BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (BRAIN) — Rather than one Global Fat Bike Summit as in the past, QBP will host four regional summits next year. The summits are meetings to discuss trail access and other issues affecting the growing activity of bike riding on snow. QBP has hosted four previous annual Global events.
"With variations in who owns public lands, and differences in snow textures and compaction rates, we think it makes sense to partner with existing fat bike races or festivals to host smaller, regionally focused Summits," said QBP's advocacy director, Gary Sjoquist. "We want to continue to drive fat-bike access on behalf of the industry."
While fat bike use is restricted in certain national parks, state parks in Wyoming and Idaho and several U.S. forest units are offering groomed singletrack for fat bikes.
"It's pretty cool when land managers take what they learn at our summits, purchase grooming equipment, and then create new places for fat bikes to be ridden," said Sjoquist. "And as a prominent federal land manager said to his staff last winter, 'these things are not going away. We need different management strategies to deal with them.' It goes to show that our Summits are making a difference."
For 2016, QBP will be supporting the following Regional Fat Bike Summits in conjunction with races and festivals the same weekends:
- Crested Butte Regional Fat Bike Summit Friday, Jan. 28, in conjunction with the Fat Bike Worlds, Crested Butte, Colo., that weekend.
- Fat Bike Summit of the North Friday, Feb. 19, Marquette, Mich., includes 906 Polar Roll Fat Bike race on Saturday, Feb. 20, and shuttle rides Sunday, Feb. 21.
- Ogden Regional Fat Bike Summit Friday, Feb. 26 in conjunction with USA Cycling Fat Bike Nationals at Powder Mountain in Ogden, Utah, Saturday, Feb. 27.
- Chugach Fat Bike Summit Friday, March 18 in conjunction with the Inaugural Chugach Fat Bike Bash and Gravity Worlds, Valdez. Alaska, March 18 - 20
More information available by emailing Sjoquist and by visiting fatbikesummit.wordpress.com.
