Why We Could Be A Mountain Biking Mecca

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/mountain-711728-county-biking.html

Orange County tourism plugs its theme parks, hotels and beaches, but leaves mountain biking a missed opportunity.

The county boasts world-class views and hundreds of miles of trails, as well as mountain biking clubs, race promoters and bike shop owners. Yet the people who promote the county to the world don’t seem to notice the possibilities.

My review of neighboring states suggests we’re missing out on millions of dollars in revenue.

Ed Fuller, president and CEO of VisitTheOC.com, concedes an opportunity exists that hasn’t been explored. “The conversation has not really been brought forward to date,” he says.

But Fuller says with a national mountain biking effort going on, the timing is excellent and his team can promote mountain biking tourism –provided county officials and sponsors want it. The question, he says, is, “Do they want to serve the county or the world?”

County parks officials don’t have a concise answer. They say serving local residents is their priority. But they admit they haven’t seriously considered mountain biking tourism.

Other Western states can provide plenty of pointers. Utah goes so far as to create a governor-appointed Office of Outdoor Recreation that enthusiastically courts mountain bikers with print and online brochures and permanent maps rating trails. Counties and cities follow the same model.

I recently visited St. George, Utah, which boasts: “Our mountain biking trails come with fewer people and year-round access. St. George and Zion National Park are great locations for a mountain biking vacation.”

My visit to southern Oregon found carefully groomed family trails that far exceed Orange County’s despite that state’s relatively small population.

Yet in Orange County, we keep mountain biking a secret. Our choice spots include: Aliso and Woods Canyon Wilderness Park with a variety of trails akin to a ski resort for cyclists; Crystal Cove State Park and its roller-coaster single track with ocean views; and Saddleback, with climbs that exceed 4,000 vertical feet and rides that fly above clouds.

SEEING POSSIBILITIES

Utah and Orange County have major differences, but also much in common. Both have local populations of about 3 million. While estimates vary, both report their tourists spend $8 billion or more a year.

While Orange County shies away from leveraging its hills and mountains, Utah makes bank.

“As residents, we just saw Utah as our own big backyard for a while,” said Vicki Varela, Utah Office of Tourism managing director. “But now that we noticed that Mother Nature played favorites and the land here is super marketable, we’re on everybody’s bucket list.

“This is such a huge breakthrough for the Utah economy,” Varela added. “It means money we don't have to pay that can go toward schools, roads and more.”

With Saddleback towering some 5,500 feet above Orange County’s flatlands, foothills that stretch nearly the length of the county and coastal hills along our southern flank, nature played favorites with Orange County as well.

It’s also arguable that mountain biking sales and bed tax dollars could help our hard-pressed cities and public agencies.

Dave Hanson started as a bicycle mechanic and today owns and operates eight Jax bicycle stores in and around Orange County. I’ve known him for more than a decade, and Hanson spends nearly as much time running his business as he does advocating bicycle safety, healthy living and getting outdoors.

“I’m about commerce,” Hanson says. “I would love people coming to our neck of the woods to enjoy it. It doesn’t matter if they are hikers, ride horses, mountain bike. A lot of businesses are leaving California and there’s not a lot of drive to bring in things we don’t already have. We could create more outdoor places for our livelihood.”

Hanson points out Orange County’s key advantage: year-round cycling weather. That’s not the case in Oregon or Moab, Utah – widely known as a mountain biking mecca – where winter temperatures dip below freezing at night.

Additionally, in the last decade the size of county parkland has about doubled.

But officials, outdoor enthusiasts and business owners say putting it to public use is painfully slow. Hanson says, “We’re not moving with this land quick enough.”

SOME MOVEMENT

OC Parks Director Stacy Blackwood says the increase in county parkland offers more outdoor opportunities. She points out open space near Irvine Lake and Santiago Oaks alone has shot up to 25,000 acres.

Yet Blackwood says, “We’ve not had a single conversation about tourism. It’s not something we focus on internally.”

Blackwood says there has to be careful consideration to balance trail use between equestrians, hikers and mountain bikers. Still, the director says she is open to new ideas.

“Obviously, we recognize the park system contributes to quality of life for Orange County residents, and it’s also a tourism experience.”

She adds that in the last three years the parks system has worked more closely with mountain biking groups and now allows limited races in county parks.

Jon Kearley and his wife, Missy, create gift food baskets by day. But when the workday ends, the couple are all about mountain biking and racing.

What started as a passion has grown into a modest side business called Non Dot Adventures. The next race is April 23 in Aliso and Woods Canyon Wilderness Park, after that it’s Sept. 24 in Santiago Oaks Regional Park. The last race in Santiago Oaks drew about 180 participants and about 125 spectators.

Kearley says he appreciates OC Parks allowing a race every 12 months in several parks. Still, he hopes that with the labyrinth of trails throughout Orange County – and those in state parks such as Chino Hills and Crystal Cove – there are more opportunities for mountain biking.

The race director recently visited Bend, Ore., where mountain biking is encouraged. “Mountain biking tourism is a huge plus,” Kearley says. “We’re not changing fast enough.”

Kearley sees plenty of room in Orange County to create a wide range of trails, especially given the enormous size of the Santa Ana Mountains. He says hiking trails typically offer gradual ascents, while mountain biking trails can dip up and down, flowing with the terrain.

Though tourism lags, there is some forward movement on the local front. Several high schools have launched mountain bike teams, and plans are in the works to build a 10-acre cycling skills site in Fullerton’s Ted Craig Regional Park.

Already, the county, the International Mountain Biking Association and the local Share Mountain Biking Club have kicked in tens of thousands of dollars to support the bike park.

In justifying the bike park, the county noted, “While there are extensive trail opportunities, there are few of the progressive riding opportunities popular with mountain bikers today.”

LOCAL ACTION

Steve Larson lives in Huntington Beach and volunteers as president of Share Mountain Bike Club, an organization with a quarter century of history.

As a mountain biker, Larson speaks for hundreds of cyclists when he says bringing mountain biking tourism to Orange County would be a mixed blessing. He says many cyclists, like surfers with their waves, prefer to keep the best trails for themselves. But the president also has a larger vision.

“Mountain biking is a great way to see the parks and generate some revenue for the county,” Larson says. “It can help fill hotels. It can be a good revenue stream.”

Notably, the International Mountain Biking Association credits Share Mountain Bike Club with 32,000 hours of volunteer work. Jay Kinghorn, director of communications for Utah tourism, notes the best way to attract tourism is at the local level.

Kinghorn says there is tourism magic when it’s led by local residents “who love their sport and want to create something.”

Still the International Mountain Biking Association that knows all about Share Mountain Bike Club doesn’t know enough about Orange County for a mention on the association’s destinations page.

 

With our weather and mountains, the Elsinore/Corona side of the Santa Anas could offer world-class lift-accessed year-round riding. Trail maintenance would be tricky, with our dry dirt, and I imagine liability concerns would be overwhelming.

Laguna Beach is filled with MtB royalty every day, especially in the off season. However, most LB residents don't particularly care for mtb-ers and aren't too keen on MtB tourism.

 

Orange County as a mountain biking designation is not a compelling attraction to business when compared to the other big business attractions the area has to offer. MTBing as a tourist industry works well in backwater designations that all other forms business has dried up and has blown away. Downieville and Moab would not be what they are without MTBing because the industries that made them left decades ago. MTBers are cheap they do not spend the kind of cash that a golfer does when they travel to golf. MTBers put people on the floors in motel rooms and complain about the cost of a campsite. Going out to eat means a taco, pizza and a craft bear. In marketing you play and market to your audience, better places to go ride than OC to MTB.

Dean

 

Exactly!!!

 

If I was a resident of Orange County, I would count this as a blessing. The popular trails on the weekends, get almost as busy as Disneyland now.

 

Utah and Orange County have major differences, but also much in common. Both have local populations of about 3 millionmillion;;

Our tiny county has a many people as an entire state. More riders will increase the incidence of conflict.
More trails would be needed before more MTB tourism.

 

Fruita Colorado makes it abundantly clear that they are still on the map due to the rise in Mountain Bike activity. They have a mecca of first class trails systems with a growing inventory that keeps them on the map. They make it quite clear they are "MTB Friendly"... something that Southern California fights with constantly.

 

Mammoth Mountain and other ski areas were naturals for creating mountain bike parks. They already had leases on National Forest land and chair lifts standing empty all summer. They also had empty hotels and inns and out-of work seasonal employees. Along with that, they were able to build mountain bike only trails in areas where there were extensive hiker/equestrian trails in place, aka wilderness areas.

Orange County doesn't have a ski area. It does have a National Forest. Should we put chair lifts up Saddleback? Maybe at the end of Holy Jim canyon? That'd of course require a service road to get from the base lodge to the top of the lifts. Goodbye Bell Ridge or Old Camp. Does this make sense? How about Black Star Canyon? Oh, yeah.. there's a Monarch Butterfly Preserve in there.

We also have high real estate prices. Perhaps we could've used some great terrain between Corona del Mar and Laguna Beach? Nice ocean views and mild temperatures.. oops! Newport Coast! Or inland slightly.. ahh, yes--Rancho Mission Viejo!

Our open spaces have environmental protections in place, and limited trail options. As mentioned, multi-use trails and already crowded.

I'm not opposed to the concept; just being realistic. If I've seen any place around here that could conceivably work, it'd be over the top of an existing land fill, like Bee Canyon, which is set to close in 2020.

 

Hmmm. Can't really improve upon the points made already. @dstepper pretty much nailed it. The only upside that I see is potentially more trails... where? Cleveland... OK, but good luck with getting new sanctioned trails on National Forest land these days. On the other hand, think about the VOLUME of mtb'rs required to make a dent in overall tourist $$ in Orange County. No thanks! I am okay with things just the way that they are.

 

I agree, OC trails (and beaches, and...everything!) are crowded and impacted enough as it is, resident population density and use is very high and more than enough tourists come here already for other reasons. I see no reason to advertise our trails. Look at LCWP parking lot on a weekend, theres no spaces left for extra tourists to park. Try to drive in and out of laguna beach in the summer. Thats what oc needs...more tourists! (Not!) The idea of chairlifts up Holy Jim make me cringe, though I know that's not gonna happen.
Man I love my mid-week days off.

 

Other coastal counties in CA can offer most of what the OC can without the crowed.
For example,the area between Santa Barbara and SLO could be a great MTB destination. It has more open space, and approximately the same weather.

 

World-class surfing, shopping, restaurants and attractions! So many beaches! Road riding PCH – a must-do! Golf and sporting events, yessir! No weather to speak of!

Meanwhile, out in the bush...hehe

 

Yeah, MTB tourism isn't going to make even a slight divot in the OC tourism landscape. Everything pales in comparison to the beach and the House of Mouse.

But the county could do a lot more to serve its resident mountain bikers (such as not shutting down long-standing trails at the behest of corporate masters). The bike park at Craig Park is a start, but it seems to be moving at a glacial pace. There is also, I think, sufficient demand - and more suitable space - for similar facility in south county. When we have 500+ riders show up for a mid-week MTB race and a similar number for a charity MTB ride, you know there are a lot of MTBers around. The question is, without the tourism angle, what can we do to convince local officials that they need to do more?

 

And few places to ride. Much of that area like Northern CA is private property....large ranches and agriculture.

Dean

 

Big T that is the direction to move in. Our trails get beat to Sh!t with all the traffic. I look around and see so much potential but all you get is red tape. The SOT in our area should be open to bikes. Many trails in our local federal wilderness lands should not be off limits to limits to bikes. I have poached The threes Ts many times, poached San Mateo Wilderness often. There are no hikers out there to complain about bikes. Popular hikes like Ice House canyon and Mt Baldy maybe have too high a hiker popularity to share but many other trails see little to no traffic. Free Jo Pond!

 

That might make it easier to develop as a tourist attraction (if the land owner can profit form it).

 

Outside of Mammoth Mountain, Tamarancho and Woodward West I can not think of many places to ride on private property. Maybe it is different in other parts of the US.

I would pay a user fee to legally ride some federal wilderness trails.

Question: Is there private property that people pay to moto, quad or 4-wheel on?

 

I think Mountain High should add a bike park to their resort annually. I was a pass holder there for years, but the 40in of snow they get that they work magic to make it stick to the mountain for 8 weeks made it hard to justify keeping it. I think they tried it for 1 summer years ago, iirc.

 

I hate Old Camp, huge letdown of a "camp." Black Star sucks, you don't even get chased outta there by Black Star Bill or the devil worshippers that lurk back there anymore... Boring! I'm sick of the crappy trails at Oaks and they might as well put in more condos and McMansions in place of the Aliso/Laguna/El Moro parks. Let's dump this tourism idea because riding sucks here, wouldn't be any fun for out of towers.

 

http://www.socaltrailriders.org/index.php?threads/blackstar-confrontation.65472/#post-1002567

 

Could not agree with you more. After riding Sedona and Colorado I go into a major funk and don't ride local for weeks on end because the riding does not compare.

Dean

 

Psssst - hey Steppie, I think @Cornholio was being facetious. Traveler repellent..., y'know.

But yes, other places at their prime season do make our local selection feel a little ordinary.

 

I look at local riding as a bonus. I can live near my mother-in-law, work my vocation and still ride every week without a road trip, often without seeing a soul on the trail.

I've heard lots of glass-half-empties drone (seriously) about how lame they think the riding is here. If it's that bad and so important, why live here? Oh yea, we had this discussion already...it's cuz we gotta have first world problems to complain about.

 

I dunno 'bout all y'all, but I'm easy to please...as long as I can turn my pedals, on either bike, I'm a happy camper.

I seriously doubt you'd tear people away from Dismal Land, Knuckleberry Farm, and Universal Stupidos plus, as others have mentioned, it's very expensive here. You'd also need signs with maps at the airports to show people that there are actual mountains here, since beyond Fontana they think it's just one vast sea of houses. Even the Rose Parade doesn't convince them of anything but the weather.

 

Hermosa Tours tried to sell a winter MTB vacation package a few years ago, I don't think they offer it anymore. I think there is a place for niche markets like preseason racing camps while the high country is drying out, but I can't imagine anyone needing to hire a guide for El Moro.

I also think there is room for promoting bike demo/rental, there are a lot of folks who would pay to tack a day of riding on to a business trip or the family vacation, if they knew they could.

Even if this is nobody's dream destination, there might be a dollar or two in it. So tell your county supervisor it's a gold mine, and maybe we'll get to build more trails for ourselves!

 

To me it just is not fesable to make this a MTB destination, simply on the fact there are just to many people here! It's a constant fight between hikers and mountain bikers. When I do (seldom) ride where there is a crowded trail I can feel the vibe I get from some hikers, cause I'm scary coming down the trail, usually I'm flying and have to break heavily, breaking my flow and adrenaline rush we bike riders crave, more anti biking amunition for hikers to whom I actually sympathize with, therfore is the reason I think I just don't mix with hikers.
I can't remember having to struggle with hikers in Utah or Colorado? This area's attitude tword MTB'ers won't change in my lifetime. Sorry about some of you guys locations and your dissatisfaction with it. I'm flat out blessed with fricking awesome riding in just about every direction within a 45 or much less drive. No it's not Colorado or Utah, or Arizona but it's not bad if you ask me! And the beauty of it all is we get to go to those places if we are so inclined.

 

As I've said on the bajillion occasions when someone criticizes me for riding in the same few locations, we have some AWESOME trails that we can ride 355 days a year, and don't have to travel far to add more to the repertoire. It seems 75% or more of the MTB advertisements in print and video media are shot here. We should feel fortunate, strive not to mess it up through our behavior, and definitely NOT actively attempt to make our locale an MtB destination.

And keep motorized vehicles off the trails. (Fire-roads OK and handicap exempt). I hear North Dakota is building lots of e-bike friendly trails.... spread the word.

 

Duh...gave it back...

 

I never been there but here is one example:
www.facebook.com/pages/The-Dirt-Club-Private-Mountain-Bike-Riding-Area/227934300555413