The Best State for Mountain Biking? IMBA Says It's Arizona

For Immediate Release: Oct 9, 2003

Arizona and British Columbia, Canada both earned A grades in the 2003 version of IMBA's Report Card, bumping Colorado off the top spot for mountain bike advocacy, trails and riding.

In Arizona, stellar trails and urban advocacy combined with the reopening of the Cactus Forest Trail in Saguaro National Park to bring the state to the head of the class. Whether it be the red rocked trails in Sedona, the alpine routes that ring Flagstaff or the ponderosa pine singletrack near the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, Arizona offers an abundance of fat tire destinations. Perhaps most impressive are the trail systems near Arizona's metropolises, Phoenix and Tucson, which include hundreds of miles of shared-use trails and 35 miles of "competitive tracks," designed for higher speed non-motorized trail use.

The key to British Columbia's success is a willingness to embrace evolving styles of riding. While Victoria, Kelowna, Rossland, Nelson and Fernie have world-class cross-country riding, what really separates B.C. from the rest of the planet is freeriding. B.C. is one of the few places where freeriding in all of it's incarnations – super-technical trails, big drops and stunts – is fully embraced. The original stunt trails surrounding Vancouver have been improved, and on some days more than 1,000 riders buy tickets to ride at Whistler Resort.

The IMBA Report Card is a tool to let IMBA members and mountain bikers know specifically where we're doing well and where access remains threatened. It's a resource for IMBA advocates to measure progress and focus energy. This is the fifth year of the IMBA Report Card.

"The IMBA Report Card rewards progress and new trail developments," said IMBA executive director Tim Blumenthal. "It would be easy to give the top grade to the same place every year, but we're especially interested in recognizing locales where mountain bike advocacy is fueled by a positive buzz."

Internationally, Italy ranked number one for mountain biking, receiving an A- because of outstanding trails, access and culture. Missouri received the people's choice award, because it earned the highest grade in an online poll of IMBA members.

For the full version of the 2003 IMBA Report Card, including grades and comments for all 50 states and six countries, visit http://www.imba.com or contact dan@imba.com.

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2003 IMBA U.S. Mountain Bike Access Report Card

Arizona: A
West Virginia: A-
Idaho: A-
South Dakota: A-
Colorado: B+
Florida: B+
Utah: B+
Montana: B+
Oregon: B+
Oklahoma: B+
Michigan: B+
Missouri: B+
Wyoming: B
North Carolina: B
North Dakota: B
Virginia: B
Kentucky: B
New Mexico: B
Georgia: B
Nevada: B
Alaska: B
Wisconsin: B
New Hampshire: B
Arkansas: B
Washington: B
Massachusetts: B
Tennessee: B-
South Carolina: B-
Ohio: B-
Vermont: B-
Texas: B-
Minnesota: B-
Maine: B-
Maryland: B-
New York: B-
Hawaii: C+
Connecticut: C+
Iowa: C+
Mississippi: C+
Pennsylvania: C+
Delaware: C+
California: C+
Illinois: C
Kansas: C
Nebraska: C
Louisiana: C
Rhode Island: C
Alabama: C
New Jersey: C
Indiana: D+

2003 IMBA International Mountain Bike Access Report Card

ITALY: A-
CANADA: B+
British Columbia: A
Yukon: A-
Ontario: B+
Alberta: B
Quebec: C+
UNITED STATES: B
AUSTRALIA: B-
ISRAEL: B-
UNITED KINGDOM: C+
Scotland: A-
Wales: B+
England: C+
Northern Ireland: C-

Contact: Dan Vardamis, IMBA advocacy coordinator
dan@imba.com, 303-545-9011

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