BOULDER, Colo. (BRAIN) — The International Mountain Bicycling Association is now accepting applications for the next class of IMBA Ride Centers. The group says Ride Centers are "large-scale facilities with something for every rider, and range from gold-level destinations including Park City, Utah, and Oakridge, Oregon, to up-and-coming destinations embracing mountain bikers like McCall, Idaho, and Marquette, Michigan."
The IMBA Ride Center designation is designed to support local stakeholders and land managers in their effort to create the ultimate mountain biking destination trail system. The application criteria serves as the blueprint for achieving and improving a trail system and is comprised of multiple factors with both trail experience and surrounding community amenities being measured. The application process consists of a self-evaluation, an in-person on-site professional assessment and review, a report detailing the findings and a thorough evaluation of the existing conditions, opportunities for growth, and recommendations on next steps to improving the trail system status.
“The Ride Center designation is as much about the process as it is the award, by helping community partners use the process as a guide and educational experience for creating amazing places to ride,” said Shane Wilson, IMBA's trail solutions program manager.
Currently there are 39 IMBA Ride Centers (six Gold, 15 Silver, 18 Bronze), nine of which are outside of the U.S. With the recent 2018 announcement congratulating Virginia’s Blue Ridge, Vail Valley and Steamboat Bike Town on becoming the newest IMBA Ride Centers, Virginia and Colorado now each have three Ride Centers, alongside Arkansas and Minnesota. Idaho leads the U.S. states with four Ride Centers.
Interested applicants should review information and download materials for the three-step application process on imba.com. The application period closes July 27, 2018.
