Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance

EVERGREEN CREATES AND PROTECTS SUSTAINABLE MOUNTAIN BIKING OPPORTUNITIES IS WA STATE. WE ACCOMPLISH THIS THROUGH FIVE PRIMARY PROGRAMS: ADVOCACY, TRAIL MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION, VOLUNTEERISM, EDUCATION, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & EVENTS

TRAIL MAINTENANCE, DESIGN, AND CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS: EVERGREEN'S 2022 TRAIL CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS INCLUDED SEVERAL MILESTONE PROJECT COMPLETIONS AND WAS MARKED BY RESTORATION AND RE-OPENING OF 22.6 MILES OF FIRE DAMAGED TRAILS IN THE METHOW VALLEY. OUR TOTAL NEW TRAIL CONSTRUCTION WORK ENCOMPASSED 67.1 MILES OF TRAIL, AND WE OPENED 38.1 MILES OF NEW MOUNTAIN BIKE AND MULTIUSE TRAILS... NEW TRAIL COMPLETIONS AND TRAIL SYSTEM OPENINGS INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING 37 MILES OF TRAILS: 1 MILE ON TIGER MOUNTAIN, 2 MILES AT THE YACOLT BURN STATE FOREST, 2.75 MILES ON THE EAST FORK OF MISSION CREEK IN WENATCHEE, 3.6 MILES AT LIBERTY LAKE AND MACKENZIE NATURAL AREA NEAR SPOKANE, 1.1 MILES ON LEWIS BUTTE, 2.5 MILES AT NANEUM, 1.5 MILES AT THE PORT GAMBLE RIDE PARK, 1.4 MILES AT MT. SPOKANE, 6.8 MILES AT THE SNOQUALMIE PASS BIKE PARK, 1 MILE AT SQUILCHUCK STATE PARK, 0.8 MILES AT CHEASTY GREENSPACE, 0.6 MILES AT GOLD HILL IN CHEWELAH, .7 MILES AT SKI HILL IN LEAVENWORTH, 4 MILES AT NUMBER 2 CANYON IN WENATCHEE, 1.5 MILES AT MICAH PEAK, 2.6 MILES AT MCKENZIE NATURAL AREA, 1 MILE CONNECTING MACKENZIE TO LIBERTY LAKE, 3 MILES AT NORTH SUMMIT IN THE METHOW VALLEY, AS WELL AS A NEW COMMUNITY PUMP TRACK IN QUINCY, AT .25 MILES... WE CONTINUED CONSTRUCTION OF THE FOLLOWING TRAIL MILES AND PROJECTS: 0.5 MILES AT SNOQUALMIE PASS, 2 MILES AT TENNANT TRAILHEAD PARK, 1 MILE AT DUTHIE HILL PARK, 1 MILE AT PORT GAMBLE RIDE PARK, 5 MILES AT TEHALEH, 3 MILES AT NORTH SUMMIT NEAR LOUP LOUP, 6 MILES AT NANEUM RIDGE NEAR ELLENSBURG, 6 MILES AT NO2 CANYON NEAR WENATCHEE, 1.5 MILES AT LIBERTY LAKE, AND A FINAL 1.5 MILES AT PORT GAMBLE, 1.5 MILES OF CONNECTOR TRAIL AT IDAHO ROAD TO LIBERTY LAKE... WE ALSO ENGAGED IN THE DESIGN OF THE FOLLOWING PROJECTS AND TRAILS: TENNANT TRAILHEAD SKILL PARK, OLYMPIA KAISER BIKE PARK, STRAWBERRY HILL BIKE PARK, CHEWELAH COMMUNITY FOREST TRAIL NETWORK, AUBURN CEDAR LANES COMMUNITY SKILLS PARK, CASHMERE PUMP TRACK, PORT TOWNSEND PUMP TRACK, QUINCY PUMP TRACK, CHEASTY NORTH TRAILS, SNOQUALMIE SUMMIT PHASE 2, JUNGLE HILL-WAPALOOSIE CONNECTOR TRAIL AT THE KETTLE CREST, NORTH SUMMIT TRAIL NETWORK AT LOUP LOUP IN THE METHOW VALLEY, AND THE I-5 COLONNADE REVAMP IN SEATTLE... PROFESSIONAL TRAIL MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES AND CONTRACTS CONTINUED ON TRAIL SYSTEMS AT KING COUNTY PARKS, METRO PARKS TACOMA, CITY OF REDMOND, CHELAN DOUGLAS LAND TRUST, TWISP RIVER AND CHICKADEE IN THE METHOW VALLEY, SQUILCHUCK STATE PARK, NORTH MOUNTAIN IN DARRINGTON, TWISP RIVER, MISSION RIDGE & DEVILS GULCH TRAILS NEAR WENATCHEE, AND AT VARIOUS SITES AS PART OF OUR REI MAINTENANCE AND RECREATIONAL TRAILS PROGRAM GRANTS... WE COMPLETED OUR FIRST GREAT AMERICAN OUTDOORS ACT BACKCOUNTRY MAINTENANCE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE WENATCHEE RIVER RANGER DISTRICT IN THE OKANAGAN-WENATCHEE NATIONAL FOREST. NEW STATE MAINTENANCE FUNDING ALSO SUPPORTED TRAIL WORK ON TRAILS AT EAST TIGER MOUNTAIN AND RAGING RIVER STATE FORESTS, TWO OF THE BUSIEST TRAIL NETWORKS IN THE STATE. LASTLY, WE ENGAGED WITH THE US FOREST SERVICE ON A SIGNIFICANT TRAIL RESTORATION AND MAINTENANCE EFFORT, TO ADDRESS FIRE DAMAGE IN THE METHOW VALLEY, FUNDED BY THE BURNED AREA EMERGENCY RELIEF PROGRAM. NOTABLY FOR 2022, WE RESTORED AND REOPENED 22.6 MILES AT CHICKADEE NEAR WINTHROP, IMPACTED BY THE DEVASTATING 2021 FIRES IN THE METHOW VALLEY. NOTABLY FOR 2022, WE RESTORED AND REOPENED 22.6 MILES AT CHICKADEE NEAR WINTHROP, IMPACTED BY THE DEVASTATING 2021 FIRES IN THE METHOW VALLEY.

VOLUNTEER TRAIL MAINTENANCE. EVERGREEN ORGANIZES AND COORDINATES VOLUNTEER TRAIL MAINTENANCE WORK PARTIES TO MAINTAIN, IMPROVE, AND/OR REPAIR TRAILS DAMAGED BY WEATHER AND USE. OUR 2022 VOLUNTEER TRAIL MAINTENANCE EFFORTS LAGGED SLIGHTLY BEHIND OUR 2021 RESULTS, AND REACHED 79% OF OUR ANNUAL GOAL AND PRE-PANDEMIC ENGAGEMENT LEVELS. WE HOSTED 408 VOLUNTEER WORK PARTIES IN NATIONAL FORESTS, STATE PARKS, STATE FORESTS, AND COMMUNITY PARKS AND ENGAGED 3,691 VOLUNTEERS IN WORK PARTIES, CONTRIBUTING 20,329.75 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER WORK ON 320 MILES OF TRAILS. 250 HOURS OF THESE TRAIL ACTIVITIES WERE CONTRIBUTED BY YOUTH ENROLLED IN OUR 2022 SUMMER DIRT CAMPS. TRAIL MAINTENANCE TOOK PLACE AT TRAILHEADS, SITES AND TRAILS WITHIN US NATIONAL FORESTS, WA STATE AND COUNTY FORESTS, COMMUNITY FORESTS, CONSERVATION AREAS, AS WELL AS MUNICIPAL PARKS AND OPEN SPACES, INCLUDING: EAST TIGER MOUNTAIN, RAGING RIVER, AND YACOLT BURN STATE FORESTS; DUTHIE HILL MOUNTAIN BIKE PARK; BLACK DIAMOND OPEN SPACE; SQUILCHUCK, MT SPOKANE, OLALLIE, MORAN STATE PARKS; BEACON HILL, SWAN CREEK, ILLER CREEK, MICAH PEAK, CAMP SEKANI AND PORT GAMBLE COMMUNITY PARKS; AND ON MULTIPLE TRAIL NETWORKS IN THE OKANOGEN-WENATCHEE, MOUNT-BAKER-SNOQUALMIE, COLVILLE, AND GIFFORD PINCHOT NATIONAL FORESTS, SUCH AS SKI HILL, FREUND CANYON, NO2 CANYON, SUN MOUNTAIN, HANSEN RIDGE, KETTLE CREST, STRAWBERRY RIDGE, AND ALONG THE SR 410 CORRIDOR. SADLY, OUR SEASON WAS AGAIN IMPACTED BY FIRES AND IFPL RESTRICTIONS, SHORTENING OUR MAINTENANCE SEASON AND REDUCING WORK PARTY ACTIVITIES TO BELOW OUR GOALS FOR THE YEAR. ADDITIONAL NON-TRAIL WORK VOLUNTEER HOURS FOR THE ORGANIZATION INCLUDED 19 BOARD VOLUNTEERS WHO CONTRIBUTED 836 HOURS, 133 EDUCATION PROGRAM VOLUNTEER INSTRUCTORS WHO COLLECTIVELY TAUGHT 2,585 HOURS OF CLASSES AND CLINICS. OUR TOTAL VOLUNTEER IMPACT AMOUNTED TO 23,750.75 HOURS, DELIVERED BY 4,114 INDIVIDUAL VOLUNTEERS.

COMMUNITY BUILDING & ADVOCACY: EVERGREEN HOSTED SEVEN LARGE COMMUNITY EVENTS DRAWING OVER 800 REGISTERED ATTENDEES AND OFFERED 224 GROUP RIDES WITH OVER 800 MOUNTAIN BIKERS. OUR ANNUAL EVERGREEN MOUNTAIN BIKE FESTIVAL RETURNED IN 2022 WITH OVER 400 REGISTERED RIDERS AND AN ESTIMATED 2,000 VISITORS OVER THE COURSE OF THE FESTIVAL WEEKEND. ANOTHER 700 RIDERS PARTICIPATED IN OUR DIRTY DOZEN VIRTUAL TOUR OF THE STATE VIA TRAILFORKS. ALTOGETHER WE ENGAGED MORE THAN 5,000 MOUNTAIN BIKERS IN COMMUNITY BUILDING EVENTS AND RIDES. PURPOSE AND INTENT FOR OUR EVENTS CONTINUED TO HONE IN ON BUILDING COMMUNITY AND GROWING THE NEXT GENERATION OF MOUNTAIN BIKE LEADERS, TEACHERS, VOLUNTEERS, AND TRAIL STEWARDS. ONGOING DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION INITIATIVES HELPED INCREASE DIVERSITY IN OUR EVENTS AND OUTREACH LOCATIONS, AND WE INCREASED FOCUSED ON WOMEN'S WORK PARTIES AND CORPORATE WORK PARTY ENGAGEMENT. OVERALL, WE CONTINUE TO FOSTER A STRONG CONSERVATION ETHIC AND SUSTAINABLE BEHAVIOR AMONGST OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND ENCOURAGE BOTH VOLUNTEERISM AND ACTIVE, ENGAGED, AND HEALTHY LIFESTYLES. OUR MEMBERSHIP REACHED A NEW HIGH OF 9,504 MEMBERS IN SEPTEMBER, BUT DIPPED BACK DOWN TO COMPLETE THE YEAR AT 9,183 ACTIVE MEMBERS - 1% GROWTH OVER 2021. (JUST OVER 100 MEMBERS). OUR ADVOCACY FOCUSED ON RAISING AWARENESS AND ENGAGING OUR SUPPORTERS IN PUBLIC LANDS ACCESS PROTECTION, RECREATIONAL ACCESS CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES, AND ENSURING THAT MOUNTAIN BIKERS HAVE A STRONG VOICE IN RECREATIONAL TRAILS PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES. OUR ACTIVITIES ARE DIVERSE AND STATEWIDE, RANGING FROM ISSUING LETTERS FOR SEPA OR NEPA PUBLIC COMMENT WINDOWS, TO PARTICIPATING ON A SUSTAINABLE TRAILS STRATEGY COMMITTEE FOR THE USFS, TO WORKING WITH LAND MANAGERS ON ISSUE RESOLUTION OR WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS AS PART OF THE WA STATE TRAILS CAUCUS. WE ENGAGE OUR MEMBERS IN ADVOCACY THROUGH TOPIC-SPECIFIC MEETINGS, E-NEWSLETTERS, SOCIAL MEDIA, IN PERSON AT TRAILHEADS, AND VIA ELECTRONIC ADVOCACY ALERTS DESIGNED TO ENGAGE MEMBERS AND SPUR COMMENTS.

EDUCATION: 2022 WAS A GROWTH YEAR FOR OUR EDUCATION PROGRAM, IN LOCATIONS, STUDENTS AND DIVERSIFICATION OF OUR PROGRAM OFFERINGS. WE INCREASED CUSTOM PROGRAMS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS TO INTENTIONALLY AND PURPOSEFULLY EXPAND ACCESS TO TRAILS FOR UNDERSERVED YOUTH AND COMMUNITIES. 2022 WAS A SUCCESSFUL YEAR IN SERVING RIDERS OF ALL AGES AND SKILL LEVELS, FROM YOUTH TO SENIORS, FROM BEGINNER TO ADVANCED, AND FOR INDIVIDUALS OF ANY GENDER AND ANY BACKGROUND. A TOTAL OF 1,524 STUDENTS ENGAGED IN OUR CLASSES, CLINICS AND CAMPS. OVER 100 AMAZING VOLUNTEER INSTRUCTORS STEPPED UP TO HELP US DELIVER CLASSES STATEWIDE. THE CENTRAL CHAPTER EXPANDED OFFERINGS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR AND OFFERED 19 AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS FOR LOW-INCOME YOUTH, AS PART OF AN RECREATION AND CONSERVATION OFFICE NO CHILD LEFT INSIDE GRANT. STATEWIDE, A TOTAL OF 980 YOUTH AND ADULTS PARTICIPATED IN OUR SKILLS CLINICS AND PRIVATE AND PARTNERSHIP LESSONS. 56% OF OUR ADULT PARTICIPANTS IDENTIFIED AS WOMEN OR NON-BINARY RIDERS. OUR YOUTH CAMPS BROUGHT AN IMPRESSIVE 545 CAMPERS OUT TO LEARN SKILLS, MAKE LIFELONG FRIENDS, AND GRAB A SHOVEL ON THEIR LAST DAY OF CAMP TO HELP WITH TRAIL MAINTENANCE. 2022 EDUCATION EFFORTS FOCUSED ON BUILDING COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS AND OFFERING SCHOLARSHIPS TO YOUTH IN UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. WE HOSTED 357 STUDENTS (A 400% INCREASE FROM 2021!) IN OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP AND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS, AWARDING $5,500 IN SCHOLARSHIPS AND WORKING WITH 8 DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO RUN INDIVIDUAL CLASSES, TRAIL MAINTENANCE AND SKILLS EDUCATION COMBINATION PROGRAMS, AND A "LEARN TO MOUNTAIN BIKE" WEEKLY SERIES. EVERGREEN'S WOMEN'S RIDE GROUPS CAME BACK ONLINE THIS YEAR TO HOST AN IMPRESSIVE 115 GROUP-RIDES WITH 446 RIDERS. LASTLY, WE OFFERED 6 CHAINSAW CLASSES SERVING 15 PARTICIPANTS IN OUR WESTSOUND, CENTRAL, AND C2S CHAPTERS AND DELIVERED A TRAIL SCHOOL FOR THE CHEWELAH VALLEY LAND TRUST WITH 16 STUDENTS, AND WITHIN THE WEST SOUND CHAPTER FOR 24 STUDENTS. WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO BUILD PARTNERSHIPS AND INCREASE DIVERSITY IN ACCESS THROUGH ALL OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, AND ARE PROUD OF THE DIFFERENCE WE MADE IN OUR COMMUNITY AND ON THE TRAILS IN 2022.