Selected Projects
Further has had involvement with trail projects in diverse locations and our body of work includes flowy contour trails, tech trails, adaptive trails, and more.
Iron Hills Trail System
Location: Cedar City, Utah
Trails: Elevate, Black Ops
Roles: Design and Construction
The Iron Hills Trail System is an excellent example of professional planning and design work that focused on serving the needs of the local community to create an accessible, well-connected trail network that is simultaneously diverse, experience-rich, and very desirable as a destination. Working with leadership from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), officials from Cedar City, and advocates of the (then) Dixie Mountain Bike Trails Association (DMBTA), the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) created a 100-mile trail plan for the region, of which over 25 miles has been built since 2015.
During phase 3 of construction, two trails were created: Elevate (1.4 miles) and Black Ops (1.1 miles). Elevate is an intermediate, climbing-primary, bi-directional trail. Black Ops is an intermediate-level, downhill-directional, gravity trail with advanced-level (black) optional features. The creation of both trails incorporated professional heavy equipment operators and hand crew, and student workers from the Intergovernmental Internship Cooperative, who received college credit for their contributions. Black Ops was a collaboration with DMBTA who completed the lower third of the trail and select other portions. A mixture of build techniques and styles were employed, and despite having been constructed predominantly with heavy equipment, harmoniously blend with the aesthetic of the desert landscape.
Testimonial: “Love your work! Thank you for your dedication to making these trails amazing.” –Nate Hills, Pro Rider
Video: Follow Cam Friday: A Healthy Serving of Cedar City Jank (entire ride of Black Ops beginning at 2:20)
Video: Trail Champions by IMBA (features on Black Ops at 1:28 and 2:20)
Work completed with the International Mountain Bicycling Association while employed as a Trail Specialist
Walden’s Ridge Park
Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Trails: Assisted with conceptual design and layout, Segment 1 Trail Build School, and construction of Segment 2
Roles: Design, Construction, and Education
The Walden’s Ridge Park project is located on an escarpment slope of the Cumberland Plateau. With over 800 feet of elevation, and abundant rock content, the relatively small site was uniquely suited for a concept design focused on challenging, resort-inspired, gravity trails. The design configuration also includes a series of shared-use access trails to serve Chattanooga’s active community of multi-sport enthusiasts.
The project is passionately supported by local advocates from the Southeastern Climbers Coalition and SORBA Chattanooga. An IMBA Trail Build School was hosted to teach locals about sustainable trail design and stonework techniques. Participants constructed and rock armored large sections of Segment 1, a hiking-primary trail.
Segment 2 is a shared-use, bi-directional trail that connects the site’s upper trailhead with the top of two climbing trails and a series of directional, gravity trails. During construction, the build of this trail traversed through some of the most challenging terrain of the site. The resulting intermediate-difficulty-level trail is bike-optimized and flowy with numerous rock armored sections and alternate technical challenges. With its eclectic, active design, it is an engaging warm-up while descending, and an enjoyable, technical climb on the way back up.
Initial planning and design work was done with the Mountain Creek Park project name. The re-branded Walden’s Ridge Park is anticipated to open in 2023.
Work completed with the International Mountain Bicycling Association while employed as a Trail Specialist
