IMBA recently updated its list of Epic trails, adding new criteria for judging Epic trails both past and future, and we were surprised at some of the trails that are no longer on the official list. Trails that previously appeared on the Epic list but no longer qualify have been given the consolation prize of appearing on the new “Hall of Fame Epics Rides” list, which you can view here.
According to IMBA.com,
IMBA has returned the Epics to the original intent of the designation—demanding, singletrack adventures in a natural setting. The 2013 class of Epics celebrates true backcountry riding experiences that are technically and physically challenging, more than 80 percent singletrack and at least 20 miles in length. All of theses Epics feature offer amazing opportunities to interact with the natural world.
So which trails have been retired? Here are some of the most surprising to us:
- Alafia River
- Bootleg Canyon
- Copper Harbor Trails
- Douthat State Park
- Forks Area Trail System (FATS)
- Kingdom Trails
- Monarch Crest
- Oak Mountain
- Ray’s Indoor Bike Park
- Syllamo
- Switchgrass
- Tanasi Trails
- Telegraph Hills
- Tsali (this one doesn’t appear on either the Epic or HOF Epic list, so we’re not sure what happened to it)
Some of the retirements are obvious given the new criteria (for example, Ray’s Indoor Bike Park certainly has less than 20 miles of trails and it’s not a “natural experience”), but others–like Monarch Crest and FATS–are not so easy to understand.
Which Epic retirement is most surprising to you?
21 Comments
Aug 15, 2014
I appreciate and applaud the return to the true meaning of "epic." It makes perfect sense to me.
However, the Crest seems to be the very essence of that definition.
There is one problem with such a definition though--that's gonna' narrow down candidates quite a bit. Most trails which meet all the criteria are within designated Wilderness areas and off limits to bikes.
Aug 15, 2014
Aug 15, 2014
Aug 22, 2014
Aug 15, 2014
Aug 18, 2014
I have to agree with removing The Edge Loop from the list -- how that trail ever got designated is beyond me...
Aug 18, 2014
Will be posting a follow up article within a few days but the main message I got from IMBA is that anyone can nominate a trail be moved from the HOF back to the Epic list. In some cases, IMBA simply didn't have updated info about trail mileage so they axed trails they thought were too short.
In other cases, Epic routes were redefined to fit the new criteria (example: the Rock Lake Epic in WI was re-mapped to include more surrounding trails to get it to 20 miles).
One such trail that was successfully brought back from retirement based on an email update is Seven Summit Ridge in BC.
Aug 18, 2014
Aug 18, 2014
Aug 16, 2014
You have to drive all the way to the top of the michigan upper peninsula to a small town. The trails never stop getting better as they have professional trail builders they make new trails all the time.
Plus it is a silver level ride center. They just don't hand those out.
Aug 15, 2014
Aug 15, 2014
Aug 15, 2014
Aug 15, 2014
Aug 15, 2014
Aug 22, 2014
SST and Seneca Rocks for example., both are remote and I recommend a Spot
You can be a ride center and not an Epic. I guess Santos in Florida would fit that.
Oak Mountain has a little too high of a percentage of fire road, I guess., But the Climbing and single track are awesome, Can you say Boulder ridge? Not super remote though.
You got gotta through Kansas a bone, the Switch Grass is remote and all SS. Very remote.
Although my favorite Epic, I thought Copper harbor was a bit short, but it is being added to, but just in a Machine cut berny kinda way, which is fun too, just seems un-epicy! Remotish, but a destation.
Alafia is a bit short, but remotish and has some techie stuff, added to Balm Boyette, it could be a Ride Center!
While single track is an important metric, I think that over all length and climbing elevation should also factor in. Remoteness is important, but can be subjective.
So I say take out the 20% rule! Something like at least 20 miles of single track or 1000 feet of climbing. Every mile over that 20 that is fireroad needs to be matched with that much more single track.
I am really surprised that Douthat, is off. The combination of pure mileage and elevation and ruggedness, the true sense of EPIC
I have ridden all of those that I have mentioned and more. You can see my articles at http://www.mtbepicrides.com/
Aug 24, 2014
I do support IMBA and feel the good they do far outweighs the bad (or perceived bad) that they do.
Regardless of what labels they use, it won't change the awesome riding you can experience in Douthat and the surrounding national forest. My guess is that is true for a lot of other trail systems.
Aug 15, 2014
Aug 18, 2014
Aug 21, 2014
I do have to agree with the other comments about monarch crest. And switchgrass? Yeah it doesn't have 3000ft of elevation gain but it's in the middle of Kansas! The road trip qualifies it as epic in my book!
Aug 19, 2014
https://www.imba.com/epics/tanasi-trails