LOCALadk Magazine

Spring 2018 LOCALadk Magazine 31 LOCALadk Build it, ride it. This simple idea describes the first modern moun- tain bikes, heav y clunkers with balloon tires hand-built by adven- turous cyclists in California and Colorado in the 1970s. The mantra also summarizes trail development. Because early riders weren't al- ways welcome on established backcountr y routes, mountain bikers learned to construct their own recreational infrastructure. At first, this meant covert efforts – illegal trails that frustrated land managers with their poor execution and dangerous features. But as participation grew, mountain bikers organized. The Interna- tional Mountain Bicycling Association, a Colorado-based nonprof- it, launched in 1988 to advocate for trail access and to create pur- pose-built singletrack. Today, IMBA counts 112,800 trail miles and 33,100 trails open to mountain bikes in the United States. That's good news for the 45.8 million American cyclists tallied by the Out- door Industr y Association, each of whom average 54 bike trips each year. In the Adirondacks, fat tires gained traction in the 1990s. Moun- tain bikers explored dirt roads, then began to scratch out their own singletrack. The Loggers Loops in Lake Placid – now maintained by BETA – owe their begin- nings to these DIY efforts. In the 2000s, changes in trail development evolved as mountain bikers worked with municipalities, state agencies, and private land- owners. " We knew that if we had a professional volunteer effort it would eliminate rogue trail building – it would give people an out- let," says Wilson. "And land managers saw that a really dedicated group was willing to step up to build and maintain trails." In 2009, the handiwork of Wilmington locals paid off with the opening of the Flume network, the first designated mountain bike trails on forest preser ve land. And as BETA gained momentum, the group established Lake Placid's Lussi Trails and networks at Dewey Mountain and Mount Pisgah in Saranac Lake. Meanwhile, in North Creek, a retired forest ranger named Steve Ovitt started a trail building company called Wilderness Property Management. As Ovitt's team designed and created 20 kilometers for mountain bikers at the North Creek Ski Bowl, neighbors noticed. Steve Lovering, the Director of Parks & Recreation for Queensbur y, enlisted Ovitt to build Gurney Lane Bike Park, a 152-acre parcel with 13 miles of trail, which opened in 2014. Now, says Lovering, thou- sands of cyclists visit each summer month – and 600 users pedaled onto trails each month between November 2017 and Januar y 2018. "I'm shocked at how well it's been received," says Lovering. " What's exciting is that it's a community project. People volunteer their time to blow leaves off the trail and do basic maintenance ev- er y spring and fall. They're so appreciative of what they have that they're extra cautious about making sure they're good stewards." More enthusiasm greeted Drew Cappabianca, just north in Brant Lake. In 2014, he opened The Hub, which combined a restaurant, bar, and bike shop under one roof. Open May through October, it quickly gained a loyal following. "Ever y time I hear the screen door creak, it's a familiar face," says Cappabianca. Two years ago, he acquired 207 acres just behind his business, then raised $11,735 from 111 backers on Kickstarter to build the Brant Lake Bike Park – a private enterprise that will be free and open to the public. It's the latest entr y on the growing list of mountain bike destinations in the Adirondacks. That also in- cludes Elizabethtown's Blueberr y Trails and Otis Mountain. There's 15 miles of trail at Keeseville's Ausable Chasm. And new trails around McCauley Mountain in Old Forge, built by the Central Ad- irondack Mountain Bike Alliance. Headed north? Check out the St. Lawrence County Mountain Bike Association's handiwork at the Colton pump track or Lenny Road. All those options could pay dividends for Ad- irondack towns. From Fruita, Colorado to Burke, Vermont, mountain bikers drawn by singletrack networks have sparked the local economies in rural outposts. Burke's Kingdom Trails Associa- tion counted 94,000 trail visits in 2016; a study found that day visitor parties spent $376 per visit and overnight parties $1,317 on food, lodging, retail, and transport.

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