Your support is needed to ensure plans for a lift-accessed bicycle trails and a skills park being proposed for Timberline ski area. Because the project is on public land, the Forest Service is required to take public comment. Please take a few minutes to type an email of support.

"It is important that the letters have specific topics of support, i.e. economic impacts, jobs, creating sustainable trail riding areas, and Timberline's long relationship as stewards of the land, etc.," says Tom Archer, NWTA president. There is some opposition to the project, so, it's important moutain bikers to weigh in on this project."  

Specific points that should be included in your letter:
There is a significant and unmet need for this type of facility in the region
Existing facilities do not meet this need
It is a family friendly outdoor activity
Recreation dollars will be spent locally instead of other states and Canada (Whistler)
Better to have this in a controlled, permitted environment rather than scattered throughout the Mt. Hood National Forest.
Timberline's proposal includes full-time trail care crew, sustainable design, with focus on minimizing impacts to the resource.

Please send comments here:
comments-pacificnorthwest-mthood-zigzag@fs.fed.us

The inaugural Helens Fest, July 9-11, brought together Evergreen and Northwest Trail Alliance members and mountain bikers with the Forest Service and the Mount St. Helen's Institute. It attracted people from as close as LaCenter, Washington, and as far as Norway. More than 60 people worked, rode and camped in weather ranging from 98-degree heat on Friday to drippy fog on Sunday morning. 
 
Two groups dispersed to the Kalama Ski (and bike) trail and another went high on the Ape Canyon Trail to put in water bars and do brushing and tread repair. A fourth group went down in to Smith Creek while a last group helped ferry supplies out from June Lake for a WTA youth work group with bob trailers that was finishing a week's work party on the Loowit trail. 
 
"I figured this was a good way to try and build bridges with young hikers," says organizer and NWTA Board Member David Anderson. "We were joined by seasonal Forest Service and Mount St. Helen's Institute people who got to rub shoulders with mountain bikers. After the work party several of them rode the Trek demos and one was heard to say that he now understands why we like mountain bike riding." 
 
Support from Camas Bike and Sports, Sellwood, and the Bike Gallery was appreciated, as was the support of New Belgium Brewery and Clif Bar. Diamondback provided the green Helen's Fest 2010 T-shirts. Plans are already being formulated for next year's event.