Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition

TO PRESERVE AND ENHANCE NON-MOTORIZED TRAIL ACCESS IN WHATCOM COUNTY THROUGH STEWARDSHIP, EDUCATION, AND ADVOCACY.

TRAIL STEWARDSHIP / ADVOCACY: THIS YEAR WE HOSTED 24 PUBLIC TRAIL DAYS, ADDED FOUR NEW TRAILS TO GALBRAITH MOUNTAIN, AND BRUSHED OVER 39 MILES OF TRAIL. WE ADDED A SKILLS ZONE TO THE CEDAR DUST JUMPS AREA, A NEW BLUE FLOW TRAIL, COMPLETED THE LOWER WORK ON MABEL'S MONKEY WRENCH, AND A DUAL SLALOM TRACK. WE ALSO RE-BUILT THE CEDAR DUST PRO JUMP LINE. OUR CONTINUED ADDITIONS OF DIVERSE RIDING AREAS ALLOW RIDERS TO PROGRESS THEIR SKILLS IN A WELL-BUILT ENVIRONMENT. WE CONTINUED TO WORK ON TRAILS LOCATED ON THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES PROPERTY, INCLUDING STARTING A NEW DOWNHILL ONLY AND MULTI-USE TRAIL ON STEWART MOUNTAIN.THE BIRCHWOOD PUMP TRACK WAS BUILT IN MAY 2023. CONTINUING TO BUILD PUMP TRACKS THROUGHOUT WHATCOM COUNTY HELPS US ACHIEVE OUR GOAL OF PROMOTING BICYCLE-BASED RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES TO ALL OUR COMMUNITY. AT THE WATERFRONT PUMP TRACK, WE BUILT THE TILE TANK JUMP LINES AND THOSE OPENED IN SUMMER 2023.

EVENTS: WE HOSTED AN ELEVEN RACE SERIES ON WEDNESDAY NIGHTS CALLED THE WHATCOM WORLD CUP THAT SHOWCASED OUR TRAILS ON GALBRAITH MOUNTAIN. THE RACE SERIES HAD 566 TOTAL RACERS (AS YOUNG AS 7 YEARS OLD) AND MANY FIRST-TIME RACERS. OUR LONGEST RUNNING FUNDRAISER, SHOOT THE TRAILS, WAS HELD IN PERSON AT A NEW VENUE, THE FISHERMAN'S PAVILION, WITH OVER 1,000 TICKETS SOLD FOR THE EVENT AND IT WAS A BIG SUCCESS. WE ALSO HOSTED THE BEER GARDEN AT THE NORTHWEST TUNE-UP AND, WITH OVER 100 VOLUNTEERS, WE SERVED BEER AT THE THREE-DAY FESTIVAL.

EDUCATION: WMBC AFTER SCHOOL RIDE CLUBS (ASBC): 20+ BELLINGHAM ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL CLUBS, INCLUDING FLYING SQUIRRELS GIRLS RIDING GROUP. THIS IS AN INCREASE OF 12 CLUBS FROM 2022. ASBC'S GROUPS RIDE SPRING AND FALL ON WEEKLY RIDES. THIS PROGRAM REACHED OVER 331 STUDENTS THIS YEAR. WE HAD OVER 80 VOLUNTEER RIDE LEADERS SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM.YOUTH TRAIL CORPS (YTC): A CORNERSTONE OF OUR YOUTH PROGRAMS GIVES ANY INTERESTED MIDDLE SCHOOLER/TEEN YOUTH THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE HOW TO SUSTAINABLY BUILD AND MAINTAIN TRAILS. WE ARE GOING INTO OUR 8TH YEAR WITH THIS PRETEEN/TEEN PROGRAM. THEY WORKED HARD ALL YEAR ON GALBRAITH MOUNTAIN FOCUSING ON A VARIETY OF ISSUES, STRATEGIES AND SOLUTIONS TO HELP OUR TRAILS RUN EVEN BETTER. WE SERVED OVER 37 TEENS IN 2023 AND OFFERED 13 YOUTH TRAIL CORPS DAYS AND TWO SUMMER CAMPS.WMBC/VAMOS OUTDOORS PROJECT: THIS PROGRAM IS AN ONGOING PROGRAM FOR MULTIPLE GROUPS OF ELL (ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS) YOUTH RANGING FROM GRADES K-12. WE ARE ENGAGING YOUTH IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT NORMALLY DO NOT ACCESS TRAILS AND THE OUTDOORS. MOUNTAIN BIKING PROVIDES YOUTH WITH APPRECIATION OF THE OUTDOORS, PHYSICAL AND MENTAL CHALLENGES, AND EXCITING ENGAGEMENT WITH THEIR SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT. IN 2023, WE SERVED APPROXIMATELY 208 LATINX YOUTH FOR WEEKLY PROGRAMMING AND ONE-DAY COMMUNITY OUTREACH. WE HAD 13 VOLUNTEER RIDE LEADERS HELP SUPPORT THIS PROGRAM.JOYRIDERS: THE JOYRIDERS IS A MOUNTAIN BIKE CLUB THAT IS ALL ABOUT GETTING WOMEN (18+) OUT ON THE TRAILS AND HAVING FUN. IN 2023, THE JOYRIDERS HOSTED 191 RIDERS OVER 21 GROUP RIDES. THEY ALSO HELD A VERY SUCCESSFUL FUNDRAISER AT TRANSITION BIKE COMPANY, A TRAIL WORKDAY, SPONSORED A WOMEN'S ONLY RACE, AND HELD A MAINTENANCE CLINIC. THIS PROGRAM IS SUPPORTED BY 11 VERY DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS.WMBC AMBASSADOR PROGRAM: IN 2023, WE LAUNCHED THE AMBASSADOR PROGRAM TO HELP FOSTER A POSITIVE INTERACTION ON THE TRAILS WE MANAGE. WE HAVE 40 TRAIL AMBASSADORS WHO HELP FOLKS NAVIGATE VARIOUS AREAS, PROVIDE ETIQUETTE REMINDERS AND DIRECTIONAL ASSISTANCE, AND HELP SUPPORT OUR OTHER FUNDRAISERS AND EVENTS.