Cypress bike park?!

Back on topic, I heard back from Cycling BC and nothing came of their efforts a couple of years ago towards the addressing of a Task Force for a bike park in Cypress Bowl.

I had a chance to speak face to face with Alan B last night and indeed it was semantics.

We were looking at the same coin but from different viewpoints.

So, if you are interested in the possibility of a bike park at Cypress this would be a good opportunity to voice that interest.

So, he was looking outward since I think maybe BPP will be there, whereas I was looking inward at the scope of what the ULWG was there in fact to communicate.

I had a chance to speak face to face with Alan B last night and indeed it was semantics.

We were looking at the same coin but from different viewpoints.

So, if you are interested in the possibility of a bike park at Cypress this would be a good opportunity to voice that interest.

So, he was looking outward since I think maybe BPP will be there, whereas I was looking inward at the scope of what the ULWG was there in fact to communicate.

No maybe about it. The president of BPP will be there tonight to hear from mtn bikers, I mean future pub patrons.

Good talking with you, Gord. You're right. Tonight is the time to talk to BPP about the possibility of a bike park at Cypress.

I'm actually a little torn. Given how incredibly busy Fromme and Seymour are, Cypress (especially pedalling up the BLT) is quiet and isolated. It's refreshing to have those lookouts all to one's self.

But I get that development is coming whether I like it or not. And having a grand plan will help the mountains to serve more people better, which will ultimately open the possibility of even more access.

The idea of one or two machine-built trails (say, one blue and one black) all the way down the Cypress power line corridor would go a long way to help spread the ridership around. There is such a huge number of newish riders flocking to trails like Espresso and Forever After that a couple of high-traffic machine made descent trails and one or two alpine XC epics would seem central to a plan that requires gondola ride sales.

But who would pay to build and then maintain these trails? Can machine-made trails be made to a maintenance-free standard? How much work is spent maintaining Full and Half Nelson over a season?

I'm actually a little torn. Given how incredibly busy Fromme and Seymour are, Cypress (especially pedalling up the BLT) is quiet and isolated. It's refreshing to have those lookouts all to one's self.

But I get that development is coming whether I like it or not. And having a grand plan will help the mountains to serve more people better, which will ultimately open the possibility of even more access.

The idea of one or two machine-built trails (say, one blue and one black) all the way down the Cypress power line corridor would go a long way to help spread the ridership around. There is such a huge number of newish riders flocking to trails like Espresso and Forever After that a couple of high-traffic machine made descent trails and one or two alpine XC epics would seem central to a plan that requires gondola ride sales.

But who would pay to build and then maintain these trails? Can machine-made trails be made to a maintenance-free standard? How much work is spent maintaining Full and Half Nelson over a season?

I'm glad to hear that you recognize that change is coming to Cypress. Change is a given. This is about shaping the change.

Building and maintaining trails within a commercial bike park would be the responsibility of the operator.

My guess is that a bike park would start with a limited number of trails. Once the operator understands who the customers are and what type of trails they ride, then more trails will be added to match the demand.

Having legit fast DH runs will take pressure off unauthorized trails like Mystery [HTML_REMOVED] Meat Sweat. It would be great to have a place that racers could train without ripping up the forest.

Having legit fast DH runs will take pressure off unauthorized trails like Mystery [HTML_REMOVED] Meat Sweat. It would be great to have a place that racers could train without ripping up the forest.

Ya let's protect the forest from all those irresponsible racers and hand it over to the developers so the can build monster homes for absentee foreign investers and local D.I.N.Ks

Wow! That was good! Thanks to every one that made the effort to come out. We had a wide range of biking enthusiasts, we had independent trail builders, we had NSMBA trail builders, we had DH riders, we had the pedalers!

Mark Wood of the NSMBA took time as well to come out and chat and be available. Thank you! And all the independent builders with their years of experience and their passion- Thanks as well for coming out.

It will take ALL of us talking and communicating and focused on the future to make this happen. And it was good for me to see! I am nothing more than the bullhorn for the cause. But we need the bullhorn like we need the builder's experience and passion and ideas- and the riders offering to help out too.

I had the opportunity to introduce a NSMBA trail builder to the DWV Parks manager, and that was neat conversation to listen in on. Some independent builders as well had some great conversations about the future up there with some important folks.

When I asked Mark Wood what he though the biggest challenge would be during the next two years he replied communication to the community so they understand what we are and do.

Now, for the news that took some air out of my balloon: "Policy Making is an Endurance Sport." So, when it comes to the Trail Review, and how that morphs into Trail Policy… that will take time and take resources. Then it might be 2-3 years before the Area Development Plan is completed for the Cypress Village at the hairpin though it will not be as long to know where general bike trail corridors may go but I sense we will be playing it by ear for some time.

So it is still a long haul- we need the right people in the right seats on the bus, and the bus is big and has room for everyone. If you want to be a part of it, step up and offer and I or Alan B can point you in the right direction when the time is right.

Now, for the news that took some air out of my balloon: "Policy Making is an Endurance Sport." So, when it comes to the Trail Review, and how that morphs into Trail Policy… that will take time and take resources.

Were you around for the Alpine Study on Fromme?
Started in 2003.

http://www.dnv.org/article.asp?c=988

Were you around for the Alpine Study on Fromme?
Started in 2003.

http://www.dnv.org/article.asp?c=988

Before my time. Thanks, I will go through this.

… ok, just scanned it… yea…. lots of time…

Cheers

Gord

Now, for the news that took some air out of my balloon: "Policy Making is an Endurance Sport." So, when it comes to the Trail Review, and how that morphs into Trail Policy… that will take time and take resources. Then it might be 2-3 years before the Area Development Plan is completed for the Cypress Village at the hairpin though it will not be as long to know where general bike trail corridors may go but I sense we will be playing it by ear for some time.

What are you talking about? After working on this since 2007, 2-3 years is a last minute sprint! Easy peazy! ;)

Thanks for your help with this and talking to so many people, Gord. Good work.

Kudos to everyone for coming out and representing the biking community so well. Corinne from WV Parks thoroughly enjoyed talking with everyone and knows who to reach out to for her Trail Plan in 2016. I'm sure the BPP Pres. learned a lot about riders, especially from his conversations with Lee. Does anyone know what the bike parks are like in China?

Stay tuned. Gord and I will keep the community posted on progress. The next critical decision will be determining how much of the trail system will be public and how much, if any, will be private.

As for me, I'm just glad the Cypress Village ADP won't kick off until next year. It's time for a break.

Today, Sunday, is the last day for the survey.

If you haven't completed a survey, please submit one and use the comment section to say what you're supporting and why.

Thanks to those that have filled it out.

Thanks for the heads up.

More mountain biking coming to low-snow ski resorts across West

http://www.seattletimes.com/life/travel/mountain-biking-is-boon-to-low-snow-ski-resorts-across-west/

Good Catch Craig.

With respect to Cypress Bowl, it is in a BC Park.

This is what my digging has uncovered:

BC Parks Cypress Master Plan link:

Cypress Master Plan

Page 18 of the Master Plan discusses recreation, with mountain biking noted. However, “intensive” recreation… that is the allowing of Skiiing and nordic skiing”- and not mountain biking.

BC Parks leased the operation. The original lease is held in a holding company in the Channel Islands off of France. That entity has subleased the operation of the ski hill to Boyne USA. The sublease is here, as registered with the SEC in the USA:

Sub Lease

In the sublease they discuss the Park Use Permit… Definitions “Cypress Permit”: this has been amended… so… need to track down the permits.

“Cypress Permit” shall mean Park Use Permit 1506, dated September 13, 1984, issued by Her Majesty, the Queen in right of the Province of British Columbia represented by the Minister as such Park Use Permit has been amended or supplemented by agreements dated June 17, 1985, November 5, 1986, June 4, 1987, August 15, 1987, October 16, 1987, August 19, 1988, February 19, 1997, June 26, 1997, and February 20, 2001, and as amended and restated by agreement dated February 20, 2001, and as further amended by a second amendment dated February 20, 2001 and further amendments made as of October 1, 2001, April 10, 2006, and May 26, 2006, including the CRA Master Plan as defined in such permit, as assigned by Tenant to Landlord, with the consent of the Minister as same may be restated, extended, supplemented, replaced and reviewed from time to time."

But nevertheless, BC Parks I think is the ultimate determiner of what is, in their view, appropriate given their policy in the Master Plan.

That is how I see it so far with what I think I understand.