Progress is being made on the first few of what is hoped to be many kilometres of new single-track trail on Tabor Mountain.
Starting from a spot on Groveburn Road, the Association of Caledonia TrailBuilders (ACT) has started work on an initial 4.75 kilometres of pathway suitable not only for beginner-level mountain biking - with about 1.5 kilometres of intermediate level thrown into the mix - but also for running, hiking and snowshoeing.
The aim is to get that phase completed before the snow flies and then work on attracting support additional phases adding up to more than 35 kilometres of trail in the northwest corner of the Tabor Mountain Recreation Area, a 15-minute drive east of Prince George.
The vision calls for some "serious black diamond trails" says ACT president Dan Domes, with the runs starting at the towers at the top of the mountain and funnelling down to the starting point on Groveburn Road.
The drop from top to bottom would add up to 525 metres - significantly more than what's available at Pidherny and Otway - and with a six-kilometre gravel road already in place, allowing bikers to take vehicle shuttles to the top.
The Prince George Cycling Club, which takes care of the Pidherny trails, is in support of the project on Tabor and has given a significant donation, according to Domes.
"They're at capacity right now with Pidherny, they can't take on any more and that's one of the reasons why we started our little association," Domes said.
The first phase is backed by about $107,000 worth of direct and in-kind funding. Of that, $70,000 comes from Northern Development Initiative Trust, $18,000 from the Fraser-Fort George Regional District. Edgewater Holdings Ltd. and Cycle Logic are significant supporters, and a number of local businesses have also chipped in as has the Prince George Backcountry Recreation Society.
Aided by a contractor, members of ACT have been out working on the trails on a volunteer basis and, through their efforts, significant progress has been made, said Domes. As well, members of the B.C. Wildfire Service's Firehawk crew have also pitched in.
There is no connection between the project and a plan put forward by the Tabor Mountain Ski Resort to triple its size, Domes stressed. "We are on a completely different part of the mountain," Domes said.
(Submitted in March 2021, TMRS's draft master plan remains under review by the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operation's mountain resorts branch, according to a posting on the branch's website).
Going forward, Domes said ACT will probably turn to the business community and service clubs to gather the funding for the additional phases, noting that a "professional trail builder" will be key to getting all the work completed.
"I'm really pleased with how the local biking community has stepped forward to join our association and help out with volunteering," Domes said. "We've got a tremendous leadership team who've committed a huge amount of time and effort to making this thing happen."
