TCC Trail School In Mexico

Last year Judd de Vall, IMBA¹s International Coordinator made contact with many trail enthusiasts from Mexico. Some of these folks were invited to Colorado for a tour of multi-use trails. They were shown trails in Boulder, Keystone Ski Area and Jefferson County Open Space. Our Mexican friends were amazed at the numbers of recreational users and the growth of mountain biking.

This March, Judd escorted us to Mexico City for an IMBA Trailbuilding School and seminar. Mexico City sits in a high basin surrounded by pristine mountain forests. The city¹s population is near 28 million and is growing fast, devouring neighboring towns and villages. The high mountain forests are the last open spaces remaining.

Typically, these forests are owned by poor community farmers who find it difficult to resist the" fast cash temptation" of developers and loggers. We saw many forest boundaries that have already been swallowed up by the encroaching city. Antonio Suarez and Juan Carlos Ibarra of BALAM are working to preserve these forests by teaching the communities how to promote eco-tourism through multi-use trails.

BALAM hosted the IMBA\TCC trails seminar, inviting over 50 people including land managers, land owners, hikers, timber managers, cross-country and downhill mountain bikers and other trail enthusiasts. We spent two mornings in the classroom going over trail design, construction and maintenance. With emphasis on sustainability, environmentally sound trail design and unique, exciting trail features. Afternoons were spent assessing trails and flagging future trail adjustments at San Nicolas and the Ajusco.

About 40 volunteers made it to the trailwork day at the Ajusco forest, finishing a rolling crown switchback, 500 ft of new trail and 600 ft of retread. Rockshox donated McCleods to San Nicolas and the Ajusco, which complemented their arsenal of farm hoes nicely.

After the trail work, people from the Ajusco village made everyone an incredible lunch with freshly grilled vegetables, steak, and tortillas. The Ajusco trails are gaining popularity and at nearby San Nicolas weekly user numbers are already in the thousands. We spent another day at San Nicolas looking at future downhill and cross-country trail ideas, stressing the importance of land manager and user relationships. The ideas and techniques we left behind will help preserve 25,000 acres of forest in San Nicolas and the Ajusco.

BALAM plans to share these strategies with seven other communities saving a rough total of 65,000 acres from the jaws of Mexico City! This trip was one of our most rewarding TCC stops and we are looking forward to seeing our new friends and trails in Mexico again.

Thank you,
Joey and Kathy, TCC2

Volunteers from San Nicolas, Ajusco, Amecameca, Cuernavaca,
BALAM and IMBA working together on trails at the Ajusco.

Alexandro and Kathy leading trail school students in proper
trail construction. We helped connect sections that will
link 30 miles of trails circumnavigating Eagle Peak.

Landmanagers and foresters and downhillers - oh my!
Landmanagers, foresters, downhillers and cross-country
mountain bikers exploring new possibilities for saving
the forests of San Nicolas.

Crowds of hikers and mountain bikers are already
frequenting the trails at San Nicolas.

Help | Site Map | Copyright



	TCC Trail School In Mexico Last year Judd de Vall, IMBA¹s International Coordinator made contact with many trail enthusiasts from Mexico. Some of these folks were invited to Colorado for a tour of multi-use trails. They were shown trails in Boulder, Keystone Ski Area and Jefferson County Open Space. Our Mexican friends were amazed at the numbers of recreational users and the growth of mountain biking. This March, Judd escorted us to Mexico City for an IMBA Trailbuilding School and seminar. Mexico City sits in a high basin surrounded by pristine mountain forests. The city¹s population is near 28 million and is growing fast, devouring neighboring towns and villages. The high mountain forests are the last open spaces remaining. Typically, these forests are owned by poor community farmers who find it difficult to resist the" fast cash temptation" of developers and loggers. We saw many forest boundaries that have already been swallowed up by the encroaching city. Antonio Suarez and Juan Carlos Ibarra of BALAM are working to preserve these forests by teaching the communities how to promote eco-tourism through multi-use trails. BALAM hosted the IMBA\TCC trails seminar, inviting over 50 people including land managers, land owners, hikers, timber managers, cross-country and downhill mountain bikers and other trail enthusiasts. We spent two mornings in the classroom going over trail design, construction and maintenance. With emphasis on sustainability, environmentally sound trail design and unique, exciting trail features. Afternoons were spent assessing trails and flagging future trail adjustments at San Nicolas and the Ajusco. About 40 volunteers made it to the trailwork day at the Ajusco forest, finishing a rolling crown switchback, 500 ft of new trail and 600 ft of retread. Rockshox donated McCleods to San Nicolas and the Ajusco, which complemented their arsenal of farm hoes nicely. After the trail work, people from the Ajusco village made everyone an incredible lunch with freshly grilled vegetables, steak, and tortillas. The Ajusco trails are gaining popularity and at nearby San Nicolas weekly user numbers are already in the thousands. We spent another day at San Nicolas looking at future downhill and cross-country trail ideas, stressing the importance of land manager and user relationships. The ideas and techniques we left behind will help preserve 25,000 acres of forest in San Nicolas and the Ajusco. BALAM plans to share these strategies with seven other communities saving a rough total of 65,000 acres from the jaws of Mexico City! This trip was one of our most rewarding TCC stops and we are looking forward to seeing our new friends and trails in Mexico again. Thank you, Joey and Kathy, TCC2 Volunteers from San Nicolas, Ajusco, Amecameca, Cuernavaca, BALAM and IMBA working together on trails at the Ajusco. Alexandro and Kathy leading trail school students in proper trail construction. We helped connect sections that will link 30 miles of trails circumnavigating Eagle Peak. Landmanagers, foresters, downhillers and cross-country mountain bikers exploring new possibilities for saving the forests of San Nicolas. Crowds of hikers and mountain bikers are already frequenting the trails at San Nicolas.


Help \| Site Map \| Copyright