InsideOutdoor | SUMMER 2022 30 Inspired by their mutual connection to Pierre Bergman, a Jackson Hole Mountain Resort employee whose life was forever changed due to a paralyzing bike accident, Joe Stone, director of mission at Teton Adaptive Sports, and Ranyon D’arge, JHMR’s mountain design manager, teamed up to create a universal mountain bike trail for both adaptive and non-adaptive riders. JHMR’s newest trail, Deepest Darkest, was designed to bring “flow, speed and excitement to adaptive and non-adaptive riders alike” as part of Teton Adaptive’s mission to bring equal access opportunities to outdoor recreation. The partnership between Teton Adaptive and JHMR also includes resort-hosted adaptive mountain bike lessons (aMTB). “We are proud to provide the training, equipment and scholarships while JHMR shares their world class terrain, lift access and instructors,” said Teton Adaptive. Scholarships are available on some offerings for those who qualify. Earlier this summer, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted unanimously to pass the Simplifying Outdoor Recreation Act to the Senate floor, incorporated fully into the America’s Outdoor Recreation Act of 2022. The SOAR Act is flagship legislation for the outfitting industry, and while there’s little controversial about a unanimous vote, America Outdoors has been advocating for this legislation for more than a decade. “We are encouraged to see such a great show of bipartisan support for outfitted outdoor experiences,” said America Outdoors executive director, Aaron Bannon. “It is vital that we modernize the permitting process to allow outfitters and guides the opportunity to focus on what they do best – facilitating lifechanging outdoor experiences.” The SOAR Act has seen considerable success in the U.S. House, but this is the first time that it has been approved by the Senate ENR Committee. The committee has not passed recreation legislation of this magnitude since 1963, said AO. AO noted Chairman Manchin (D-WV) and Senator Barrasso (R-WY) as supportive of its efforts, as well as Senators Heinrich (D-NM) and Capito (R-WV). Brand Watch Big, Unanimous Legislative Victory for Outfitter Association JHMR Opens Adaptive Bike Course Alchemy Takes Value-Add to the Next Level Alchemy is making an offer that bike buyers will find hard to refuse. Fresh off its move to a brand new “Ride Experience Center” in Golden, Colo., the direct-from-fabricator-to-rider bike vendor has partnered with the Origin Hotel Red Rocks and other local businesses to offer a free overnight mini-vacation to anyone who buys a new bike. Dubbed DARE: Golden Package (Discover Alchemy’s Ride Experience), the offer includes a tour of the new Ride Experience Center, rides on local trails/roads, complete bike fit on the new bike and bike shipment to home (if they don’t opt to take it with them). In addition, buyers receive one-night’s stay at the Origin Hotel Red Rocks, complimentary breakfast at Launch Coffee Company and a $20 gift card at Over Yonder Brewing Company, so they can make a short vacation of it. Customers who order any bike at MSRP, and opt-in for the package, will be contacted by Alchemy to arrange hotel reservations that coincide with the predetermined bike pickup date. Those who purchase in-stock bikes can schedule immediate pickup, based on hotel availability. If the bike is not taken home by the customer, the chosen shipping process will begin immediately after the visit; one of those options is Kitzuma Cycling Logistics, which will deliver the bike fully built, so once it’s set up at the Alchemy Workshop, it will remain perfectly dialed. “We’ve been working for years on building our new workshop, and we’ve been able to dial it to suit our needs perfect,” said company founder Ryan Cannizzaro. “That, along with the great surrounding riding and friendly neighborhood makes this an absolutely perfect place to visit and ride bikes.” SOAR Act’s’ Impacts Directs agencies to allow the inclusion of substantially similar uses in a permit activity without additional environmental review. Modifies the Forest Service use review formula to the benefit of outfitters and rewards the surrender of unused days to a use pool when applicable. Allows operators to follow state law regarding liability agreements and directs agencies to have consistent policies regarding these agreements within two years. Directs public lands agencies to contemplate additional Categorical Exclusions to streamline the special recreation permitting process. A Categorical Exclusion is the least cumbersome level of environmental review. Ensures that programmatic environmental reviews or recreational uses are not subject to cost recovery from permitted outfitters.
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