Old logging roads above Incline Village, NV transformed into a new singletrack trail designed by freeride mountain bike athlete Cam Zink’s trail building nonprofit
The Upper Tyrolian Trail, North Lake Tahoe’s newest singletrack mountain bike trail featuring berms, jumps and other interesting natural features is now open above Incline Village, Nevada. The project was spearheaded by the Tahoe Area Mountain Bike Association (TAMBA) with a $60,000 grant from the Tahoe Fund. Its completion was celebrated today by the volunteers, supporters and donors who made it possible.
Together with the U.S. Forest Service and Sensus R.A.D. Trails, a trail building nonprofit by local freeride mountain bike athlete Cam Zink, TAMBA converted old logging roads into nearly two miles of sustainable singletrack trail that connects Tahoe Meadows off Mount Rose Highway to the existing Tyrolian Downhill Trail. The new upper section of the trail provides an official start trailhead with improved signage, and was designed to reduce mountain bike traffic on the Tahoe Rim Trail.
“This trail project was a long time coming, and we’re thrilled to be officially turning it over to the public to enjoy,” said Patrick Parsel, TAMBA trails director. “Building sustainable trails in the Tahoe Basin is our priority, and we couldn’t do it without the support of partners like the Tahoe Fund and the U.S. Forest Service.”
The first part of the Upper Tyrolian Trail was built as a flowy singletrack trail that incorporates natural features to enhance the rider experience. After 0.75 miles, the trail transitions to one with professionally designed and built rollovers, tabletops, step-ups, step-downs and triple-option jumps that provide a unique and challenging experience for riders to practice and build their skills.
The second element of the project was to decommission miles of eroded logging roads in the area where the Upper Tyrolian Trail begins. These dirt roads were used extensively by logging operations and were not designed to manage stormwater. Decommissioning included scarifying compacted areas, naturalizing the soil surface with pine duff, and incorporating erosion control features to reduce sediment runoff into creeks that flow into Lake Tahoe.
“TAMBA’s commitment to building trails that provide sustainable recreation throughout Tahoe are unparalleled, and partnering with them to complete this trail aligned perfectly with the Tahoe Fund’s mission,” said Caroline Waldman, sustainable recreation program director for the Tahoe Fund. “We’re proud to have contributed to this effort.”
Learn more about the Upper Tyrolian Trail project here.