Amy Harwood

Publisher's note: We've covered the Timberline MTB Park several times since the project became public in April 2010. Last week I was contacted by a member of Bark, a Mt. Hood Forest watchdog group working to stop the project. This guest article was written by Bark Board Member Amy Harwood (she also provided the photo below of Mt. Hood).
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This week lovers of Mt. Hood are stuck between a rock and a mountain of issues. On the one hand mountain bike enthusiasts are even closer to getting a world-class bike park on the slopes of one of America’s favorite peaks. On the other, the park is one of the best examples in recent history of how profit can rapidly trump concerns about the future of Mt. Hood’s wildlands.

Bark continues to stay engaged in efforts to stop the expansion, despite the risk of being swept onto an anti-bike blacklist. It’s worth stating why: (more...)

Image from Timberline Mountain Bike Park brochure.

When we last shared news about the Timberline Mountain Bike Park in November of 2012, the US Forest Service had approved a permit for the project and things were set to move forward. That permit was issued after an environmental analysis from the USFS lead to a "Finding of no significant impact" from the trails, roads and other development required to build a "world class" lift-assisted mountain bike riding area on Mt. Hood.

But after that permit was issued, two appeals were filed against the project. One came from a individual citizen and the other was a joint appeal from several outdoor and environmental groups including Friends of Mt. Hood, Bark, Mazamas, Federation of Western Outdoor Clubs, Northwest Environmental Defense Center, and Oregon Chapter of the Sierra Club.

At the end of last month, the USFS affirmed their original decision and denied both appeals. (more...)

A major new mountain bike park on Mt. Hood is all set to move forward. The United States Forest Service (USFS) has just approved the permit for the Timberline Mountain Bike Park, concluding that the plans are in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and that as proposed would have "no significant impact."

The new mountain bike park was proposed back in 2010 by RLK & Company, the same company behind the Timberline Lodge Ski Area. To create the new park, RLK has already hired the same consulting firm that developed the world famous Whistler Mountain Bike Park in British Columbia.
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Many Portlanders are headed up to Mt. Hood later today to attend a public form on the proposed Timberline MTB Park. As we reported last week, the project in its final comment period and the Forest Service is looking for feedback on their Preliminary Assessment of the project.

Local advocacy group, the Northwest Trail Alliance is urging their members to attend the forum to show their support of the project and two local bike shops — Bike Gallery and Fat Tire Farm — are organizing carpools to the event.
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The proposal includes three types
of trails, including some single-track.
(Photos: USFS)

The U.S. Forest Service has begun the official, 30-day public comment period on the 'Preliminary Assessment' of the Timberline Mountain Bike Trails and Skills Park Project. The project would include watershed restoration projects and the development of 17 miles of lift-assisted downhill mountain bike trails and a skills park in the southern portion of the existing Timberline Ski Area on Mt. Hood (about 55 miles east of downtown Portland).

As we shared last April, designers behind the Timberline project envision it as a major riding destination on par with world-famous Whistler Mountain Bike Park in Canada. (more...)

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Detail of Timberline Lodge brochure.

Timberline Lodge -- about 55 miles east of downtown Portland -- is working with the U.S. Forest Service and the consulting firm that created the world-famous Whistler Mountain Bike Park to create a world-class mountain bike area on Mt. Hood.

According to Timberline's website (pointed out to me by a friend yesterday -- thanks Gabe!), the downhill trails would be fully lift-serviced and are currently scheduled to open in Summer of 2011. The initial project scoping has begun and Timberline is actively seeking comments, words of support, and ideas from mountain bikers.
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