Colorado Reaches Pinnacle in 2002 IMBA Mountain Bike Access Report Card
For Immediate Release
11-27-02
Contact: Dan Vardamis, advocacy coordinator
303-545-9011
Endless miles of high-altitude and desert singletrack, superb Rocky Mountain scenery, impeccably organized advocacy groups and abundant trail maps helped push Colorado to the top of the class in the 2002 International Mountain Bicycling Association's Mountain Bike Access Report Card with an A-minus grade.
IMBA's Report Card is an annual assessment of the status of mountain biking in U.S. states, Canadian provinces and other countries. It was created three years ago to help IMBA manage the effectiveness of its efforts to preserve trail access for mountain bikers and create new opportunities where they are needed.
For Colorado, no access news is good news. The past year was quiet for mountain bikers in the central Rockies, as numerous issues connected to new U.S. Forest plans and Wilderness proposals either dissolved or were addressed effectively. The U.S. economic downturn slowed the state's rampant growth, leveling congestion on trails. Meanwhile, Colorado advocacy groups continue to do great work in all corners of the state. Unlike some western states with abundant but hard-to-find riding, Colorado trails are well mapped. Finally, destinations like Fruita, Crested Butte and Durango continue to attract cyclists from all corners of the world.
Other states, regions and countries also graded well in the 2002 IMBA Report Card. South Dakota, Utah, British Columbia, Italy, Wales and the Yukon all earned A-minus grades. Meanwhile, defending 2000 and 2001 champ Idaho dropped slightly from an A grade to an A-minus because of the overlap of a new Wilderness proposal with popular riding areas.
On the other end of the spectrum, report card grades confirmed that many states and regions need work. Mississippi received the lowest grade in the 2002 IMBA Report Card, a D+, because the state has few organized mountain bike advocacy groups.
The most populated U.S. state, California, dropped a full letter grade to a C. California has lots of outstanding riding, but 2002 has been a tough year for advocates in the state. In southern California, user conflict and unauthorized trails tested relationships with land managers. In the Bay Area, Oakland advocates worked hard to counter an effort to curtail bike access in Joaquin Miller Park. Meanwhile, mountain bikers find themselves in a tricky position regarding U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer's new statewide Wilderness proposal: cyclists support environmental protection and new Wilderness, but this proposal - if adopted as is - would eliminate bike use on many popular trails.
"The report card is a useful tool for IMBA and our local advocates," said IMBA executive director Tim Blumenthal. "It's a great way for us to see where we have made progress and are doing well. In addition, it helps us focus our attention on places where mountain biking needs work."
Grades are based on many factors: amount of singletrack, effectiveness of local mountain bike groups, land manager relations, an IMBA website survey, and feedback from IMBA leaders.
Grades and comments are listed below:
2002 IMBA Mountain Bike Access U.S. Report Card
| State | Grade | Phat | Flat | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado | A- | Unlimited singletrack, mountains, maps | Urban access requires steady vigilance |  |
| Idaho | A- | Smooth Sun Valley singletrack | Proposed Wilderness overlaps trails |  |
| South Dakota | A- | Black Hills riding world-class | Need to know locals to find best trails |  |
| Utah | A- | Improved access near Salt Lake City | Desert trails tough to manage | |
| Alaska | B+ | Anchorage trails, few access issues | Most areas terra incognita | |
| Arizona | B+ | Desert, mtns, urban: 'zona has it all | Southern AZ needs more singletrack | |
| Arkansas | B+ | Womble & Ouachita, solid advocates | Hotter than a Hot Spring in July | |
| Florida | B+ | Many strong clubs build trails | Too much sand in some areas | |
| Kentucky | B+ | New trail opportunities in Louisville | Horses and hoops rule | |
| Massachusetts | B+ | NEMBA top regional advocacy group | Freeride controversy near Boston | |
| Michigan | B+ | New trails in urban fringe | Limited access to federal lands | |
| Missouri | B+ | Kansas City, St. Louis trails blossom | Volunteers needed for trailwork | |
| Montana | B+ | Missoula, Whitefish, Bozeman are epic | Winter from October-May | |
| Nebraska | B+ | New trails near Omaha, Lincoln | Much of state is private farmland | |
| New Mexico | B+ | Urban access solid in Albuquerque | Forests ravaged by fire, minimal info | |
| North Dakota | B+ | Maah Daah Hey Trail primo | More singletrack needed in east | |
| West Virginia | B+ | Monongahela N.F. steep and deep | Hunting and motorized come first | |
| Delaware | B | Experienced core of trailbuilders | Limited public land | |
| Georgia | B | SORBA's trailbuilding arsenal | Limited availability in metro Atlanta | |
| Maine | B | Mountain bikers getting organized | Mish-mash trail system | |
| Maryland | B | Maryland club solves problems | Typical urban trail problems | |
| Nevada | B | Public land abundant | Little trails info: the Area 51 of MBing | |
| North Carolina | B | Trails in west are super | Lack of trails, advocacy in east | |
| Oklahoma | B | Great land manager relations | Most of state private land | |
| Oregon | B | MacKenzie River Trail five stars | Wilderness needs addressing | |
| Texas | B | Solid statewide org, MB parks, racing | Houston heats up...again | |
| Virginia | B | All good 'cept suburban DC and... | Not much riding in Richmond | |
| Washington | B | Statewide access varied, outstanding | Seattle improving, but still limited | |
| Wyoming | B | Riding matches skiing in Jackson | More maps, guidebooks needed | |
| Connecticut | B- | Solid advocates, improving access | Lots of people in a small space | |
| Hawaii | B- | Surfing + riding = paradise? | Lack of well built trails | |
| Indiana | B- | Solid bicycling coalition | Bird didn't bike. So why should you? | |
| New Hampshire | B- | White Mountain NF trails | Unauthorized trails near Manchester | |
| Ohio | B- | More trails, energetic clubs | No access near Cleveland | |
| Tennessee | B- | Solid advocacy groups abound | More volunteers needed | |
| Wisconsin | B- | WORBA, Trek lead cycling community | Southern Wisconsin access cheesy | |
| Minnesota | C+ | Improved leadership, industry support | Minneapolis is a constant battle | |
| New York | C+ | Trails in Westchester, L.I., 'dacks | Borough riding still banned | |
| Pennsylvania | C+ | Strong relations with DCNR | State Game Land trails curtailed | |
| South Carolina | C+ | SORBA's presence = USFS partnership | Old school park management | |
| Vermont | C+ | Ski areas, private MB resorts | Red light on Green Mountain access | |
| Alabama | C | BUMP continues to do great work | Sport barely on public radar screen | |
| California | C | Bay Area advocates step up | Wilderness, SoCal & Oakland tense | |
| Iowa | C | Topography + solid club = solid future | Progress taking time | |
| New Jersey | C | Top notch patrol, club in south | JORBA needs you | |
| Rhode Island | C | Arcadia forest trails solid | Small state, not much vertical | |
| Illinois | C- | Improving organization statewide | More trails needed near Chicago | |
| Kansas | C- | Lawrence trails outstanding | Farming rules, riding suffers | |
| Louisiana | C- | New advocates at work | New trails limited...so far | |
| Mississippi | D+ | Abundant forests provide access | Biking organizations absent in '02 | |
Grading Beyond Our Borders
Mindful of our growing work outside the U.S., IMBA expanded the global mountain bike report card in '02 to include a number of countries worldwide where IMBA is active. For more information on IMBA's international network visit www.imba.com/international.
2002 IMBA Global Report Card
Canada
- British Columbia: A-
Phat: Outstanding clubs, youth program, trails; Freeride focus
Flat: More sustainable trails needed near Vancouver
- Yukon: A-
Phat: Whitehorse, Dawson are emerging mountain bike meccas
Flat: Rest of province is vast unknown, grizzly bears, winter
- Ontario: B+
Phat: Improved advocacy organization, new trails
Flat: Unauthorized trails near Toronto
- Quebec: B
Phat: Ski areas offer outstanding trails
Flat: Trail tensions near Montreal
- Alberta: B-
Phat: Riding Rocks in Canadian Rockies
Flat: Calgary trail closures
United Kingdom
- Wales: A-
Phat: Top-notch trailbuilding creates premier MB destination
Flat: Few knew how good it was...until now
- Scotland: B+
Phat: Awesome technical trails, trailbuilders, geography
Flat: Advocacy organization needs improvement
- England: C+
Phat: Solid leadership, passionate freeriding movement
Flat: Lack of singletrack, needs advocacy muscle
- Northern Ireland: C-
Phat: Vast potential, energetic advocates
Flat: Not much singletrack yet
Italy: A-
Phat: 2,000 year old trails, few trail conflicts, never flat, culture
Flat: Need better maps, broad based advocacy group needed
Australia: B
Phat: Pockets of great singletrack, emerging advocacy structure
Flat: Trail user conflict, trailbuilding skills need work
