In the spring, volunteers from numerous trail advocacy groups put in long days, clearing the Big Hole trails so that the Cow Tag ride can run smoothly.
The Rigby, ID-based company puts the ride on right in its backyard trails, spanning across the Big Hole mountains all the way to Horseshoe Canyon west of Driggs and Fleming Canyon in the south, near Pine Creek Pass.
Riders are directed through the Rever smartphone app, which includes a handful of 'cow tags' placed across the trail system. The tracking app then records which tags the riders collect (by riding within ~30 feet of each tag), and riders are given a number of points for collecting them.
The cumulative number of points each rider earns represents the number of tickets they get to distribute among raffle prizes. Essentially, a motorized backcountry scavenger hunt.
Some tags are placed in difficult spots to access, which score more points, and some are placed in beginner areas to cater to those wishing to take it easy. There’s even a ‘golden ticket’ located away from other tags, which enhances the strategy.
The event, which started in 2015, is first and foremost a benefit for trail advocacy groups, such as the Idaho Singletrack Alliance, Idaho Falls Trail Machine Association, and other trail stewardship entities for their volunteer efforts in the backcountry every spring.
Lookin’ for 8
With a gorgeous, cloudless sky and a comfortable temperature around 65 degrees, riders began searching for the tags at 9 a.m. on Saturday. With a 5 p.m deadline, they had eight hours to rack up points.
The sweet smell of exhaust filled the air at the start, with many riders popping wheelies in excitement before setting out on the trail.
Klim’s Dustin Pancheri addresses the crowd at the rider’s meeting on June 25.
Riders Nate Helle, Elmer Hansen, and Pierce Pendleton drove together from Dillon, MT, and camped at the nearby Heise Hot Springs campground. The three were all notably relaxed, sharing some banter while sipping on sports drinks.
Helle looked forward to “Just gassin’ some nice singletrack."
All three were doing their first Cow Tag. Pendleton was impressed by the easy morning check-in.
“All we gotta do is show up, buy the ticket, it’s already organized for us. They tell us where the difficult stuff is and the easy stuff,” said Pendleton.
All but four trails in the Big Hole system were clear enough to ride, with only the highest sections deemed too snowy. Klim and other race organizers, for good reason, preferred to err on the side of caution.
“The idea is for trail preservation, and adding impact is definitely not the right thing to do and we don't want to do that,” said Pancheri. “This feels like about where we need to be for a trail system of this size.”
Mark Moore of the Idaho Single Track Alliance stated that the trails that were clear enough to ride were “in great shape”, despite the rush to ride after the Forest Service opened the trails 10 days prior.
In the spring, volunteers from numerous trail advocacy groups put in long days, clearing the Big Hole trails so that the Cow Tag ride can run smoothly.
Courtesy Photo/Idaho Single Track Association
“They take their abuse early,” said Moore.
The trails are in a bit of a limbo state right now, having seen riding already but not enough to be broken in for the year.
“These trails need to get ridden. It makes the trails look better when you get bikes through them, it helps clear some of the growth,” said Moore.
Once they get ridden in, the trails turn to a “hardpan” surface that doesn't erode and rides smooth, if unforgiving in a fall.
“The nice thing about these trails up here, that hardpan doesn't wear. It’s not loamy, like other areas where it can get rutted out. It’s one of the reasons we do the event here, and it’s also one of the reasons it’s pretty popular,” said Moore.
Bullheaded
Of course, the main damage that comes from the trails happens every winter when downed trees become a very tough obstacle to remove.
Determination, and a good bit of gasoline, are required to overcome those problems.
In the spring volunteers from numerous trail advocacy groups put in long days, armed with chainsaws that get brought out strapped onto the bikes. Pancheri has seen some outstanding efforts from all the volunteers and saved some praise for ISTA, among others.
“Those guys, they volunteer so many hours it’s crazy,” said Pancheri. “Of course, some of them are retired and can do that, but I can't.”
One of ISTA’s volunteers, Mike McCarthy, was recognized at the rider’s meeting for clearing around 300 trees on over 100 miles of trail with his son in the leadup to ride day. It must be noted that the ISTA and other trail volunteers don’t just cut the trees out and call it good.
“Those guys spend three weeks just going in there and manicuring the trails, making sure the water bars are ready for the runoff, cutting the trees out and making markings and things like that,” said Pancheri.
The Cow Tag has come to represent the unofficial kick-off of the riding season, and among the trail maintenance groups, ride day is considered important to the season’s calendar.
Pancheri attested to some fringe members of the local motorsports community being less than stoked to see the ride happen, however. He mentioned that sometimes tags get taken from their locations, among other sabotage.
A group of riders makes their way under the Klim arch and on towards the trails.
While certainly frustrating, Pancheri is more disappointed than anything. He suggested critics consider who would step up if the trails didn't get cleared in time for the event.
“At every event, you're going to have some negative comments or people that can't understand the big picture,” said Pancheri. “It’s like alright, if we don't do this, then who will? Are you going to do that? Are you going to create a way to raise funds?”
Until the Cows Come Home
While a few troublemakers are always to be expected nowadays, the Cow Tag seems like an event with a defined upward trajectory.
Not only does it have one of the bigger names in powersports outerwear hosting the event out of its backyard, but it also is benefitting a cause that will always be important to the area’s residents and visitors.
President of the ISTA, Mike Evans, spoke to the level of involvement Klim has had in helping fund trail maintenance and rehabilitation efforts.
“Klim has been really big into trial advocacy, they have donated to us the last two or three years, fairly sizable at around $2,500 too,” said Evans.
“For us volunteers that really works a lot. We can volunteer our time, but to have money come out of our own family budget, especially nowadays with fuel costs and tires, all that stuff, it would be hard to keep some of our volunteers out doing it. Having that money and support from them is huge for us.”
Pancheri spoke to the powersports industry taking some notes from aspects of other outdoor recreation industries to put on events and generate organic growth.
“The outdoor community, the outdoor industry, is pretty good at funding and events,” said Pancheri. “They are good at not only putting money back into the community but also stewardship. We really wanted to learn from their example and try to create that same culture and mentality in the motorsports community.”
A rider shows off for his buddy in front of one of the Kelly Canyon chairlifts before the Klim Cow Tag
“We’re really trying to grow this, we’d really like to see more of an outdoor event, have everybody be included instead of just motorcyclists per se,” said Pancheri.
After all, the money that goes towards singletrack trail efforts benefits more than just dirt bikers.
“Powersports are not the only people benefitting from this. Mountain bikers are benefitting from this, horsemen, everybody out there,” said Pancheri.
That particular benefit is by design, as it was something Klim wanted to advocate from day one.
“We just wanted to come up with something that was interactive and fun, but it was also fundraising at the same time. It brings in the community, benefits multiple organizations, and grows the outdoor community,” said Pancheri.
Not only is it good for the community on the whole, but the riders that get to participate get to do so without having to worry about what place they're in, how fast they're going, or any other competitive aspects.
“For the person that has a competitive nature, the competition is how many tags can I get? How many points can I get? For the person that wants to just leisurely ride, they can come up and enjoy the ride and the social aspects, rubbing shoulders with people. The format does offer a unique solution for anyone’s goals in how they want to ride the mountains,” said Pancheri.
The non-competitiveness of the event ensures a light-hearted, fun attitude that parlays into increased levels of support for the cause.
Pancheri has definitely noted that the carefree attitude from sponsors and riders alike is something that will help dirt bikers and other singletrack users around the region for years to come.
“Anytime you say something is going to help give back to the industry or grow a fundraiser, they don't even ask, they are like, 'what do you need,' and they are so good with support,” said Pancheri.
