Three years of planning, raising money and construction work on the part of volunteers and others comes to fruition Aug. 5 when the Houston Mountain Bike Association has a grand opening of a new trail on Mount Harry Davis.
The Escalator chair is a 1.7km two-way ‘green’ trail that connects that connects other ‘green’ trails of Padawan and Chutes and Roots, says association volunteer Miake Elliott who is also a past president of the association.
“This trail completes an almost 6km family-friendly downhill or an up-track for endurance riders,” she said.
The Escalator winds through forests to connect to an open ridge offering what Elliott describes as an epic view of China Knows (also known as China Nose).
What makes Escalator a key to the association’s trail network on Mount Harry Davis is that prior to this route connecting to the top and bottom, families were riding on the road to gain access to the next section of trail.
It will also build on the association’s winter outdoor recreation offerings by acting as a snowshoe trail.
Elliott said the three-year effort included raising more than $30,0000 through contributions from the Dungate Community Forest, Recreation Sites and Trails BC, Groot Brothers Contracting, Tutshi Enterprises, Bodnar Contracing and Pawesome Adventure. Association directors helped with layout and design.
The Aug. 5 grand opening at 5:30 p.m. consists of a group ride, snacks and for those without a mountain bike, the association will have its own collection of bikes on hand to lend out.
Next up for the association is the building of the skills development section of the family hub area.
“It’s for people just starting out or young children learning how to ride,” said Elliott of berms and other elements to be constructed which will sharpen turning and other skills.
“For families it will be especially welcome as it will be a safe area for children.”
The family hub contains sufficient parking with an outhouse, covered picnic area and has the trail heads of the ‘green’ family friendly trails.
“It’s a central community area,” said Elliott of the intent to build up a broad range of ages and skills of cyclists.
Planners of the elements making up the skills area have to first send in the designs outlining detailed specifications to the provincial government for approval.
That’s to ensure what will be built meets province-wide standards, a key requirement as the province works to build up mountain bike tourism in B.C.
And meeting agreed-upon standards also helps when the association applies to outside sources for money, said Elliott.