June 30, 2011 Update: The trails are roughed in now. Further work will continue throughout the summer. Read our initial report below:
Cook County's Summer Singletrack Building Projects: Pincushion and Sugarbush
Cook County in northern Minnesota is home to Lake Superior, the Sawtooth Mountain Range and the Superior National Forest. Yet despite the apparent unending potential for epics and other great rides, until recently, there has been just the one 2-mile loop at Pincushion Recreation area, specifically maintained for single track riding.
Superior Cycling Association (website coming soon) is dedicated to developing and marketing well marked, erosion resistant mountain bike trails within Cook County Minnesota on the North Shore of Lake Superior. Constructed trails are intended to be used as a tourist attraction as well as a local resource. Planning is ongoing for this summers build out which will include expanding the single track riding opportunities in Grand Marais and creating new trail in the Sugar Bush Ski Trail area.
Projects and Partners
Pincushion Single Track
Our goal is expand on our current single track loop creating several areas of inter connected single track trails with clearly marked intersections and sign posts. A significant part of this new build out is creating single track trails starting from the parking lot and creating rider access directly from town. This area has many unique open rock ridges that offer stunning Lake Superior views and numerous drainages that will require bridging or armoring creating a multi faceted rider experience looped together with flowing trail.
Sugar Bush Single Track
Located in a maple woods this single track trail system will provide another flavor in the tasty riding experience this area has to offer. The hard wood forest canopy creates a more open experience down at the riders’ level that is intense green in the summer and stunning orange and yellow in the fall.
Boy Scouts Order of the Arrow Regional Jamboree on the Superior National Forest
The management of Grand Marais and Tofte districts of the Superior National Forest has been very integral and supportive of this project. Going forward in future years the USFS is our major partner on making this project possible. The forest is hosting 500 or more scouts with from 100 – 150 Scouts working per location volunteering to build trail for a week during their Jamboree this June. This incredible resource will be a major kick start to our trail building efforts with a monetary value of $1500,00 - $200,000.
International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA)
This summers Boy Scout build out will start with an IMBA trail crew multi-day visit and training session to assure high quality, long lasting, sustainable trail. Superior Cycling Association has been working with a trail designer skilled in building trail to IMBA standards who will continue to be involved with the trail building process to assure quality facilities.
VELOMARAIS
“There will be new trail on the ground when the scouts are done,” Steve Shugg USFS.
From the start, the goal was to create a trail that would be sustainable and could handle the heavy use incurred by locals and a burgeoning tourist demographic requiring minimal maintainence.
Previous Success
We have successfully raised $92,000 through grants and donations for this multi year $300,000 project. $27,000 was used to build the current two and a half mile loop of single track trail on 80 acres of county land with in the Pincushion Recreation Area. $65,000 will be used for this summers phase of this multi year project.
Planning and Developing New Trails
Located within linkable distance to existing singletrack, the new trails will afford breath taking vistas of the Sawtooth Mountain range and Lake Superior. Winding in and around the natural features, riders will experience first hand the unique geology and ecology of the north woods.
Superior Cycling Association is developing a five-year plan to dramatically increase the amount of single track in the area. Future projects will include an expert trail on a 40-acre county property as well as the development of two other 80-acre parcels. These new area have a dramatically increased slope and will also include several stream crossings (bridged of course). Eventually, an intermediate trail will connect all the loops to on another and the parking lot.
We need your financial support today! We are seeking donations up to $50,000 to match Federal Recreational Trails and Legacy Fund Grants.
Becoming a Sponsor
Becoming a sponsor is about more than donating just money or equipment. Rather, it means taking the time to build strong relationships between you and bicycle enthusiasts across the country.
General Sponsor Benefits
- Build awareness of your organization to diverse audiences.
- Encouraging new ridershipReinforce brand awareness in Industry
- Association with growing cycling community
- Reinforce ecologically minded programs
- Sponsor mention in media
- Sponsor logo listed on event materials
- Sponsor logo and link on Superior Cycling Associatin web site
- Photographs and video available for use
Contact Information:
Mark Spinler; 13 South Broadway; Grand Marais, MN 55604; phone: 218.387.2186