Lake Tahoe a finalist for $30k Bell Bike Helmet grant

The Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit of the U.S. Forest Service and the Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association have been working together for a couple of years to improve mountain bike trails all while protecting the natural resources of our local forests. Lake Tahoe is a special place, loved and used by millions of visitors each year from around the world. The local forest service has been at the forefront of working collaboratively with user groups and the public to ensure that protecting the environment of this special place, still allows for uses that are compatible and fun.

In 2010 and 2011, the forest service, in collaboration with TAMBA and a design consultant developed detailed design plans to transform the Corral trail into a sustainable, “flow” trail, highlighted with technical features. Approximately 1/4 mile of trail has been completed. The remaining 3/4 mile of trail will feature jump lines, log rides, rock overs, berms and drainage improvements, replacing the unstable fall line trail currently in existence. The Corral project is currently shovel ready and just needs funding to be completed.

Now it is up to the public to help ensure Tahoe receives funding from a Bell Bike Helmet grant to finish the trail. You can vote from the TAMBA website here or at Facebook here now through April 12 for Tahoe and Corral Trail in the Flow category.

Ben Fish, TAMBA Trails Director states “once built, the Corral Trail enhancement will serve as a model for the country on how mountain bike specific features can be successfully implemented in public forests.”

Bell Helmets is awarding $100,000 to build three new trails and Tahoe’s Corral Trail is one of the 12 finalists. There are 4 finalists in each category with Corral in the Flow category. Grants winners will be announced on April 19 at the Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, CA. Currently, Tahoe is in a tenuous second place behind Burke Bike Park in Vermont.

Amy Fish, a local TAMBA board member comments, “we absolutely have to win this Facebook voting contest! Facebook is based in the Bay Area, where a huge number of mountain bikers come from to ride our awesome trails. Every Bay Area mountain bikers should go on Facebook now to vote for Corral Trail and Tahoe.”

Corral Trail is one of the most accessible and popular mountain bike trails in all of Tahoe. The trail is suitable for everyone from beginners to expert riders. The trailhead also serves as a hub of the mountain bike community, close to the largest population center in all of Tahoe.

This trail has been a test project by the Forest Service on how to build and permit mountain bike specific features on public land. These efforts go back 8 years and have had countless riders give input. Once all the planned features are built on Corral Trail, TAMBA can take that example elsewhere, like rebuilding the Stinger at Kingsbury. The Bell Bike grant is for projects that have approved plans and are shovel-ready, meaning they can start building this spring.

John Drum, TAMBA Vice-President notes that “this is a very exciting partnership for Tahoe, and potentially the entire country. To have a model trail in Tahoe is something to brag about, so please support TAMBA's efforts and vote for Corral!”