December 4/02 11:45 am - IMBA Trail Report Card for 2002
Posted by Editor on 12/4/02
Colorado Reaches Pinnacle in 2002 IMBA Mountain Bike Access Report Card
Courtesy IMBA
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.
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.
"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. For more information on the 2002 IMBA Report Card visit www.imba.com
Grades and comments are listed below (Canadian reports follow U.S.)
2002 IMBA Mountain Bike Access Report Card
United States:
Colorado: A-
Phat: Unlimited singletrack, mountains, maps
Flat: Urban access requires steady vigilance
Idaho: A-
Phat: Smooth Sun Valley singletrack
Flat: Proposed Wilderness overlaps trails
South Dakota: A-
Phat: Black Hills riding world-class
Flat: Need to know locals to find best trails
Utah: A-
Phat: Improved access near Salt Lake City
Flat: Desert trails tough to manage
Alaska: B+
Phat: Anchorage trails, few access issues
Flat: Most areas terra incognita
Arizona: B+
Phat: Desert, mtns, urban: 'zona has it all
Flat: Southern AZ needs more singletrack
Arkansas: B+
Phat: Womble & Ouachita, solid advocates
Flat: Hotter than a Hot Spring in July
Florida: B+
Phat: Many strong clubs build trails
Flat: Too much sand in some areas
Kentucky: B+
Phat: New trail opportunities in Louisville
Flat: Horses and hoops rule
Massachusetts: B+
Phat: NEMBA top regional advocacy group
Flat: Freeride controversy near Boston
Michigan: B+
Phat: New trails in urban fringe
Flat: Limited access to federal lands
Missouri: B+
Phat: Kansas City, St. Louis trails blossom
Flat: Volunteers needed for trailwork
Montana: B+
Phat: Missoula, Whitefish, Bozeman are epic
Flat: Winter from October-May
Nebraska: B+
Phat: New trails near Omaha, Lincoln
Flat: Much of state is private farmland
New Mexico: B+
Phat: Urban access solid in Albuquerque
Flat: Forests ravaged by fire, minimal info
North Dakota: B+
Phat: Maah Daah Hey Trail primo
Flat: More singletrack needed in east
West Virginia: B+
Phat: Monongahela N.F. steep and deep
Flat: Hunting and motorized come first
Delaware: B
Phat: Experienced core of trailbuilders
Flat: Limited public land
Georgia: B
Phat: SORBA's trailbuilding arsenal
Flat: Limited availability in metro Atlanta
Maine: B
Phat: Mountain bikers getting organized
Flat: Mish-mash trail system
Maryland: B
Phat: Maryland club solves problems
Flat: Typical urban trail problems
Nevada: B
Phat: Public land abundant
Flat: Little trails info: the Area 51 of MBing
North Carolina: B
Phat: Trails in west are super
Flat: Lack of trails, advocacy in east
Oklahoma: B
Phat: Great land manager relations
Flat: Most of state private land
Oregon: B
Phat: MacKenzie River Trail five stars
Flat: Wilderness needs addressing
Texas: B
Phat: Solid statewide org, MB parks, racing
Flat: Houston heats up...again
Virginia: B
Phat: All good 'cept suburban DC and...
Flat: Not much riding in Richmond
Washington: B
Phat: Statewide access varied, outstanding
Flat: Seattle improving, but still limited
Wyoming: B
Phat: Riding matches skiing in Jackson
Flat: More maps, guidebooks needed
Connecticut: B-
Phat: Solid advocates, improving access
Flat: Lots of people in a small space
Hawaii: B-
Phat: Surfing + riding = paradise?
Flat: Lack of well built trails
Indiana: B-
Phat: Solid bicycling coalition
Flat: Bird didn't bike. So why should you?
New Hampshire: B-
Phat: White Mountain NF trails
Flat: Unauthorized trails near Manchester
Ohio: B-
Phat: More trails, energetic clubs
Flat: No access near Cleveland
Tennessee: B-
Phat: Solid advocacy groups abound
Flat: More volunteers needed
Wisconsin: B-
Phat: WORBA, Trek lead cycling community
Flat: Southern Wisconsin access cheesy
Minnesota: C+
Phat: Improved leadership, industry support
Flat: Minneapolis is a constant battle
New York: C+
Phat: Trails in Westchester, L.I., 'dacks
Flat: Borough riding still banned
Pennsylvania: C+
Phat: Strong relations with DCNR
Flat: State Game Land trails curtailed
South Carolina: C+
Phat: SORBA's presence = USFS partnership
Flat: Old school park management
Vermont: C+
Phat: Ski areas, private MB resorts
Flat: Red light on Green Mountain access
Alabama: C
Phat: BUMP continues to do great work
Flat: Sport barely on public radar screen
California: C
Phat: Bay Area advocates step up
Flat: Wilderness, SoCal & Oakland tense
Iowa: C
Phat: Topography + solid club = solid future
Flat: Progress taking time
New Jersey: C
Phat: Top notch patrol, club in south
Flat: JORBA needs you
Rhode Island: C
Phat: Arcadia forest trails solid
Flat: Small state, not much vertical
Illinois: C-
Phat: Improving organization statewide
Flat: More trails needed near Chicago
Kansas: C-
Phat: Lawrence trails outstanding
Flat: Farming rules, riding suffers
Louisiana: C-
Phat: New advocates at work
Flat: New trails limited...so far
Mississippi: D+
Phat: Abundant forests provide access
Flat: 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.
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
Other Countries:
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
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