HURRICANE – Biking enthusiasts from across the world are invited to attend the sixth annual “Hurricane Mountain Bike Festival,” hosted by Over the Edge Sports. The festival runs March 18-20 and offers a weekend of one-of-a-kind riding trails and outdoor adventure.
“So much has come together to make this year’s event especially great,” festival director DJ Morisette said. “With so many fun activities and more demo bikes than ever before, this festival is shaping up to be our best yet.”
With staging and activities at the Hurricane Community Center, the three-day event will feature scheduled rides, live entertainment, games, prizes, pancake breakfasts, a Dutch oven dinner and a beer garden.
“One exciting new addition this year will be a pump track,” Morisette said. “This will be a fun place for parents and children to hang out together.”
A pump track is a fun new recreational activity where instead of pedaling, riders use an up-and-down “pumping” motion to propel the bicycle forward. The track is designed with rolling hills and banked curves that make it ideal for practicing balance and improving confidence on the bike. The pump track is made available with funding from OTW Safety Barricades, Hurricane City and the St. George Area Sports Commission.
Another addition this year will be three skills clinics offered throughout the weekend for anyone wishing to brush up on technique or get extra practice before heading out for a ride. No skill level or experience is necessary, and participants will have plenty of one-on-one time with coaches.
Several top cycling vendors are coming to this year’s event, including Rocky Mountain, Knolly, Ibis, BMC, Niner, Pivot, Trek, Giant, Fuji, Scott Bikes, Kona, Guerrilla Gravity, Marin Bikes, SR Suntour, Novatec Wheels, Club Ride Apparel, Industry Nine, RacAttach, IMBA, Kali Helmets and BH Bikes.
In addition, free shuttles will provide easy access to an extensive network of world-class riding trails.
“Our unique terrain and stunning views create a really incredible experience for mountain bikers,” said Kevin Lewis, director of the Washington County Office of Sports and Outdoor Recreation. “Hurricane was recently tagged as ‘the next great slick rock biking town’ by National Geographic Adventure. There’s no question this area provides some of the best mountain biking you’ll find anywhere, and this festival opens the opportunity to discover it all.”
Hurricane boasts some of the premier mountain biking trails in the world. World-renowned rides like Gooseberry Mesa, the J.E.M Trail and Little Creek Mountain are just a few of the many trails adorning the area and accessible via the shuttles.
“Feedback from previous years tells us that the quality of the trails is what riders love the most about this event,” Morisette said. “Outstanding riding with stunning scenic views make this area a prime destination for bikers.”
Another highlight riders can look forward to this year is the availability of numerous demo bikes to test ride. Festival organizers have put extra effort into assembling a larger collection of demo bikes from leading brands this year, giving riders the opportunity to discover for themselves what features and styles they prefer.
“We have the best bikes in the industry for riders to take out and test,” Morisette said. “Demo bikes give participants a great way to try out and compare different models on Hurricane’s one-of-a-kind trails. The challenging courses provide a chance to really showcase what these bikes can do.”
About the Office of Sports and Recreation
The Washington County Office of Sports and Outdoor Recreation was created to help build on the brand of the area as a world-class destination for sports and outdoor recreation, according to its Web page. The office services the needs associated with growth in sports tourism including the opportunities it provides as well as the impact it has on the county’s communities and the demand it places on the region’s sports and recreation assets.
The office plays a coordinating role in bringing business, government, sports and community leaders together to strengthen the county’s brand, manage resources and facilitate the infrastructure needed to attract appropriate sporting events, enhance recreational opportunities throughout the county, infuse economic impact and enrich the quality of life for our residents.
Event details
- What: The sixth annual “Hurricane Mountain Bike Festival”
- When: Friday-Sunday, March 18-20
- Where: Hurricane Community Center, 63 S. 100 West, Hurricane
- Who: Biking enthusiasts from all over the world are invited to attend
- Web pages and pricing: HurricaneMTBFestival | Registration | $55 for three-day pass, $35 for day pass | Additional fees for T-shirts, skills clinics itemized here
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @STGnews
Bicycles should not be allowed in any natural area. They are inanimate objects and have no rights. There is also no right to mountain bike. That was settled in federal court in 1996: http://mjvande.info/mtb10.htm . It’s dishonest of mountain bikers to say that they don’t have access to trails closed to bikes. They have EXACTLY the same access as everyone else — ON FOOT! Why isn’t that good enough for mountain bikers? They are all capable of walking….
A favorite myth of mountain bikers is that mountain biking is no more harmful to wildlife, people, and the environment than hiking, and that science supports that view. Of course, it’s not true. To settle the matter once and for all, I read all of the research they cited, and wrote a review of the research on mountain biking impacts (see http://mjvande.info/scb7.htm ). I found that of the seven studies they cited, (1) all were written by mountain bikers, and (2) in every case, the authors misinterpreted their own data, in order to come to the conclusion that they favored. They also studiously avoided mentioning another scientific study (Wisdom et al) which did not favor mountain biking, and came to the opposite conclusions.
Those were all experimental studies. Two other studies (by White et al and by Jeff Marion) used a survey design, which is inherently incapable of answering that question (comparing hiking with mountain biking). I only mention them because mountain bikers often cite them, but scientifically, they are worthless.
Mountain biking accelerates erosion, creates V-shaped ruts, kills small animals and plants on and next to the trail, drives wildlife and other trail users out of the area, and, worst of all, teaches kids that the rough treatment of nature is okay (it’s NOT!). What’s good about THAT?
To see exactly what harm mountain biking does to the land, watch this 5-minute video: http://vimeo.com/48784297.
In addition to all of this, it is extremely dangerous: http://mjvande.info/mtb_dangerous.htm .
For more information: http://mjvande.info/mtbfaq.htm .
The common thread among those who want more recreation in our parks is total ignorance about and disinterest in the wildlife whose homes these parks are. Yes, if humans are the only beings that matter, it is simply a conflict among humans (but even then, allowing bikes on trails harms the MAJORITY of park users — hikers and equestrians — who can no longer safely and peacefully enjoy their parks).
The parks aren’t gymnasiums or racetracks or even human playgrounds. They are WILDLIFE HABITAT, which is precisely why they are attractive to humans. Activities such as mountain biking, that destroy habitat, violate the charter of the parks.
Even kayaking and rafting, which give humans access to the entirety of a water body, prevent the wildlife that live there from making full use of their habitat, and should not be allowed. Of course those who think that only humans matter won’t understand what I am talking about — an indication of the sad state of our culture and educational system.
LOL. .! Get a life loser