Bell Built West - Voting Now Open, Who Deserves the $100,000 Grant?

 Yes do it vote for sky tavern

 Yeah Reno!

 nah northstar is closer than 4 hours from the bay. Reno is blessed with some stellar mountain biking terrain. Sky tavern should win because of all the passion that has gone into it plus the location is on point.

 yes!

 @andrewdoud you are exaggerating your driving times. From San Jose (south Bay Area) here are travel times to some "rocky" dh tracks per Google Maps: Downieville 3hrs, 45mins; Northstar 3hrs, 30mins; Kirkwood 3hrs, 20minutes. Getting to Mariposa (Exchequer) takes 2hrs, 40 minutes. If people are coming from the North Bay Area, they can take 30mins off of the Downieville and Northstar times.

 yep tons of primo gnar dh within easy driving distance of the bay. Reno just happens to be even closer but we can't penalize them for that.

 Auburn, CA has technical rocky descents with almost double the elevation drop and about half the drive time for the bay area folk... 650ft is weak IMO.

 That's 650ft that's linked into 2500 more vert of awesome single track down into the foothills of reno. Also I have ridden auburn and the terrain at sky tavern is far superior. Auburn is not technical.

 @tannerd And once TAMBA finishes the adjoining projects that they have in the works (late summer I think), you can add another 1500 vert. You'll be able to start just above the summit lot on 431 (around 9100ft), go through Sky T, and ride to the valley floor (5100ft). Can't wait for that!

 @skierdud89 they barely "opened" last year because of the record low snowfall and 60 degree temps in January. As a skier dude from reno you should have experienced these two terrible years first hand.

 @Alias530 Well I mean it's all relative. Everyone thinks their trails are the hardest until they go somewhere with harder trails. On the bright side, the dh trails you guys have got in Auburn are way more techy than anything I experienced while visiting my sister back east if that makes you feel any better.

 @carlmontnative We are on Pinkbike (a mountain bike forum) commenting on an article about the future of their bike park (also mountain bikes) why the hell would you think I'm referring to the ski side of business? Hosting a dual slalom race just weeks before the first snow storms of winter hardly shows that they are making the most of what they have. The owner is lazy and a city employee which means it's nearly impossible for him to get fired! So do you think he has any motivation whatsoever to better the mountain and do more than his job entails? NO!

 @skierdud89 "between summer and winter", not to mention your user name. I figured you meant winter because during the only other season you mentioned (summer) it is open for public use. Was that a serious comment or do you have a grudge against the place?

you are an awful representative of your local community and should be ashamed.

 @skierdud89 What the f*ck bro. We're all from Reno so how about a little bit of familial loyalty. Sky Tavern is great because it is an attempt to expand and diversify the cycling community here and all anyone stands to do is benefit from it. @carlmontnative is right. You should be ashamed.

 I am not going to be ashamed for not blindly putting my loyalty into the cluster f@#k that is Sky Tavern. If anyone out here deserves that money it's Truckee Bike park. A group that truly does want to see progress and get things done. Bike parks all over the US have gone from idea to planning to built in less time than it's taken them to figure out their plan. You can keep living in your pipe dream and I'll enjoy reality.

 @skierdud89 you should come and meet the people that run Sky Tavern. It's literally 2 (poorly) paid employees and a ton of volunteers that manage a ski area on their own for over 2,000 kids. They get no financial support from the city. The management are not city employees, they are a non-profit organization that has managed Sky Tavern since 1994. The place is full of passionate people giving up their free time to make something great happen. With the past drought years, they haven't had any extra $$ to put into the bike park development. Literally everything that has happened with the bike park in the past 3 years is due to volunteer labor.

We'd be more than happy to hand you a shovel.

 @caseyocoffman I'm not denying that you specifically haven't done the best with what you have to work with, I truly commend you on that! But without divulging names or companies I can tell you that I know more than the layperson about the management. I just feel Sky Tavern has had their chance and that another project may deserve that money more.

 @skierdud89 As someone who personally knows the builders of these two bike parks you just mentioned, I can 100% confirm you have absolutely no idea what you are talking about or the situation either project is in. You are going against your morals and have "blindly" entered into a debate which you obviously have 0 experience to support. Your lack of information is misleading anyone who reads these, please stop.

And watch the Sky Tavern video at the top of the page. I think the guy you're now taking to actually knows more than the average layperson.

 Hence why I said "you specifically" when I was replying to him.

 @skierdud89 I'm on the board of directors for Sky Tavern and am happy to address any questions or concerns regarding the park and our plans. As @caseyocoffman said, this is a volunteer-run, nonprofit organization, operated solely on grants, donations and event and program revenue. Sky Tavern has operated on a lean budget for several years due to zero snowfall, and has big plans for trail construction this summer and fall. Just as it would for any of these groups, the grant would have a significant positive impact on our plans, as it frees up our volunteers and time to build other parts of this summer's phase.

 Voted. I think it's important to have expert/DH trails in non-bike park trail systems. I rather ride rowdy trails by pedaling to the top without a lift ticket fee.

 @Grunk Sky Tavern will have a pedal option too. The park and the surrounding trails that link up offer about 4000 vert of easy fireroad up/expert-ish singletrack down right now, and this will make the middle section even better. If you ever come through here, I'm happy to give a tour.

 Alsea Falls!
Grassroots community project made possible because of YEARS of working with the BLM. Great group of people building trails for the people! Compare what Team Dirt has accomplished in the last 18 months with simple hand tools and meager donations to what they could do with $100k!
The BLM is the ONLY government organization, in Oregon at least, that seems to want to work with mountain bikers. Let's reward such cooperation and hope it is contagious!

Not going to win though, not enough population to beat the Bay Area or Reno... This is a popularity contest after all.

 Seriously though, Alsea is freaking awesome already, this would just put it over the top!

 I am blown away that they did that, sometimes I really hate people. Move to Bend haha Alsea does rule though, such rad people and such a great place!

 ^^^ that's Merced, not Midlands

 I'm assuming a contract will bind the winner to finish the project, and have terms for usuage.

 I know some have not read the grant, it is not a check for 100k, it is 100k worth of design and build by IMBA and Bell Helmets, We have a blank canvas for that, no design already laid out by a someone who is not a professional trail builder. Our canvas lays in wait for the 25 years of DH experience plus that IMBA will lay down. Yes no Lift Tickets prices, open year around, no other user groups, a bike only park that is on 700 acres of land right next to the lake. Yes the drought is bad but this money is not going anywhere but right into the trail, that is not the only trail there, we already have lots of trails on the ground with others in the works. A 1.5 mile purpose built disabled users trail that will be family friendly, High School XC race course, Multiple Runs off the top to be able to be set up for Enduro Racing. The ever so fun Flow Trail, Slopestyle course, Pump Tracks, Kids Areas, CX stuff, etc. If you like dirt and you like biking and being outdoors, oh and love house boating or camping, then you will love this park. VOTE Exchequer, We already Have Northstar if we want to buy a lift ticket and ride when there is no snow, but if you are like me and love riding year around then Vote Exchequer

 I'm down for Exchequer. Mtn bike specific trails, year round (summers might be rough but in winter tons of higher elevation trails are snowed out), good location, group feels committed to riders and land managers seem to back bikers and trail design riders want to ride. You guys seem to have a lot to offer. Central Cali maybe drying up but seems it could be raining jumps and berms there.

We all want more trails, good trails and good people are working hard all over to make it happen. Remember these votes are for, not against. Subtle but profound difference. Thanks to all builders, you are the holy sages of mtn biking and huge thanks to Bell!

 Thanks for the replies. Not being local to the area I am not aware of MID's reputation there. Whenever water is involved in the American West, it's always good to find out more background to the situation because of all of the fights/deceptions/back room deals/etc that have historically come into play. Best of luck to your team.

 Tons of Legit DH races all over the place without lifts, Many of them use Shuttles for race day. Exchequer has a fire road to the summit that can be opened up for race day shuttles

 I'm sure the fireroad is off the chain but i'll take a lift over a fireroad any day of the week

 You cant really cast a second vote because your vote only counts if you enter your email address and click the conformation link. So that makes me wonder if your vote actually counted.

 I must question the voting process myself as I voted for my choice and never did get a confirmation in my email. After contacting Bell directly, I have not received a response regarding this issue.
How many others has this happened to?

That being said, I believe that Exchequer is a great location for year-round riding and has a close proximity to a very large rider base that needs more LEGAL riding options. Notwithstanding the fact that I have done a fair share of work there.

 Vote for sky tavern at reno because that place has huge potential, and is run by a bunch of passionate volunteers that can get a lot of work done quick

 Because your park is the one that I will be voting for in your region. Actually thought it was the best. Some friends and myself have been putting in a lot of time and sweat into Exchequer so I'm biased on the west coast vote. Super stoked either way to have the exposure and opportunity from Bell! Exchequer Mountain Bike Park! Good luck everyone!!!!

 100k worth of design and build by IMBA and Bell Helmets, We have a blank canvas for that, no design already laid out by a someone who is not a professional trail builder. Our canvas lays in wait for the 25 years of DH experience plus that IMBA will lay down. Yes no Lift Tickets prices, open year around, no other user groups, a bike only park that is on 700 acres of land right next to the lake. Yes the drought is bad but this money is not going anywhere but right into the trail, that is not the only trail there, we already have lots of trails on the ground with others in the works. A 1.5 mile purpose built disabled users trail that will be family friendly, High School XC race course, Multiple Runs off the top to be able to be set up for Enduro Racing. The ever so fun Flow Trail, Slopestyle course, Pump Tracks, Kids Areas, CX stuff, etc. If you like dirt and you like biking and being outdoors, oh and love house boating or camping, then you will love this park. VOTE Exchequer, We already Have Northstar if we want to buy a lift ticket and ride when there is no snow, but if you are like me and love riding year around then Vote Exchequer

 you wrote this twice. por que?

 We now have Snow Summit. And if you know where to ride, there are a ton of amazing places to shuttle here.

 If So Cal wants in then they need to organize a solid effort and get in on the voting process just like everyone else.. next year.

 So Cal Isn't in this because no one put in an application and got excepted, it was a tough rigorous process to just get us here, but Exchequer is the closest drive for you.....so

 caps lock should be banned on pinkbike.

 Not sure why anyone would give negative props to any of these. We need all the riding spots we can get. I wish I could vote for all of them.

 Seriously. With all the disenfranchised downhillers in the bay area I don't see how Exchequer can lose. Not to mention the central valley is pretty bad right now economically with the draught and could seriously use some tourism $$ from the bay.