Greg Williams of the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship and the Downieville Classic – The Power of Trails AKA Dirt Magic #114

Trail EAffect with Greg Williams of the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship and the Downieville Classic – The Power of Trails AKA Dirt Magic

Greg leads the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship and is a descendant of the Deer Creek Band of Northern Sierra Miwok. Greg has spent his life in the Sierra Nevada Mountains living by the examples of his elders — developing a passion for community, clean streams, big mountains, and long trails.

Greg is a trailblazer and pioneer of backcountry mountain biking in Downieville, establishing Yuba Expeditions guide service in 1991 and the Downieville Classic mountain bike festival in 1995. In 2003 Greg founded the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship in order to maintain and enhance the trail system, create local jobs, and grow the recreation economy in the Lost Sierra region.

• Early Years with Greg Williams
  • Miwok Heritage
  • Being Shaped by Downieville
• The realization that people might pay for Downieville Shuttles and Guide Services
• Santa Cruz Bikes and their support of the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship
• The resistance of mountain bikers coming into Downieville in the early years
• Bringing an economy to Downieville
• The growth of trail work days and need to organize
• Stepping up to take care of the trails for the U.S. Forest Service in 2001
• Creating the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship in 2003
  • The value of naming the organization a “Trail Stewardship”
  • 20 years of Seriousness
  • Building the model backwards
• The Power of Trails
• How the Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship has become a sizable employer in the region
• Student internships and giving them legit life skills
• Connected Communities
  • 15 Communities
  • 600 miles of trail
  • 6 counties
  • 2 states
  • 4 national forests
  • Bipartisan support
  • How broad this goal is
  • Pivoting the public feedback plan during Covid
  • How this plan will be a document for other communities to follow – A recipe book for Dirt Magic
  • Multiuse Trail
  • I.D.E.A. – Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access
• Great Ideas that maybe weren’t so great… around the Downieville Classic
  • The Yuba Invitational
• Ron’s House of Big Air Ramp jump
  • Midnight Test Session
• 25th Year of the Downieville Classic
• Mark Weir
• Raising the bar for competition at the Downieville Classic – Talent
• Digging out the course one year
• Rules for the All Mountain World Championships
• The Downieville Classic – the All-Mountain World Championships
  • Racing Both days for an overall title
  • Trails are in great shape for 2023
• Getting to The Lost Sierra – Hint, Reno, NV is close
• On track to build the 200th mile of trail in 2023 (actually closer to 220)
• Closing Comments and how to contribute

Links:

Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship: https://sierratrails.org/

Connected Communities: https://sierratrails.org/connected-communities/

Downieville Classic: https://downievilleclassic.com

Dirt Magic: https://youtu.be/lFAuFH9V5mc

Trail EAffect Show Links:

Trail Effect Podcast Website: www.traileaffectpodcast.com

KETL Mtn Apparel Affiliate Link: https://ketlmtn.com/josh

Worldwide Cyclery Affiliate Link: https://www.worldwidecyclery.com/?aff=559

Trail One Components: https://trailone.bike/

Contact Josh at evolutiontrails@gmail.com

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This Podcast has been edited and produced by Evolution Trail Services