Use the form on the right to contact us or email us: info@bikehinton.com
Hinton, Alberta
Hinton Mountain Bike Association. Our goal is to develop, maintain and promote the best possible mountain biking opportunities around the Hinton area, while ensuring responsible and safe practices in environmental conservation, trail construction, trail maintenance and riding.
Filtering by Category: HMBA
The 6th Annual Beaver Bike Fest is happening August 22nd and 23rd, 2015!
For event details and schedule, visit the 2015 BBF page.
Online registration is open - Please save time by registering before the big day!
BACK TO TOP
BLOG INDEX
The IMBA Canada Trail Care Crew is coming to Hinton on August 8th and 9th!! This is a great opportunity for ALL trail users to contribute to our awesome local trails. Learn about trail building and maintenance techniques to help sustain our trails for all to enjoy for years to come!
Directed by the Canadian office of the international Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) and sponsored by Parks Canada, the IMBA Canada Trail Care Crew travels across the country in a Subaru Outback, giving workshops to IMBA-affiliate clubs, Parks Canada sites, and other land managers. The two-person team of professional trail builders educates Canadians on how to build and maintain sustainable trails, manage volunteers, and develop trails as community resources.
The IMBA Trail Building School is a half-day of classroom education followed by several hours of building new trail, rerouting and reclaiming old trail or adding new features to an existing trail. The goal of a TCC visit is education, not to build as much trail as possible. And remember: Sustainable trails don't mean sanitized trails!
Is the Trail Care Crew program only for mountain bikers and cycling clubs? No! The principals of sustainable trail design apply to all trails and all trail users, no matter if you are a hiker, a trail runner, or a mountain biker. We invite all members of the community to our events to learn something new, and meet fellow members of the trail
community!
Half-day classroom session on August 8th, 9:00 am to 12:00pm at the People's Center at the Dr. Duncan Murray Recreation Centre.
Other locations and times to be determined - stay tuned!!
You must pre-register for this training:
BACK TO TOP
BLOG INDEX
Shawn Cripps once again donated time and resources to HMBA, installing a tool locker on the Hinton Bike Park seacan. This allows HMBA's youth committee to access tools for bike park maintenance whenever they want. Big thanks to Jay Hore and Alstar Oilfield Contractors for painting the locker (and another feature to be installed soon!). It takes a solid community to make awesome things like this happen! Thanks!
BACK TO TOP
BLOG INDEX
Each year, the Town of Hinton's Summer Day Camp visits the Hinton Bike Park. Each year, we ask any available members to come out and be a Bike God or Goddess for a day and share their passion for biking.
This year, its on Friday, July 24th. Discovery Camp will be there all day, so feel free to stop in at any time. The Camp will be on trails, jumps, skills area, and pump tracks. The Camp appreciates anyone who is willing to share their passion, knowledge, and skills.
Our reward will be a $250 honorarium to HMBA, which will go towards something awesome, as always.
It would be great to see some of our teen riders out, sharing their knowledge and passion for biking with the younger ones.
BACK TO TOP
BLOG INDEX
Please welcome HMBA's new president!!!
Shawn Lee brings a ton of experience from other clubs, racing, hardcore bmx'er and all around exposure to the scene. Shawn will also oversee bike park operations - allowing our trails guru, Kevin Myles, to focus primarily on trails coordination.
Thanks Shawn!!!
BACK TO TOP
BLOG INDEX
Welcome to Alberta's Mountain Bike Mecca! As summer unfolds, many locals and visitors alike are expected at the Hinton Bike Park! The Hinton Mountain Bike Association would like to remind everyone to park safely in designated areas - not on Robb Road, an active haul road.
Currently, the parking overflows onto the active gravel haul road which has the potential to create dangerous encounters. This can be a safety issue for both patrons of the park and the active transportation along the road. Logging trucks are present all the time and can't stop as fast as they wish. Large dust clouds, flying gravel and steep grading of the road are also concerns.
Parking along Robb Road is discouraged.
It is not uncommon for the parking lot a the bike park to be full! Below are multiple options to suit most everyone!
If parking across from the cemetary, please use the crosswalk at Mountain Street. All parking locations are close to Hinton's town trails which all connect to the Hinton Bike Park.
Bringing the whole family? Why not park at the Dr. Duncan Murray Recreation Centre on Switzer Drive. There is trail access nearby and many different options sure to please all family members: a library, swimming pool, skateboard park, playgrounds, spray park, ball diamonds, climbing wall, courts and arenas.
BACK TO TOP
BLOG INDEX
Our 1ft x 1ft directional trail signs (see images below) are out of date and need to be updated/replaced. However, we need to know how many are out there, or need to be out there - and WHERE they are. YOU can help by participating in a member-sourced inventory. Using your smartphones and linking to this form via your web browser (with GPS enabled), enter the info at the location of existing directional signs - or at locations where you think there should really be one! Unfortunately, we cannot put them everywhere ($$), so select the most optimal locations. THANK YOU!!
Bike Park and Happy Creek Trails are priorities at this time.
BACK TO TOP
BLOG INDEX
This Friday, June 19th at 7:00pm, there will be a Dirt Jam at the Hinton Mountain Bike Park. Music. Shaped jumps. And rad riding with awesome guys and gals. Hope to see all of you out there! Jump shaping starts at 7:00 pm and the event and music with start right after.
Important note: The two smallest sets of jumps will be closed. This event is geared towards the big jumpers, so they don't have to worry about running the little ones over.
BACK TO TOP
BLOG INDEX
On a Saturday, May 30th, HMBA once again welcomed the Alberta Junior Forest Rangers! Together, we replaced a section of boardwalk on Happy Creek East. Check out the before and after photos. Thanks to Christopher Reid and the Town of Hinton for transporting lumber and supplies to the site!
BEFORE...
AFTER...
JFR leaders worked with the Hinton Mountain Bike Association to learn about trail building. To find out more about the Alberta Junior Forest Rangers, visit their website!
A hard working crew for a job well done!!! Thank you JFRs!!
BACK TO TOP
BLOG INDEX
The Hinton Mountain Bike Association received several generous donations in May this year!
The owner of Talisman Logging who donated $1,000 to HMBA!!!
Juventus Cycling Club in Edmonton for their donation of $500. The Juventus Cycling Club has a Sprockids program for kids aged 8 to 11. On May 24th, the Juventus Sprockids, teamed up with the Devon Bears cycling program, came to the Hinton Bike Park with their families for a fun-filled day at the park!
Photo source: http://www.juventus.ab.ca/club-news/2015/5/28/sprockids-storm-hinton
A huge thank you to RBC employees and their guests to come out for a work bee at the Hinton Bike Park. Racking, picking up garbage, etc! As part of the RBC Employee Grant program - their efforts led to a $1,000 donation to HMBA. Many, many thanks!!
BACK TO TOP
BLOG INDEX
HMBA obtained permission for a short reroute between Halloween and Cleo's for ease of navigation between the two trails. The link is now more direct to help save confusion for riders who are new to the area. Thanks to Matt MacKay, Mike Langford and Brayden Langford!
The re-route provides a better connection between "Halloween Connector" and "Cleo's"
BACK TO TOP
BLOG INDEX
The Hinton Sprockids program, run by the Hinton Mountain Bike Association and its member volunteers, is a BIG hit this season! Now in it's fourth season, over 85 kids from ages 2 to 13 have signed up for the opportunity to develop and hone their mountain biking skills - doubling registration numbers from previous years.
“This year will soon be known as the Great Registration Avalanche of 2015 ”
Sprockids was originally developed in 1990 as a Self Esteem/Anger Management Program to help students succeed in school. Since then, Sprockids has evolved into a multi-faceted program engaging thousands of young people in the life long activity of mountain biking while teaching them the skills, values, and strategies to succeed in life. The program is now used in over 19 countries by teachers, coaches, cycling clubs, youth organizations, law enforcement agencies, and parents. The Sprockids Program was designed with input from; educators, national level coaches, trail builders, professional athletes, and program implementation consultants.
The Hinton Sprockids program is a fun way to develop a taste for mountain biking through various games and activities at our local Hinton Bike Park facility. The program teaches many skills on how to mountain bike, bike maintenance, environmental stewardship, trail safety and trail building/maintenance.
The Hinton Sprockids program runs on Thursday evenings in May, June and September (10 sessions in total).
BACK TO TOP
BLOG INDEX
livestrong.com
Read MoreBACK TO TOP
BLOG INDEX
The Hinton Mountain Bike Association (HMBA) often gets asked about its group rides. Every summer, from sometime in May to as late as October, HMBA has two orgranized rides: one on Monday evenings (just for ladies!) and one on Wednesday evenings (everyone!).
You don't have to be a member to try out one of our group rides. Membership provides general liability insurance for our members and gives the HMBA better access to grants to build/maintain our bike park and trail systems. As a member, you get voting privileges at our AGM, can become part of the board as an executive or coordinator, and finally - you have access to great regional business discounts. See our Member page for more info!
May 11, 2015 - First Ladies' Ride of the season! Group 1 of 2.
May 20, 2015 - Wednesday Group Ride
Fantastic!!! Our group rides welcome all abilities. However, the HMBA has a few tips for those new to mountain biking:
May 18, 2015 - Monday Ladies, Group of 1 of 2.
May 20, 2015 - Wednesday Group Ride
Of course! But it is always best to start in May, if possible. If you haven't been riding on your own - you might find it a struggle to ride with those that have been riding since May.
Group ride times generally last 1.5 to 2 hours, with lots of breaks - depending on the group's abilities. Hinton's trails include elevation gains, lots of singletrack, some technical sections such as roots and bridges - basically a little of everything! Trail selections are usually determined at the beginning of the ride, but may change as the ride progresses. Riding in a group is a great way to connect with others and get some good tips on how to tackle different challenges on our trails!
May 25, 2015 - Monday Ladies Ride, group 1 of 3!
May 25, 2015 - Monday Ladies, group 2 of 3.
All the more reason to join a group ride! To ensure everyone enjoys the groups rides, here a few general guidelines:
Happy Trails!!
May 25, 2015 - Monday Ladies
BACK TO TOP
BLOG INDEX
singletracks.com
Read MoreBACK TO TOP
BLOG INDEX
HMBA is chatting it up with some local women riders to find out why they love mountain biking in Hinton! We hope you've enjoyed this series! We may have other 'chats' later this summer to get to know some of the men riders as well, so stay tuned...
HMBA: How long have you been riding in Hinton?
Sarah: I started mountain biking last year and my first ride was in May. My boyfriend took me up Happy Creek West, and actually, I hated it. What was with all the climbing!!? My tires would slip on roots, gears were hard and the climbing seemed to be soooo long! After a few rides and a couple of tips, I was starting to see the fun and I quickly got hooked!! From the last rider of the group last year, I am now a strong rider and look forward to leading some ladies rides myself this year.
Didn't take Sarah look to be hooked on mountain biking!
HMBA: How would you describe your riding level?
Sarah: Intermediate/Advanced
HMBA: What style of riding do you do?
Sarah: I ride an all mountain/trail bike.
HMBA: What are your favorite things to ride at the bike park?
Sarah: I like to go to the bike park a few times a month and practice my skills in the skills area and who doesn't love lapping Flow Master!! My favorite trails at the bike park are Business Time, Cougar Ridge and Flow Master.
HMBA: Do you ride the trails in our trails systems? What’s your favorite loop?
Sarah: I ride all the trails in and around Hinton. I don't have a favorite loop as I always love to mix it up. Finishing on Just Giv'er and the last part of Happy Creek West is always an awesome ending! <big smiles>
HMBA: If you had one minute to talk to someone new to biking – what would you say?
Sarah:
Sarah is always challenging herself!
HMBA: If you had one minute to talk to someone who bikes, but is new to Hinton – what would you say?
Sarah: Hinton has a great trail network and a fun bike park. There is something here for every style of rider.
HMBA: How would you describe a typical Ladies’ Ride to someone who hasn’t been on one yet?
Sarah: Ladies rides are fun! You will make great friends and trail side chats are a lot more interesting than biking with the guys. LOL!
HMBA: In what ways do you give back to HMBA?
Sarah: I give back by cleaning up trails of litter whilst I am out riding and I also help plan events for HMBA (and does a great job too! - HMBA). Stay tuned for BBF 2015!
Sarah's first event as HMBA's newest Event Coordinator! - 2014 Halloween Ride
HMBA: What do you wish there would be more of?
Sarah: I wish there were more opportunities to shuttle downhill trails in Hinton as apart of a group ride.
HMBA: Thanks Sarah!! Anything else to add?
Sarah: Ride Bikes = Happy Life
BACK TO TOP
BLOG INDEX
Several sections of boardwalk on the East side of Happy Creek are in poor condition. The longer boardwalk sections have been signed with Caution. The smaller section closer to the Town of Hinton Beaver Boardwalk is not signed. Work has taken place to improve drainage however the structures are soft and boards are missing or loose. Work will take place this week to replace the shorter section near town. See full Happy Creek reporting on Trailforks.
Lots of great trail work happening out there, trail fairies abound. Corduroy and bridge decking on slow cooker, countless trees (bighorn, slow cooker, bubbas, gassifier etc.) and debris removal on just get there/the J. Thanks for the hard work HMBA members! FYI please note the status of Happy Creek East. Maintenance day to be announced for this week.
BACK TO TOP
BLOG INDEX
singletracks.com
Read MoreBACK TO TOP
BLOG INDEX
HMBA is chatting it up with some local women riders to find out why they love mountain biking in Hinton!
HMBA: How long have you been riding in Hinton?
Ellen: I have been mountain biking in Hinton for close to 10 years.
HMBA: How would you describe your riding level? (i.e. beginner, seasoned, other)
Ellen: I would say I am a low intermediate rider.
Ellen's favorite time of the year to ride. Halloween Trail
HMBA: What style of riding do you do?
Ellen: I ride a dual suspension mountain bike, cross country, when I am out on the back trails. When I commute to work, I ride a hard tail Schwinn that I have had for over 14 years.
HMBA: What are your favorite things to ride at the bike park?
Ellen: When I ride in the bike park, usually at the end of a long ride, I like finishing off with Flow Master or Stinger. For a club ride warm up, I love most of the trails winding their way up towards Flow Master.
HMBA: Do you ride the trails in our trails systems? (Happy Creek System, Jack’s Trails System) If so, what would be your most favorite trail? What’s your favorite loop?
Ellen: I mostly head out on the back trails. For a quick ride, I will do the Happy Creek trail and end up with a couple of laps on Stinger.
For a longer ride, I usually head up to EZ, J, then Ranger or Halloween, then Cleos, Phils Thriller and home via Happy. I actually love most of the trails. Slowcooker is the trail that has challenged me the most. I have punctured my leg heading down a hill, fallen off a bridge and thought I broke my neck but discovered I had only snapped the visor off my helmet and last year, I bounced off the bridge, did a face plant and broke my nose. It's such a great trail! How did I manage all those mishaps?
There's always fun to be had on group rides! The "I'm exhausted from climbing" pose.
The "we are strong and can ride anything" pose.
HMBA: If you had one minute to talk to someone new to biking – what would you say?
Ellen: If you are new to mountain biking, I would suggest you get onto the town trails lots and practice gear shifting and make sure you get out there and get advice from experienced riders . Phillip Mark from our club offers lessons in the Spring (Phil's Mad Skills - check the website calendar!). And when going on club rides, you can learn lots by riding behind the experienced riders. In my case, I often had advice from the "sweep".
HMBA: If you had one minute to talk to someone who bikes, but is new to Hinton – what would you say?
Ellen: If you are new to biking in Hinton, join the Hinton mountain biking club Facebook page. Join in on the club rides and just ask to ride with people. Our mountain biking club is soooo supportive. I am speaking from the perspective of an older rider. I feel welcome!
HMBA: How would you describe a typical Ladies’ Ride to someone who hasn’t been on one yet?
Ellen: The ladies ride! It's a good turnout and multiple skill levels. No one is ever left behind and no one leaves the group on their own. Safety and fun are high on the agenda and we rejoice in each others accomplishments. There are plenty of rest breaks and always great conversations. I made many riding friends and these same people are ones I contact to ride with me on the weekend.
I have gone on the Wednesday club rides. It's nice to ride with the guys. I am aware that I am not as strong as many of them and I don't feel pressured to go beyond my comfort level. There is a bit more spandex on those nights but that's not a bad thing. Most of the conversation centers around gear and the guys voices are deeper. LOL!
2015 Spring cleaning
HMBA: In what ways do you give back to HMBA?
Ellen: I volunteer with the club for some of the events. I have led a few rides and organized a few weekend trips. Now that I own a small saw, I do a bit of trail maintenance when I see something that I can fix. I hope that I am considered a good ambassador for our club.
HMBA: Thanks Ellen! Any parting comments?
Ellen: Hinton should be really proud of what we have to offer for mountain biking. Any age and any skill level could have a great biking experience. The Fall is an amazing time to ride our trails. We have some great lookouts and riding close to dusk is absolutely superb.
I wish there were more fresh built trails. I love that fresh dug up path and the feeling of being on something brand new. Thanks to all you amazing trails builders!
I have always enjoyed the random events that people have organized, like night rides or weekend trips to Jasper.
And...it's good to see there are people willing/able to guide guests from out of town around our trails.
BACK TO TOP
BLOG INDEX
Steve Sevcik's family travels from Edmonton every summer to play in our Bike Park and to ride our fun network of trails. Members since 2011, they have generously donated over $2,500 over those years! They see a lot of value in supporting the Hinton Mountain Bike Association and every dollar they donate helps to improve biking in our community!
In, 2013 funds were used towards this sign and box mounted on the seacan next to the Hinton Bike Park parking lot.
We would like to thank the executives, countless volunteers, local businesses and the Town of Hinton for creating and maintaining such an awesome place to ride. The amount of time and resources that your community has contributed to the park and trails is the real reason that the park is as good as it is.
We love trail and gravity riding and want to try and share some of the responsibility of maintaining such a great community facility. We donate because we want the cash resources to be a little less scarce for the HMBA when deciding on whether to add a stunt, build a berm, buy toilet paper, or just need gas for the equipment.
We are fortunate to be only 3 hours away from such a great bike park and network of trails and we often recommend the Hinton Bike Park and trail network to anyone that we know who is looking for a new place to ride. We can’t think of a better place than the Hinton Bike Park for someone to be introduced to the sport.
- Steve and Lara Sevcik
BACK TO TOP
BLOG INDEX
