Rave Reviews for IMBA Advanced Trailbuilding School in Reno
 The IMBA Trailbuilding School field session took place at Rancho San Rafael Park, overlooking Reno. |
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 More than 60 land managers, trail professionals and volunteers spent two days getting into the heads of mountain bikers. |
 After rerouting an eroding trail, school attendees planted more than 300 native riparian seedlings to return the streamside to a natural state. |
 Attendees learned how to use stone pitching to armor a steep section. Here IMBA's Rich Edwards demonstrates how bikers ride these gnarly sections. |
 Technical trail features was the most popular outdoor workshop. |
February saw a meeting of the minds when IMBA Trail Specialists Joey Klein and Rich Edwards joined forces with Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew members Scott Linnenburger and Aaryn Kay to teach the first-ever IMBA Advanced Trailbuilding School at the 2003 Western Trailbuilders Association conference.
In addition to trailbuilding techniques, the class examined solutions for many management issues, including unauthorized trail construction, liability, user conflict and shrinking budgets. Edwards' philosophy of going hard on the bike and easy on the land was a refreshing perspective to the land managers in attendance.
After an intensive classroom session, the group headed outside for hands-on workshops on design, construction, reclamation and technical trail features. These clinics packed a lot into one quarter mile of trail:
- Rolling singletrack with vertical exposure
- Rock corrals for speed control and technical challenge
- Berms to moderate flow and reduce skidding
- Rock armoring
- Reclamation of eroded stream crossings
Attendees left eager to try the techniques on their lands with the assistance of local riders.
Keith Dawley, Inyo National Forest Trails Supervisor, summed up the workshop: "It was nice to see mountain bikers, trailbuilders and land managers all get together and exchange ideas in such a positive manner. I came away with some good new ideas for building, maintaining and managing trails."
With that, our IMBA trail rangers and their trusty sidekicks spurred their Subarus through the desert.
A special thanks to Steve Gjarnjobst and all IMBA state representatives who shared mountain bike trail success stories at the School.
