Tiger Mountain State Forest

• In cooperation with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), we proposed, surveyed, designed, constructed, and maintain all of the bicycle legal trails, since 1990.
• Co-sponsor BBTC/REI Big Tiger Mountain Work Party each spring, since 1999.
• Provided funding and voluntary labor to build, install, and maintain information/education signboard at primary trailhead parking area, 2002.
• Hauling nearly 40 tons of rock on the Preston Trail, with the intent of improved structural and environmental sustainability geard towards ending seasonal closure, to be completed April 2003.
• Install trailhead signs, to be completed June 2003.
• Organizing and funding year-round trail maintenance work parties, with at least 2,500 hours of BBTC volunteer labor to be given back to this trail system in 2003.

St. Edward State Park

• Selected by the land manager to create the proposal and develop the trail system, which is one of only a few Washington State Parks that allow mountain bicycling, 1991 to present.
• Serve as the land manager's liaison to the bicycling community.
• Currently working with the land manager, government agencies, and an environmental assessment group to thoroughly study the feasibility of an additional trail. If approved, the BBTC will help design and construct this trail.
• Organizing and funding year-round trail maintenance work parties, with at least 300 hours of BBTC volunteer labor to be given back to this trail system in 2003.

Moran State Park / Orcas Island

• Participated with other lobbying groups resulting in favorable decision to re-open previously closed trails, 2002.
• Organized 25 volunteers to install trail signage, 1993.

I-5 Open Space Project / Colonnade Park

• As part of I-5 Trails Coalition, the BBTC has been invited to work with the Seattle Parks Department in the development of this urban park, which will be located between the south end of Lake Union and the west edge of the Capitol Hill/Eastlake areas, 2002.
• Currently involved in the development phase with potential for inclusion of a mountain bike trail system. If approved, future involvement will include designing, building, and maintaining these trails.

White River Ranger District / Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest

• Consistently worked with the US Forest Service to successfully prevent the closing of the Sun Top trail to mountain bicycling, 2002.
• Continue to strengthen this partnership through work on other trails in the area which include: Skookum Flats, White River, Palisades, and Deep Creek.

Middle Fork Trail / Snoqualmie Ranger District / Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest

• Developed a shared trail access plan for the US Forest Service by working cooperatively with other recreation and conservation groups, 2001.
• If access is approved, the BBTC will build and install informational and educational signs funded in part by an IMBA/Clif Bar Trail Preservation Grant awarded to us for this purpose. We will also work with the US Forest Service to provide volunteer trail patrollers through our National Mountain Bike Patrol (NMBP) program, in addition to 240 volunteer trail maintenance hours per year.

Tokul Creek / Weyerhaeuser Snoqualmie Tree Farm

• Provide trail preparation and maintenance for the annual Multiple Sclerosis Society Mountain Bike Challenge event held each June at this location, as another avenue for giving back to the community via taking care of the trails we ride on.

Cle Elum Ranger District / Wenatchee National Forest

• BBTC Member / IMBA Western Washington State Representative initiated discussions with land managers to re-open 50 miles of trail which had been suddenly posted as closed to bicycles during the summer of 2001.

Grand Ridge Park / King County Parks

• Participated with other lobbying groups resulting in favorable decision regarding all trails designated as multi-use, 2001.
• Involved with trail inventory and analysis since 1997, and trail maintenance work parties since 1999.

Trail Projects

In 2003, we will organize and fund over 50 trail work parties throughout the year, involving more than 3,500 total volunteer labor hours. Trail projects cover inventory/mapping to contruction and/or maintenance. In addition, we assist other mountain bike clubs and recreation organizations with trail work projects. Past or present involvement with the following trails and recreation areas:
• Armstrong Tract - Pilchuck Tree Farm / Arlington
• Big Finn Hill Park / King County Parks
• Capitol State Forest / Olympia
• City Pride Trail / Federal Way
• Dash Point State Park / Federal Way
• Dark Divide / Gifford Pinchot National Forest
• Farrel McWhirter Park / Redmond
• Grand Ridge Park / King County Parks
• Green River Gorge / King County
• Lake Desire / King County DNRP
• Mad River / Wenatchee National Forest
• Middle Fork Trail / Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
• Moran State Park / Orcas Island
• Paradise Valley Regional Park / Snohomish County
• Pilchuck Tract - Pilchuck Tree Farm / Arlington
• South SeaTac Park / Seatac
• Tahuya State Forest / Kitsap Peninsula
• Taylor Mountain Forest / King County Parks
• Tolt MacDonald Park / King County Parks
• Victoria Tract - Pilchuck Tree Farm / Stanwood

Special Trail Events

• Organize and/or participate in special trail oriented events in conjunction with National Trails Day in June, and National Public Lands Day in September, to encourage individuals to recognize and celebrate outdoor recreation, since 1993.

Accredited Trail Crew Leaders

• Provide annual opportunity for member volunteers to become accredited trail crew leaders through a rigorous multi-day education program. This is taught by the US Forest Service and focuses on design, construction and maintenance, while balancing long-term trail durability with environmental sustainability. In addition, we incorporate the IMBA trail building guidelines, as well as the BBTC's own depth of knowledge for Pacific Northwest conditions. Nine accredited leaders in 2002 with eight more leaders receiving training in 2003.

National Mountain Bike Patrol (NMBP)

• Registered with this IMBA affiliated organization to support patrollers that provide assistance to all trail-users, and especially mountain bikers. The voluntary patrollers focus on education, rather than enforcement, by providing information, directions, minor repairs, and first aid. This program is focused on St. Edward State Park, with the goal of expanding in the future, beginning Spring 2003.

Mountain Bike Boot Camp

• Created and expanded educational program to teach riders trail safety and etiquette, ride/gear preparation, along with beginner to intermediate level skills and drills, since 1993.

Backcountry Tracks Newsletter

• Design, write, and produce the BBTC newsletter covering a broad spectrum of education, advocacy and recreation topics, 1990 to present.

Multiple Sclerosis Society Mountain Bike Challenge & BBTC Team

• The BBTC Team received the top team fundraiser award for two consecutive years, 2001 & 2002.
• Involved with this charitable event since 1996.

IMBA Leadership Funds

• Recipient of financial support from the IMBA to hire an Executive Director, 2003.

IMBA / Clif Bar Trail Preservation Grant

• Selected as one of ten recipients for this award based on projects that preserve and enhance trail access, promote environmental education, and inspire conservation in the mountain biking community, 2001.
• Received for construction of informational and educational signs along the Middle Fork Trail, use is pending.

IMBA / Honorary Recognition

• Awarded for providing exceptional service to mountain biking advocacy in Washington State, 1997.
• Two BBTC members acknowledged for contributions to Boot Camp, and for advocacy/maintenance work at St. Edward State Park and Big Finn Hill trails, presented at the Pacific Region Summit in Oakridge, Oregon.

IMBA / RockShox Trailwork Tool Award

• Recipient of two McLeods and one Pulaski awarded to the IMBA Top 100 Clubs, 1997.

IMBA Top 100 Club

• Selected as one of the Top 100 clubs and one of IMBA's oldest and largest clubs, 1996.

IMBA / Model Program Award

• Selected as on of three national recipients for this award which recognizes outstanding mountain biking advocacy projects, 1996.
• Received for increasing annual contribution of volunteer trail work hours in the Puget Sound region, convincing King County to improve the legal status of singletrack riding, and coordinating an ambitious recreational rides schedule that builds member camaraderie and attracts new supporters, presented at the Interbike International Expo in Anaheim, California.

Technology

As technology has infiltrated the mountain bike industry, the BBTC has had volunteers with the knowledge to put this technology to work for us.
• For scheduling events, we have progressed from publishing the event calendar in the newsletter, to posting a complete calendar on the website, and now we utilize an interactive on-line system for submitting events.
• For informing the public about advocacy issues, in the past we utilized a telephone tree calling system and advocacy alert inserts in the newsletter. We then moved to the use of a hotline and message recording system. We now have the ability to send electronic web action alerts for the public to quickly and easily respond to critical advocacy issues.
• For the BBTC website, we initially hosted our pages through another mountain bike website. Later, we premiered our own dynamic website that increasingly serves the community with timely and valuable information, while also providing the ability to post electronic version of the Backcountry Tracks newsletter. This allows us to decrease the use of material resources and make back-issues available on-line.