Cost: $300 (lunch provided on Friday and Saturday)
Dates: Thur-Sat, March 16-18, 2017
Times: Thursday, 5:00-6:30 pm; Friday and Saturday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Instructor(s): Nat Lopes, HILRIDE Progression Development Group, Scott Linnenburger, Kay-Linn Enterprises, Woody Keen, Trail Wisdom
Indoor sessions at the Riverside Hotel, and outdoors at various parks and MTB trails close to Bend
Workshop Description
Recent innovations in mountain biking facilities have left many land managers confused. What is a bike park, a flow trail, a pump track? Who do these facilities serve, what do they cost to develop, and how is risk and maintenance managed? Three of the country's leading mtb facility planner-designers, Nat Lopes of Hilride, Scott Linnenburger of Kay-Linn Enterprises and Woody Keen of Trail Wisdom, will provide a comprehensive classroom and field-based exploration of these facilities and provide best (and some not so best) practices examples from around the world. Day 1 will be indoor overview presentation to set the stage for the workshop. Day 2 will be site visits to a number of local bike park facilities and mountain bike optimized trails. Day 3 we will visit a local traditional park (ball fields) under consideration for adding some bike park features and the class will study the land, understand constraints, and then work on a concept master plan for including some bike park features into the existing park.
Intended Audience
- Land managers
- Parks and recreation professionals,
- Trail and mountainbike advocates
Workshop Agenda
Day 1 Thur 3/16
5-6:30 PM-Indoor Session: Introduction and overview of bike parks and mountain bike optimized trails
Day 2- Fri. 3/17
Site visits to many local bike parks and mountain bike trails: Prineville Bike Park, Family Bike Park at 7th Mountain Resort, Phil’s Trailhead, The Lair, and RockRidge Park.
Meet at 8:30 AM and plan to be in the field until 5PM
Lunch provided
Day 3-Sat. 3/18
Site visit and planning work at Big Sly Park, Bend Parks and Recreation District.
Meet at 8:30 and plan to be in the field until 5PM
Lunch provided
Workshop Goals
The goals of the workshop are to:
- Provide a comprehensive understanding ofthe breadth and depth of modern mountain bike facilities,
- Share information and experience regarding demographics served, funding, risk management, and long-term operations and maintenance, and
- Examine a number of different bike parks and trail systems and learn about their successes and challenges.
Learning Objectives
After completing the workshop, participants will:
- Differentiate between different types of modern mountain bike facilities (i.e. mtb-optimized trail, flow trail, pump track/park, etc.),
- Understand space, slope needs and other factors that make successful mtb parks and trails, and
- Comprehend the basic development/management patterns and challenges for mtb-focused facilities.
Instructor Biographies
Nat Lopes
Nat Lopes is Principle and Lead Designer for HILRIDE Progression Development Group LLC. A mission driven company, Hilride is dedicated to realizing the potential of the global mountain biking movement as a force for economic development, environmental conservation and the promotion of healthy, active communities. Providing consulting based design and construction support services with integrated approach to community outreach, master planning, environmental resource compliance, construction documentation, fundraising, branding and volunteer management, Nat has worked on the development of many landmark projects across the country.
The recently opened destination bike park called Griffin Bike Park in Terre Haute, Indiana is perhaps one of the most comprehensive and interesting projects to date, with a 20 mile purpose built progressive trail system that is anchored by a 7-acre Terrain Park with pump tracks, skills park, dirt jump park and dual slalom course, a 5-acre Basic Training Skills Park, and a Land, Air and Water Training Park with first in the nation Lake Jump and Floating Water Trail facilities. The project included establishing the Friends of Griffin Bike Park volunteer group which has managed more than 1,200 individual volunteers and 15,000 hours of volunteer labor in addition to the development of a fundraising program and volunteer training that raised $2M to construct the park.
Scott Linnenburger
Scott Linnenburger has nearly 20 years of experience in recreation/trail development, conservation planning, and environmental restoration projects. His successful work on more than 100 trail projects in the federal, state, local, and private sectors demonstrates a keen ability to assist clients in developing projects that fulfill their mission, protect natural resources, and enhance community sustainability.
After developing the International Mountain Bicycling Association's Trail Solutions, Ride Center and Gateway Trail programs, Scott founded Kay-Linn Enterprises to provide professional consultation and project management services. With multiple bike park and mountain bike-optimized trail projects in development around the country, Linnenburger has a finger on the pulse of the current desires of the mountain biking community, innovative opportunities present on public and private lands, and concerns of land managing professionals in developing these outside-the-box facilities.
Woody Keen
With a long and successful career in the outdoor industry, Woody Keen has always been a positive voice for the benefits of playing in the natural world. After growing one of the largest trail contracting companies in the country, Trail Dynamics, Woody founded Trail Wisdom in 2012 to focus solely on trail education and mountain bike facility planning.
Internationally known and respected, Keen has served as the keynote speaker for the World Mountain Bike Conference, played a key role in the nationwide acceptance of freeriding as a board member for the International Mountain Bicycling Association, and has designed and managed the development of many different styles of bike parks with a wide range of development types (turnkey, hybrid contracting etc.) . With the most comprehensive understanding of risk management in the trails industry, Keen's consultation has helped gain wide acceptance of bike parks as desirable park amenities.
What to Bring:
Appropriate field gear for the weather. Expect to be outside both days of the workshop. Participants should be ready to hike and spend an afternoon/day outside and bring necessary gear, water, and/or medication to assure a comfortable day.
Workshop Costs:
$300 early registration ($330 after March 1 2017); This fee includes: nationally recognized instructors, high instructor to participant ratio,
Maximum of 25 participants.
For More Information, Contact:
Scott Linnenburger, Principal 303-241-3301- scott@kay-linn.com