Rainbow Rim gets fresh tracks along the North Rim of Grand Canyon

RAINBOW RIM TRAIL EXTENTION

PHOTO: courtesy Kaibab National Forest

Kaibab National Forest PRESS RELEASE:

FREDONIA, Ariz. - Friends of the North Kaibab Ranger District, the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA), the Southern Nevada Mountain Bike Association (SNMBA), Zion Cycles, and Utah Mountain Biking Tours volunteered their time this past Memorial Day weekend to break ground on the new Rainbow Rim trail extension located along the North Rim of the Grand Canyon on the Kaibab National Forest.

The Rainbow Rim trail connects five scenic vistas along 18 miles of the North Rim, and each offers its own unique view of the surrounding landscape.  The current trail begins at Parissawampitts point, continues to Fence point, Locust point, North Timp point, and ends at Timp point.

"We welcome riders to come lay down some fresh tracks as the trail extension project progresses and we encourage those who would like to volunteer to help complete the trail to join us," said Melissa Robinson, North Kaibab Ranger District recreation specialist and coordinator for the trail extension. "We have worked diligently to get this trail extension to fruition, and we are delighted to offer an awesome new scenic trail for mountain bikers, horseback riders, and hikers alike to see our forest from a completely new perspective."

The new trail extension will consist of new construction and about four miles of road-to-trail conversion. When complete, phase one of the trail extension will start at Timp point and head east in and out of the pines. The new single-track extension will offer sections for beginners to advanced riders giving everyone a unique perspective of some very epic views along the canyon rim. During the weekend of work, volunteers cut, hacked, dug and removed debris along the trail and completed 1,500 feet of the 8-mile extension.

"Eventually, the trail extension will continue and tie into the existing trail back to Parissawampitts," Robinson added. Once the loop is complete, riders will be able to ride the lollipop for nearly a full 32-mile loop.

The North Kaibab Ranger District trail crew helped scout and flag the trail extension under the supervision of experienced rider and IMBA Southwest Regional Director Patrick Kell, in order to ensure it met IMBA trail-building standards and so it would be ready for volunteers to cut and bench that weekend. The trail crew will be working throughout the summer on this and other projects on the forest.

Photos of the ongoing project are available at http://tinyurl.com/m4flmak. For updates and information on volunteering to help complete the Rainbow Rim extension, please contact Melissa Robinson at (928) 643-8120. For more information on the IMBA, please visit www.facebook.com/IMBAonFB.

-NFS-