Whether you are flying down Deadline, sending it off of features on Valhalla, climbing to the top of the Crown, or cruising around Prince Creek, there is no denying that the Roaring Fork Valley is home to some of the best mountain biking in the country, especially for beginners. Throughout the valley, there are over 400 miles of mountain biking trails with a wide range of skill levels.
The valley’s impressive trail networks are renowned not just locally but also internationally. In 2020, the Roaring Fork Valley earned a gold designation from the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) for mountain bike destinations – a prestigious honor not to be taken lightly. There are only six gold-rated centers worldwide, four of which are in the United States, making The Roaring Fork Valley the first gold-rated center in Colorado. “The Ride Center™ designation represents IMBA’s recognition of large-scale mountain bike facilities that offer something for every rider. From backcountry adventures to shuttle-served gravity trails (where you get a ride to the top instead of climbing, and just descend), and from expert-only to family-friendly, you’ll be able to ride for days and encounter the best mountain biking has to offer” says the IMBA website. There is no doubt that this perfectly encapsulates the Roaring Fork Valley.
The RFV offers a multitude of cycling disciplines, such as road, cross country, and downhill. In addition to the trails, the biking community is really what makes the valley so special. There is a diverse group of individuals of all experience levels coming together from up and down the valley to embrace the outdoors. Aspen Cycling Club, the valley’s local racing club, hosts races throughout the summer with age categories ranging from “5th grade” all the way to “+80”. They also host mini MTB races for younger riders in 1st to 8th grade.
Roaring Fork Cycling, also known as RFC, is a local nonprofit that aims to get youth in and around our valley on bikes. They have numerous after-school programs for middle schoolers and summer programs for athletes ranging from 3rd to 6th grade focusing on XC. They even offer BMX racing starting with young children on balance bikes called strider riders. There are also many high school opportunities. Riders in the high school age group can join the Enduro or Pinnacle XC team or attend social rides. In addition to all of their programs, RFC also offers private coaching. The program is not only dedicated to improving young riders’ skills but also their confidence and connection to the outside world. Joining a new sport can be scary, but RFC is determined to make biking as welcoming as possible. The woman behind youth and community engagement in the sport is Kristen Heath. She is both the Managing Director of ACC and the Executive Director of RFC.
“I mean, any sport that you do you’re not going to go to the steepest, tallest mountain first, you know, It’s baby steps along the way of learning how to control the bike and then building on those skills And then suddenly you’re doing so much more than you ever thought you were capable of doing. And it just gives you a feeling of so much freedom. And just the immersion of being out in nature is really therapeutic.” Heath said.
Heath moved to the valley in 1997 with a mountain bike her parents had gotten her after she graduated college. She began riding in the valley with little experience.
“I had no idea how to mountain bike. Never did it before. And I just loved it, but it was definitely a lot harder than all the trails were like government, and there was nothing smooth and flowy. And pretty much every time I went out, I crashed hard” Heath said.
For a while Heath switched to road biking and then began riding mountain bikes again with her kids.
“RFC offered free middle school programs, and I signed both kids up for them. Megan kind of went kicking and screaming, and I told her that she had to do at least one session. And after the first session, she said she was mad at me because I didn’t get her into mountain biking sooner” Heath said.
Heath then began volunteering at every ACC Wednesday night race when her daughter started racing. Then the nonprofit asked her to start working for them. Heath then got involved with RFC when her son, Liam Heath, was put on the waitlist for a summer program.
“‘How do I get him off the waitlist?’ I said, ‘What are you missing?’ And they said, ‘We’re missing coaches’. And I said, ‘Well, Sign me up. I’ll coach.’” Heath said.
“ACC reached out to see if I was interested in running RFC as well as ACC and it all kind of fell from my interest in biking and supporting the kids, it’s just so much fun and so rewarding” Heath said.
Today, Heath can still be seen working with both nonprofits, coaching and giving hand ups at Aspen-Basalt races, or riding her favorite trails such as Glacier and Buckhorn.
For many local athletes, RFC was one of their first introductions to mountain biking. Isla Rich is a freshman at Aspen High School and racer on the Colorado High School Mountain Bike League Aspen-Basalt team.
“When I was like six or seven I started mountain biking with RFC’s summer programs. I didn’t have much mountain bike experience before RFC. I liked how it was social while still being an individual sport,” Rich said.
In addition to empowering local youth riders, RFC has also started a Women’s Clinic that aims to create an encouraging environment for women of all ages and skill levels.
To make mountain biking more accessible in the Roaring Fork Valley, RFC hosts many fundraising events to be able to offer scholarships and equipment to those in need.
“We’re really trying to be considerate of how expensive everything is, which is why things like the Eat, Drink, Give fundraiser are so essential because we need community support to be able to finance a lot of these free community outreach events,” Heath said.
On October 23, RFC is hosting its annual Eat, Drink, & Give fundraiser. The event will take place at 6:00 pm at the Tipsy Trout in Basalt. There will be the opportunity to socialize with others in the community, a silent auction, a raffle, and food. Adult tickets cost $50 featuring a taco bar and child tickets are $25. There is also the opportunity to purchase a ticket for a coach.
Roaring Fork Cycling administers the Aspen-Basalt High School mountain biking team, which competes in The Colorado High School Mountain Bike League. The season has four races plus States in the fall and practices together 2-3 times a week.
“I think it’s pretty special that we get to be together. Because in every other sport we’re competing, like Basalt and Aspen are competing against each other, and in this sport, we’re working together,” Heath said.
In addition to riding with Basalt, Aspen athletes are able to connect with other athletes from other schools in the valley like Roaring Fork High School, Colorado Rockey Mountain School, and Glenwood Springs High School. Glenwood Springs High School Junior and member of the Glenwood Dirt Demons and RFC Pinnacle XC team Grace Anson has been competing in the league since her freshman year.
“The best part of the season is hanging out with my friends and I would tell anyone nervous about starting to race just go in, have fun, and don’t take it too seriously.” Anson said.
The Roaring Fork Valley is not just a mountain biking destination; it is a vibrant community that nurtures passion, fosters growth, and connects individuals through the love of biking. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced rider, there’s a place for you here. Students of any level wanting to explore the valley’s trails and the sport of mountain biking should look into RFC programming. To help support the program, community members can attend the Eat, Drink, and Give fundraiser on October 23rd.