Author Archives: Will Taygan

About Will Taygan

Running biodiesel, building singletrack, teaching Nordic Skiing, raising girls, and exploring the north.

2nd Alaska MTB Summit Oct 14-15, 2023

The 1st Alaska MTB Summit happened in 2017. Alaska Trails brought IMBA and the BLM up to highlight their newest publication, the GQTE. “Guidelines for a Quality Trail Experience.”

It’s been six years since we all got together and IMBA has a new and updated 2023 guide “Mountain Bike Trail Development: Guidelines for Successfully Managing the Process.”

Save the date! Alaska Trails, the BLM, and local MTB clubs are banding together once again for the 2nd Alaska MTB Summit.

Shoot us a message if you would like to be on the planning committee to put together the agenda and logistics.

Exact Location TBA.

Mirror Lake Singletrack Trails are Open for 2023!

Mirror Lake Singletrack Trails are OPEN!

Thanks to the 22 people who showed up last night to get them tuned up for your riding pleasure! Early conditions exist, so pre-ride, re-ride, and free-ride. We will have volunteers out working again today, so be aware. (Donating to CMBR is a great way to say thank you!) Enjoy!

Special shout out to the #AdoboMTB crew for bringing the families to trail work parties!

#MirrorLakeSingletrack #BensBikePlayground #ChugachMTB

To clarify: ALL of the singletrack trails are open. Some of the multiuse trails are still pretty wet. Just turn around and use an alternate path if possible. Load up https://www.trailforks.com/region/mirror-lake-18283/ for a map. There’s almost always 2 or more ways to get to the top!

2023 CMBR PRIDE RIDE – Weds June 28th 6pm

New Date! Weds June 28th.

Please come join us in celebrating love, diversity and equality and the powerful history of the LGBTQA+ community with a CMBR BBQ and tour around the Mirror Lake Trails to celebrate Pride month! This Pride Ride is designed to be fun and inclusive for cyclists of all stripes.

We will have 2, well marked, self paced, routes set up for your enjoyment and of course Ben’s Playground!

1. Single Rainbow Route: This 1 mile route will take you around a wider, multiuse trail route that is great for beginner bike riders and kids or anyone just after a relaxed roll in the woods.

2. Double Rainbow Route: This 3.5 mile will take you through some of our favorite single track in a route that is great for the more adventurous riders looking to get familiar with the awesome trails around Mirror Lake

Take your time exploring the trails and bike park, enjoy the amazing lake, company and tasty BBQ prepared by CMBR. We will have trail volunteers riding the trails periodically to check in with all the riders and are happy to offer additional route suggestions and information if you are interested in exploring beyond the marked routes.

Bring the kids, the partners and the friends!

This event does not require registration and is a free event aimed to bring awareness and show support to our LGBTQA+ community but CMBR does request you complete a waiver to participate (https://cmbralaska.org/waiver/) and if you are able to, we would love you to become a CMBR member! 

Mirror Lake Spring Trail Work Thurs May 25th, 2023.

TRAILS ARE ALMOST READY!

WHAT: We need everyone out to clear hazards and fix tread before we can open!

WHEN: Thursday May 25th 6:30-8:30pm.

WHERE: Meet at the main trailhead just off the Glenn Hwy at 6:30pm next to Ben’s Bike Playground.

BRING LEAF BLOWERS IF YOU HAVE THEM!

Waivers are on-line. You only need to sign once for the year.

https://app.waiversign.com/e/6088efcaccb8b000196265a7/doc/6088f0f7ccb8b000196265c6?event=none


We will be opening drains, repairing trail tread, clearing sight lines, lopping hazards and prepping the trails for summer opening.

Bring rakes, flat shovels and loppers if you have them, but we will provide tools if you need them.

Youth are welcome, but will need a parent signature and a responsible adult with them.

We’re looking forward to seeing you all out there!

Remember, Ben’s Bike Playground and Pump Track are already open, so bring your bikes and ENJOY! 

2023 CMBR Kids Youth Mountain Bike Club

CMBR Kids 2019

REGISTRATION IS CLOSED FOR 2023.

CMBR Kids Youth MTB Club provides an introduction to basic mountain biking by teaching fundamental bike handling skills, building confidence on singletrack trails, and promoting a healthy lifestyle through mountain biking.

NEW THIS YEAR: CMBR Littles! 5-7 year olds are welcome to ride with us, but meet for a shorter time (7-7:45pm).  Kids will need a bike with hand brakes (no coaster/foot brakes) and must already be able to ride well on pavement and grass. Parents of 5-7 year olds need to remain at the park during the session, and are encouraged to ride with their child(ren).

WHO: Youth ages 5-15 (CMBR Littles ages 5-7)

WHERE: @ the Mirror Lake Singletrack Trails, Chugiak (Mirror Lake exit off the Glenn Hwy)

WHEN: Tuesdays & Thursdays

For 2023 we will meet June 20, (not 22), 27, 29 July (not 4), 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25, 27, August 1, 3.

TIME: 7:00pm – 8:30pm (CMBR Littles 7pm-7:45pm)

COST: $100 CMBR 2023 Family Membership + $50 each child

(Membership is automatically included on registration page)

How do I sign up? 

REGISTRATION IS CLOSED FOR 2023.

Teamsnap is our new registration system this year:

https://go.teamsnap.com/forms/369381

*Please note at the end of registration it is not necessary to Protect Your Investment.  We will of course work with you if you need to cancel your registration.

What is CMBR Kids Youth Mountain Bike Club?

CMBR Kids (Chugach Moutain Bike Riders) is a parent-led mountain bike club serving youths from 5-15 in Chugiak-Eagle River.  The club teaches on the 6 miles of singletrack mountain bike trails at Mirror Lake Park in Chugiak. We do not travel to other locations.

Now in our seventh year, our club typically hosts about 75 youth split into several groups.  We meet at 7pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays late June through early August.

For the first 30 minutes or so we work on that evening’s mountain bike skill, and then break into small volunteer-coach-led groups to ride with other youth of a roughly similar skill level.  Within the groups, there will be some faster and some slower youth together: the focus is skills, not speed.  Over a 6-week period we work through a good overview of mountain bike fundamentals.

Our lead coaches are Level 1 certified through the Bike Instructor Certification Program (BICP).

We require all youth bikes to be professionally tuned up and safety checked (we offer this $50 safety check for free on June 20 at 7:00pm) and we require everyone to wear helmets.

Other local youth mountain bike programs include the Valley Mountain Bikers and Hikers’ Sprockidz program in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, and Mighty Bikes in Anchorage.

Ben’s Bike Playground Shovel Party and BBQ

Bring your shovels and snowblowers! We’re going to be clearing off the pump track and jumps at Ben’s Bike Playground!


The Mirror Lake Middle School Mountain Bike Club needs a place to ride at the beginning of May, so we’re going to do the best we can to hurry up the melt by clearing the snow for them.


CMBR will have the BBQ going for you. Please sign the trail work waiver before your show up. Thanks!

https://app.waiversign.com/e/6088efcaccb8b000196265a7/doc/6088f0f7ccb8b000196265c6?event=none

CMBR is Growing!

Help us grow beyond Mirror Lake!

CMBR has grant funding for 2023, but needs your matching donations! Every dollar you donate turns into TEN dollars towards the trails and our MTB community. Our goal is to raise $40k.

Please renew your memberships, and don’t forget to PICK-CLICK-GIVE!

In addition to our regular Mirror Lake trail work, CMBR volunteers are now grooming Briggs Bridge and Lower Eagle River Trails in Chugach State Park! We are working with Parks and Rec to build new trails in Beach Lake Park this summer, and we have plans to continue trail improvements at the Mirror Lake Singletrack. Wow!

Your donations make this happen. Thank you.