Diggin’ an extreme dream

Before the Fat Tire Trail Riders Club began the Beacon Hill Project, the group started working with the Spokane parks department toward the development of a Camp Sekani mountain bike park.

“Our relationship with the city began as an Adopt-a-Park partner with the parks department in June of 2005. We have put in over 250 hours of volunteer trail work hours since then,” said Trail Riders Club president Penny Schwyn regarding the Camp Sekani park area located within Beacon Hill.

“The future vision is to have dedicated a mountain bike park for freeriding and downhill.”

This vision is quickly becoming a reality. The club completed the first of several planned freeride structures last fall with the approval of Spokane Park Operations. The materials and labor for the structure’s construction were supplied by the Trail Riders Club, which represents a huge step forward in trail advocacy and the integration of extreme mountain biking into Spokane’s parks operations.

Until the overall Beacon Hill project is approved, which is likely more than 18 months away, according to the Trail Riders Club timeline, the club is permitted to work on trails and build structures within Camp Sekani only.

“Any building of structures, jumps or trails is only authorized by FTTRC members after plans are approved by the trail boss, Dan Webber, and are approved by the parks department,” said Schwyn, who encourages people to join the club and become active in moving the Camp Sekani park project forward.

Aside from the new structure, the Trail Riders Club has also conducted trail building and maintenance workshops with members, in addition to hauling more than 18 truckloads of trash from the Camp Sekani park area in April 2005.