utah
moab Two riders enjoy some new singletrack near Moab, Utah. Moab’s Trail Mix advocacy group has been busy adding new trails to Moab’s network.
by Ken Davey, City of Moab A local group in Moab is blazing new trail in the Mountain Bike Capital of the World, working to reassert the Southwestern town’s leadership in the mountain bike domain. A group of local residents, with the active support of Moab and Grand County government leaders, has created the Trail Mix Committee that has built seven new singletrack trails in the last four years, with more on the way. During the 1980s and 1990s, the famous Slickrock Trail brought mountain bikers from around the world to Moab. Once there, mountain bikers discovered the area’s array of former mining roads snaking across the desert and through scenic cliffs and canyons. Mountain biking and a resurgence in interest in nearby national parks led to a boom in tourism that helped offset Moab’s economic decline after a uranium mill and regional uranium mines closed. New motels and restaurants opened, and tour companies and bike shops flourished. Since that time, other communities noted the Moab experience and have been 126
Mathew Barlow
successful in building and promoting their own singletrack trails. As a result, Moab mountain bike aficionados, bike shop operators and local business owners saw the need for the city to reassert its leadership in the field. The Trail Mix Committee was first suggested by Bureau of Land Management recreation staff and was started by Moab Community Development Director David Olsen with the help of County Councilor Kim Schappert. Schappert became the first Trail Mix Committee chairwoman in 2000 and Olsen has been the committee vice chairman (except one year serving as chairman) ever since. Moab resident and volunteer Sandy Freethey is the current chairwoman. “Trail Mix’s vision is to develop a fully integrated network of environmentally sustainable trails for non-motorized use, linking the Moab Valley to other areas of Grand County,” Olsen said. “Its mission is to preserve and develop the individual trails and grow them into a viable system for enjoyable recreation and transportation use.” [communitypages]
The committee developed a Grand County Non-Motorized Trails Master Plan. Grand County and Moab have adopted the plan as a blueprint for trail development. Trail Mix meets every month and actively solicits comments and representation from hikers, bikers, equestrians and cross-country skiers. Land management agencies, including the BLM, National Park Service, Utah State Parks and the Utah School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration, have joined the effort, leading to collaboration that could only happen with this multi-jurisdictional partnership. “Without Trail Mix, we never could have partnered as successfully with government agencies or recruited the volunteers to improve and develop trails,” Olsen said. “It’s amazing how successful Trail Mix has become at getting things done.” Completed trails include Baby Steps at Klondike Bluffs, Moab Brands Trails (Bar M, Circle O, Rockin’ A, Bar B and Killer B trails), Intrepid Trail at Deadhorse Point, Hazzard County Trail