner, Tennessee; Len Francies, Washington; Matt Marcus, West Virginia; John Gowans, British Columbia. For contact info on the IMBA rep near you, visit www.imba.com.

IMBA Techs Mex

IMBA is assisting the development of a third Mexican trail project. In February, Judd de Vall, IMBA's international advocacy coordinator, and Kim Frederick of Chinook Trail Consultants traveled to Valle de Bravo, which is located 100 miles west of Mexico City. De Vall and Frederick worked with local crews on trail design, recreation management and environmental preservation. Upon completion of the system, located in the 1,500-acre Monte Alto Park, there will be approximately 30 kilometers of trail open to mountain biking, hiking and equestrian use. Since 1999, IMBA has worked extensively with the Balam organization to develop recreational mountain biking opportunities in Mexico. Our first two projects, located in Ajusco and San Nicolas Totolapan, presented mountain biking parks as a way to provide a healthy, economic alternative to resource extraction, stop illegal urban sprawl and give people a safe place to enjoy nature. When the projects are completed, management of the recreation areas is turned over to local community leaders. The Monte Alto Park effort is the first of (hopefully) many recreation projects funded and directed by the state of Mexico. More info:

New IMBA Patrol Coordinator

Kevin Stein, who has worked in IMBA's membership department since March '99, is now coordinating IMBA's National Mountain Bike Patrol (NMBP) program. Stein replaces Jon Alegranti, who headed the NMBP effort for four years. Alegranti, who now directs the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew, will continue as NMBP senior advisor. The NMBP supports mountain bike patrol work throughout North America, Europe and Japan. NMBP affiliates assist trail visitors and government officials and help preserve trails and trail access. For info on the NMBP program contact .

Grounded in Vancouver

Vancouver, British Columbia, is renowned for its super technical trails, gut-wrenching wheelie drops and elevated bridges. What it's not so well known for is contoured, cross-country mountain biking trails. This is changing, however. As mountain biking becomes more popular in Vancouver, local land managers are focusing on durable, dirt trails. Last November, IMBA went to Vancouver to help. Joey Klein of the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew gave a presentation to local land managers about how to work with mountain bikers. The talk was part of a weekend advocacy project coordinated by several BC cycling clubs. Following the presentation, a group of 75 riders constructed a contoured, technical re-route of an eroded social trail on land owned by Park Lane Homes. The result is an unprecedented trails partnership between BC mountain bikers and Park Lane Homes. More info:

Website Candidate Questionnaire

The next political election that may affect mountain biking in your community could be just around the corner. IMBA has created a "Generic Candidates' Questionnaire" to help bring the issues of mountain bicycling and trail use into election discussions. The questionnaire can be adapted to almost any federal, state or local election. It includes seven questions that explore the topics of trail sharing, open space and trail funding, volunteerism, and user fees. Most grassroots, non-profit organizations do not make endorsements of candidates; U.S.-based charities are prohibited by law from doing so. However, a non-profit group may send an issues questionnaire to candidates, provided it goes to every candidate. Political election questionnaires put issues on politicians' radar screens and help educate the media and the public on issues. The "Generic Candidates' Questionnaire" is available at www.imba.com

New Trail Plan in South Carolina

Through the leadership of state trails coordinator Jim Schmid, South Carolina is becoming a national model of trails planning and development. South Carolina recently released its second regional trails plan, covering the northwest tip of the state. It describes and maps more than 350 miles of trails. For more information on the many South Carolina trail initiatives that include mountain biking, visit sctrails.net or email .

Upstate New York Aims High

The six-million-acre Adirondack Park in upstate New York is the largest state park in the nation. It includes more than three million acres of public land-nearly one million acres of it designated Wild Forest that is laced with rugged trails and old roads. More than a dozen of the region's towns are working with government agencies, IMBA and a variety of non-profit groups to develop the Adirondack Park Mountain Biking Initiative - an ambitious effort to identify, develop and publicize mountain bike opportunities. IMBA E.D. Tim Blumenthal spoke at the group's first meeting last December. Two Adirondacks towns, Wilmington and Inlet, have been selected as sites for model mountain biking centers that will start taking shape this year. The Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew will lead Trailbuilding Schools in both Hamilton and Essex Counties during the first week of August. More info: www.bikeadirondacks.com

Loheit Leads NOC Trail Camp

The Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) Trailbuilding Camp has quickly become one of the premier trailbuilding gatherings in the world. At the 4th annual NOC Trailbuilding Camp, held in the western mountains of North Carolina last November, 85 participants learned and applied techniques for trail design, construction, and maintenance. IMBA Trails Resource Director Kurt Loheit taught the course with assistance from Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew No. 3 Rich and Jen Edwards. Camp participants worked on the Flint Ridge Trail on NOC property, and at the nearby Tsali Recreation Area. At Tsali, work crews built a 40-foot bridge and 300 feet of new trail. E-mail Loheit at for more info.

New Trails on Tap in KC

The Earthriders Mountain Bike Club in Kansas City, Missouri, has received preliminary approval from the Clay County Parks Department to construct a singletrack loop at Smithville Lake, about 15 miles north of the city. The trail will be shared by hikers and mountain bikers. The Clay County Parks Board unanimously approved the project which now just needs the approval of the County commissioners to get underway. Discussions have included trailhead parking areas, posting IMBA Rules of the Trail signs as well as signs letting trail users know that mountain bikers designed, built, patrol and maintain the area. Trail construction at the park will consist of three phases. Phase one and Phase two should be finished by the end of 2001 and consist of 10 miles of shoreline trail and 4 miles of connector and loopback trails. The final phase includes construction of a long wooded loop. More info: www.earthriders.org.

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	News Briefs IMBA Trail News Volume 14, Number 1 Spring 2001 IMBA Visits Seattle Hot Spot Two IMBA staff members traveled to Seattle, Washington, February 9-11 to help local advocates develop strategies to improve access. Advocacy team members Dan Vardamis and Judd de Vall worked with Seattle IMBA affiliated clubs Backcountry Bicycle Trails Club (www.bbtc.org) and Singletrack Mind Cycling Club (www.stmcc.org), and IMBA Washington State Rep Len Francies. Despite the fact that Washington offers some of the best mountain biking in the U.S., Seattle off-road cyclists must drive nearly an hour to access appealing trails. The situation is made more complex by the large number of government agencies that manage metro area land. In addition, influential regional organizations representing other user groups override the interests of local volunteer mountain biking groups. To improve conditions, an action plan was developed with three main goals: Create a unified Seattle-area mountain bike advocacy organization, focus on developing trails in parks and forests where land managers are receptive, and increase IMBA's assistance through Subaru/IMBA Trail Crew visits, staff support and possibly a Northwest regional summit. IMBA State Reps Network Grows IMBA has added 17 top-notch mountain bike advocates to our U.S. state and Canadian provincial rep network. IMBA reps provide crucial information, contacts, and strategic advice to help individual mountain bikers and clubs keep existing trails open and build new trails. New IMBA state and provincial reps are: Ken Foraker, Alaska; Don West, Arkansas; Alexander Sokolow, Connecticut; Rob Johnson, Iowa; Jim Krutsch, Indiana; Bob Mueller, Minnesota; Jesse Peterson, Nebraska; Jay Jones, New Jersey; Dale Beesmer, Nevada; Charles Duke, Oklahoma; Tim Cusick, Pennsylvania; Tina Hopkins, Rhode Island; Phil Busching, South Dakota; Sam Poyner, Tennessee; Len Francies, Washington; Matt Marcus, West Virginia; John Gowans, British Columbia. For contact info on the IMBA rep near you, visit www.imba.com. IMBA Techs Mex IMBA is assisting the development of a third Mexican trail project. In February, Judd de Vall, IMBA's international advocacy coordinator, and Kim Frederick of Chinook Trail Consultants traveled to Valle de Bravo, which is located 100 miles west of Mexico City. De Vall and Frederick worked with local crews on trail design, recreation management and environmental preservation. Upon completion of the system, located in the 1,500-acre Monte Alto Park, there will be approximately 30 kilometers of trail open to mountain biking, hiking and equestrian use. Since 1999, IMBA has worked extensively with the Balam organization to develop recreational mountain biking opportunities in Mexico. Our first two projects, located in Ajusco and San Nicolas Totolapan, presented mountain biking parks as a way to provide a healthy, economic alternative to resource extraction, stop illegal urban sprawl and give people a safe place to enjoy nature. When the projects are completed, management of the recreation areas is turned over to local community leaders. The Monte Alto Park effort is the first of (hopefully) many recreation projects funded and directed by the state of Mexico. More info: New IMBA Patrol Coordinator Kevin Stein, who has worked in IMBA's membership department since March '99, is now coordinating IMBA's National Mountain Bike Patrol (NMBP) program. Stein replaces Jon Alegranti, who headed the NMBP effort for four years. Alegranti, who now directs the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew, will continue as NMBP senior advisor. The NMBP supports mountain bike patrol work throughout North America, Europe and Japan. NMBP affiliates assist trail visitors and government officials and help preserve trails and trail access. For info on the NMBP program contact . Grounded in Vancouver Vancouver, British Columbia, is renowned for its super technical trails, gut-wrenching wheelie drops and elevated bridges. What it's not so well known for is contoured, cross-country mountain biking trails. This is changing, however. As mountain biking becomes more popular in Vancouver, local land managers are focusing on durable, dirt trails. Last November, IMBA went to Vancouver to help. Joey Klein of the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew gave a presentation to local land managers about how to work with mountain bikers. The talk was part of a weekend advocacy project coordinated by several BC cycling clubs. Following the presentation, a group of 75 riders constructed a contoured, technical re-route of an eroded social trail on land owned by Park Lane Homes. The result is an unprecedented trails partnership between BC mountain bikers and Park Lane Homes. More info: Website Candidate Questionnaire The next political election that may affect mountain biking in your community could be just around the corner. IMBA has created a "Generic Candidates' Questionnaire" to help bring the issues of mountain bicycling and trail use into election discussions. The questionnaire can be adapted to almost any federal, state or local election. It includes seven questions that explore the topics of trail sharing, open space and trail funding, volunteerism, and user fees. Most grassroots, non-profit organizations do not make endorsements of candidates; U.S.-based charities are prohibited by law from doing so. However, a non-profit group may send an issues questionnaire to candidates, provided it goes to every candidate. Political election questionnaires put issues on politicians' radar screens and help educate the media and the public on issues. The "Generic Candidates' Questionnaire" is available at www.imba.com New Trail Plan in South Carolina Through the leadership of state trails coordinator Jim Schmid, South Carolina is becoming a national model of trails planning and development. South Carolina recently released its second regional trails plan, covering the northwest tip of the state. It describes and maps more than 350 miles of trails. For more information on the many South Carolina trail initiatives that include mountain biking, visit sctrails.net or email . Upstate New York Aims High The six-million-acre Adirondack Park in upstate New York is the largest state park in the nation. It includes more than three million acres of public land-nearly one million acres of it designated Wild Forest that is laced with rugged trails and old roads. More than a dozen of the region's towns are working with government agencies, IMBA and a variety of non-profit groups to develop the Adirondack Park Mountain Biking Initiative - an ambitious effort to identify, develop and publicize mountain bike opportunities. IMBA E.D. Tim Blumenthal spoke at the group's first meeting last December. Two Adirondacks towns, Wilmington and Inlet, have been selected as sites for model mountain biking centers that will start taking shape this year. The Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew will lead Trailbuilding Schools in both Hamilton and Essex Counties during the first week of August. More info: www.bikeadirondacks.com Loheit Leads NOC Trail Camp The Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) Trailbuilding Camp has quickly become one of the premier trailbuilding gatherings in the world. At the 4th annual NOC Trailbuilding Camp, held in the western mountains of North Carolina last November, 85 participants learned and applied techniques for trail design, construction, and maintenance. IMBA Trails Resource Director Kurt Loheit taught the course with assistance from Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew No. 3 Rich and Jen Edwards. Camp participants worked on the Flint Ridge Trail on NOC property, and at the nearby Tsali Recreation Area. At Tsali, work crews built a 40-foot bridge and 300 feet of new trail. E-mail Loheit at for more info. New Trails on Tap in KC The Earthriders Mountain Bike Club in Kansas City, Missouri, has received preliminary approval from the Clay County Parks Department to construct a singletrack loop at Smithville Lake, about 15 miles north of the city. The trail will be shared by hikers and mountain bikers. The Clay County Parks Board unanimously approved the project which now just needs the approval of the County commissioners to get underway. Discussions have included trailhead parking areas, posting IMBA Rules of the Trail signs as well as signs letting trail users know that mountain bikers designed, built, patrol and maintain the area. Trail construction at the park will consist of three phases. Phase one and Phase two should be finished by the end of 2001 and consist of 10 miles of shoreline trail and 4 miles of connector and loopback trails. The final phase includes construction of a long wooded loop. More info: www.earthriders.org.


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