Trail Flow is a roundup of all the mountain bike trail related news of the week including new trail builds, advocacy, and planning. Do you have trail news? Email [email protected] for possible inclusion.
Hofwald Trail in Innsbruck, Austria opens opportunities for mountain bikers
“The Hofwald Trail opened August 21st to become one of the only legal, bike-specific trails in Innsbruck. Rated as intermediate/advanced singletrack, the trail has a mix of flow and tech with jumps, berms, and off-camber roots throughout its nearly 3km/300m descent. Being an international hub for skiing and mountaineering, the Innsbruck area is attempting to build more mountain bike trails. While the Hofwald Trail has seen some political indecision within the local Höttinger neighborhood with the upper section even closing temporarily, more trail improvements are being planned for 2023.”
Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day is Saturday, Oct 1
Why can’t every day be Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day? The annual holiday is a good reminder to involve the kids in our lives in mountain biking, and to introduce the next generation to this healthy and rewarding sport. Find an event here or plan your own.
Mountain bike park and skills course set to open in Hong Kong
A new mountain bike park is opening at Mui Wo in December, and it’s set to include 13km of new trails and a pump track. The Lantau Development Advisory Committee is working to improve and expand mountain bike opportunities in South Lantau, and the park represents phase two of a three phase plan.
Is Copper Mountain readying to rival Colorado bike parks?
A press release from the U.S. Forest Service says Copper Mountain, an hour outside of Denver, Colorado, is hoping to expand their mountain bike trails by 22 miles, accessible from two chair lifts on the mountain. According to the Summit Daily, the press release said a diesel generator would be installed at the top of the Timberline Express Chairlift and the lift itself would be replaced. The proposal is currently in the public scoping phase and requesting comments.
Cheasty mountain bike and hike trails open Oct 1
The Cheasty mountain bike and pedestrian trails project first won funding as an urban trails project back in 2013 and now almost ten years later the park approaches its opening on October 1st. The vision for the project was to make a space within reach to many who may not be able to drive to a trail system in far away natural spaces.
The Cheasty trails were guided by Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance in collaboration with Seattle Parks and Recreation and offers a trail system accessible through Seattle’s urban park greenspaces. The trails sit just a few miles south of downtown Seattle. See more information at the Seattle Parks and Rec website.
E-bike use in North Fruita Desert going well
Earlier this year, the Bureau of Land Management allowed the use of class 1 e-bkes in the North Fruita Desert (18 Road) trails and so far, it sounds like it’s working well. BLM officials report a low incidence of conflicts on 18 Road with e-bikes, though there’s still no shortage of polarized opinions.
“We’re excited about the decision and so far people seem pretty happy about it,” Greg Wolfgang, manager of the BLM’s Grand Junction Field Office, said in a panel discussion, according to the Daily Sentinel.
Read the full piece here.
Mt. Sabattis Phase 2 opens
Phase 2 of the Mt. Sabattis mountain bike trail system recently opened in the town of Long Lake, New York with two new trails. Start Me Up is a climbing trail and Paint it Black is an expert trail that traverses the mountain before descending with rock drops and tabletops.
Contractor sought to build 32 miles of trails in Nevada
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is moving forward with contractor selection for a massive 32-mile trail build between Elko and Spring Creek, Nevada. Once complete, the Elko Trail System will offer 50 miles of purpose-built singletrack for mountain biking. According to the statement of work and request for proposals issued last month, “Approximately 12 miles of trail has already been flagged on the ground. The remainder 38 miles need to be laid out for the system that would support non-motorized mode of travel (with potential for e-bike use), with an emphasis on mountain bike users.”
West Run Woods trail ribbon cutting in West Virginia
The West Run Woods trail opened Tuesday on the campus of West Virginia University (WVU) in Morgantown. According to WVU, “the first phase of the West Run Woods Trail System includes the area’s first gravity flow trail, allowing riders of all ability levels to learn and experience mountain biking in a new way. “
Lincoln, Nebraska surveying residents for MTB trails
The town of Lincoln, Nebraska is surveying its residents for their opinions on mountain bike trails in the city. They survey asked 25 questions about demographics, skill levels, riding frequency, and trailhead amenities. After a University of Nebraska student sought permission and built a 2-mile trail through a section of a local park, they saw an opportunity to implement more of these trails through other parks.
The trail became popular with local residents and eventually city staff members started learning about trail building and spent time in Arkansas learning how to build trails. Next, comes the survey. From October to February the parks department hopes to draft a master plan and trail building could begin in Spring 2023. See the Lincoln Journal Star piece on the new trails for more info.
