2024 Year in Review
Without a doubt, 2024 has been one of MORCA’s most productive and impactful years to date. Here are some of the highlights:
Porta Potties at 8th & Gigling Trailhead
This initiative began a few years ago but finally came to fruition in 2024. After many conversations with Monterey County Parks, after gaining crucial support from County Supervisor Wendy Root Askew, and after our MTB community stepped up in 2023 to raise $13,500 through MC Gives, we finally had the funds and political will to make needed restrooms a reality. Since then, our community has raised another $16,000 for ongoing maintenance. The agreement made with the County is: if MORCA raises the $7,000 annual maintenance fees for three years, the County will commit to a longer-term solution and permanent restroom facilities at this busy trailhead.
Funds Raised for Signage at Monterey County Trails Within Fort Ord
As part of MORCA’s collaboration with Monterey County Parks, MORCA has been supporting a phased effort to install signage in three areas within Fort Ord. With Phase 1 complete, MORCA used its 2024 MC Gives campaign to raise funds for Phases 2 and 3. MORCA’s outreach and community members’ generosity raised nearly $9,000. All-told, estimated costs for this project total $25,000. As a valuable partner to the County of Monterey through fundraising and ongoing trail stewardship, MORCA looks forward to continued collaboration that enables progress toward both Monterey County and MORCA goals.
MORCA Debuts Paid Trail Crew Positions
Through MORCA’s long-standing partnership with the Bureau of Land Management and some intense navigation of taxes and liability, our team was able to amend an existing grant we secured in 2022 and provide wages for three part-time trail work positions. In a world of trail stewardship that relies primarily on volunteers, this was a big milestone for MORCA. And it wasn’t without consideration for trail work volunteers who do not get paid. We feel this is important to acknowledge so nobody feels shortchanged. One of the stipulations was that these trail workers had to commit to a minimum of 20 hours per week for three months or longer. BIG thanks to our first-ever paid trail crew: John Beardshear (Crew Lead), Ralph Beer (Crew Lead), and Matthew Turner (Equipment Operator).
MORCA Recognized by BLM Leadership
Last summer local stewards of Fort Ord National Monument including MORCA, F.O.R.T. Friends, and the Habitat Stewardship Project were recognized for our ongoing collaboration with the Bureau of Land Management. As part of a nationwide tour, BLM and its new philanthropic arm, the Foundation for America’s Public Lands, acknowledged the essential contributions that local stewards contribute to our public lands and waters. Being responsible for more public lands than any federal agency – 245 million acres and counting – it was an honor for BLM to recognize Fort Ord and its partners. This says a lot about MORCA’s work and about how special Fort Ord’s lands are.
A Monumental Year for MORCA Trail Work
In 2024, 55 individual volunteers helped MORCA contribute more than 1,400 hours of trail work toward the maintenance and improvement of Fort Ord trails, benefiting all types of trail users not just mountain bikers. Part of this work included a new section of trail to accommodate a re-route of Trail 31 South to reduce erosion and improve safety and multi-use capacity. This new trail was a joint effort requiring native plant revegetation by the Habitat Stewardship Project, trail construction by MORCA, and oversight by BLM.
More Kids on Bikes at Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day Sponsored by Montage Health
Once again, this popular annual event did not disappoint. It is always a highlight of the year for MORCA and for all the volunteers who help make this event possible. Even kids who didn’t have their own bike or helmet got a chance to ride this year, thanks to the Community Bike Collective. Kids always have a good time no matter their age or the ability level. Local high school mountain bike riders earn service hours by guiding rides, younger kids navigate one of two safe and challenging obstacle courses, and everyone contributes to miles of smiles. Extra special thanks to Montage Health for sponsoring this year’s Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day event and for being a year-round supporter of MORCA.
Sea Otter Classic Partnership Levels Up
Sea Otter Classic 2024 was once again the amazing celebration of all-things bicycle that make the event so special. Without a doubt, connecting with others in both the worldwide and local MTB communities is the best part. Ok, and maybe seeing riders enjoy the trails we buff out for them! This year also marked what we hope to be continued growth of MORCA’s presence at the event and of positive collaboration with the Lifetime Sea Otter Classic team. At the event’s request, we brought our kids obstacle course, and it did not disappoint. Looking forward to more of that and to hopefully carving out more prominent space and recognition for bike advocacy at the event.
MTB Community Showed Up BIG to Support Monterey Bike Park Initiative
Local mountain bike advocacy hit an inspiring crescendo on July 10 when dozens showed up at a pivotal Monterey Parks & Rec meeting to show support for a proposed bike park and dedicated MTB trails within the Old Capitol Site master plan. Earlier in the year, MORCA led a big outreach push for a City of Monterey survey regarding this new park space and thanks to your input, survey results clearly showed that the majority of respondents want to see bike resources within the plan. This was a HUGE step in favor of incorporating bikes into the park master plan.
CAMTB Ibis Dream Bike Giveaway Delivers
For a couple of years and running now, CAMTB has partnered with MORCA and other MTB advocacy orgs to help raise much needed funds, in our case for Monterey County mountain biking. This clever and cooperative fundraiser culminates with one lucky person winning the grand prize – an Ibis mountain bike of their choice! Runner up winners also scored some sweet MTB accessories but the greatest news for our local community?… CAMTB, Ibis, and everyone who contributed $5 or more to be entered helped raise $2,299.03 for MORCA. That’s no small chunk of change. For example, $2,000 covers the majority of event expenses for Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day and Sea Otter Classic combined. It also preserves other funds for bigger initiatives in the future!
Big Turnout for MORCA/Freehub Film Festival
This was a first for MORCA and thanks to our local MTB community, it was a huge success. The film festival provided a forum for our community to gather and share the stoke of MTB, it helped us raise $2,585, and it sent a couple dozen festival attendees home with some sweet prizes. Massive thanks to the Freehub Magazine crew for building a turnkey film festival model that made it relatively easy for MORCA to plug into. Many thanks to volunteers who helped put the event together, we hope to do it again next year!
Montage Health Sponsorship
Early in 2024 MORCA put some time and energy into updating our sponsorship deck to support the goal of acquiring year-round and even multi-year sponsors. Ideal sponsors would share a desire to work together and grow our mutual communities, support outdoor recreation and conservation interests tied to mountain biking, and share the desire to see our sport and our community thrive. The hope is to eventually have a mix of local businesses and industry sponsors committed to supporting MORCA’s cause. We are excited and proud to share that Montage Health signed on to do just that, with a focus around supporting MORCA’s Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day event. We are extremely grateful for their support and look forward to collaborating to meet shared goals.
MORCA Membership Grows 16% in 2024
Among many other signs of forward progress on behalf of our Monterey County MTB community, MORCA membership grew from 164-194 members in 2024. Most of this growth occurred during our October membership drive and in the following two months. More members mean more potential for MORCA’s ambitions and more fun for our members. 
Among our many important goals for 2025, we are excited to continue dialing up social opportunities to connect, build camaraderie and stoke, and bring all of you closer to the work we’re doing. Let’s all keep in mind that there are literally thousands of mountain bikers in Monterey County so there’s LOTS of room for growth. For roughly the price of a burrito and cold beverage for two, anyone can become a member!