The BBTC Rocks Part II

Once again the BBTC is showing what good planning, great relationship development and elbow grease can do for the mt. biking community. Not only is their website "the" resource for mt. biking in the Northwest but they've built one of the most amazing urban mt. bike parks in the country. And they are about to do it again!

I just received this email from the BBTC:

Backcountry Bicycle Trails Club (BBTC) is pleased to announce that we have received $150,000 in grants from King County to build a new mountain bike skills course at Duthie Hill Park on the Sammamish Plateau. Design work on the course will start in January, which will include input from both the local riding community and the neighbors surrounding the park. Groundbreaking is scheduled for summer 2008.

This new 120 acre mountain bike course will have something for everyone. There will be a range of new trails and technical features, dirt jumps, a pump track and a cross country race loop. In addition, the new trails will create access to already existing trails at Grand Ridge. This park will be another first of its kind designed and built by BBTC. This park will become the hub for mountain biking races and events in Western Washington.

Duthie Hill Park represents the newest trend in mountain biking-- skills parks close to communities where kids and families of all abilities can ride. Following BBTC’s success with the Colonnade Skills Park in Seattle, we now have Duthie Hill. Soon we hope to have parks like these in every community in Washington State.

To which I say, "Outstanding"!

I remember riding Grand Ridge back in the day and I always loved the area. Challenging trails and close to home. We used to go up there before work and get a quick ride in. The day I rode through there and saw the "Super-Axe-Hacker" tearing the trees out was a sad day. There were still trails to ride but it just wasn't the same. This project looks like a great way to revitalize that area.

As a racer myself, having another course that is close to the city but isn't named Sea-Tac is also very exciting. Hopefully there will be an option to run a cyclocross race there as well. So hat's off to the BBTC and the amazing things they are managing to pull out of that hat!

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