ORCA Projects
Epic Backcountry Rides
ORCA is working to establish an Alaska Long Trail for Bikes.
One section of this project is a long-distance mid-slope adventure cycling route from Arctic Valley, up Ship Creek and over Indian Pass. This will connect to Powerline Pass and the Moose Loop in Anchorage.
Indian Pass-Ship Creek is a part of the Iditarod National Historic Trail and a braid of the Alaska Long Trail. Work has already been completed on the first few miles of this trail from Arctic Valley. ORCA is working with Chugach State Park to open this first section to cyclists for summer 2025.
Strategic MTB Trails Plan
Chugach Mountain Bike Riders, Valley Mountain Bikers and Hikers and Singletrack Advocates are collaborating with the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) Trail Solutions to inventory existing MTB trails, identify planned trails, and propose areas for new trails.
ORCA provides a collaborative hub for data-driven regional trail development. This Strategic MTB Trails Plan will help guide volunteer groups, inform land managers and encourage funders to support trail communities
A draft trails plan will be available for review Spring 2025.
Alaska Bike Calendar
ORCA provides a centralized calendar for all bike events in the state. While our mission is focused on off-road cycling, our riders are multi-sport. Everything and anything from bike art shows, bike movies, group rides, road races, trail planning announcements, triathlons and cyclocross events, skills clinics, youth clubs, etc. are welcome.
The Alaska Bike Calendar aggregates events from Facebook, websites, and online calendars (e.g. Google Calendar).
Contact us to link your events.
Youth MTB Coalition
ORCA provides a network for local Youth MTB clubs to share resources and collaborate on new initiatives.
ORCA is coordinating several coach-certification clinics this summer both with the Bicycle Instructor Certification Program (BICP) and the Professional Mountain Bike Instructor Association (PMBIA), and is working with National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) to develop a progressive Alaska-centric Youth MTB curriculum.
Alaska ORCA Summit
Alaskans have created amazing off-road cycling communities, but have largely been working in isolation. The Alaska Off-Road Cycling Summit invites all Alaskan off-road cycling advocates, MTB trail clubs, race directors, bike shops, land managers, youth cycling organizers, group ride leaders, and trail enthusiasts for a weekend to share, encourage, and learn from each other.
Together we are ORCA.
Formerly known as AMBA, (the Alaska Mountain Bike Alliance), the Alaska Off-Road Cycling Alliance (ORCA) is a group of advocates from across the state working to strengthen connections between existing mountain bike nonprofits, land managers and communities.
ORCA is fiscally sponsored by Chugach Mountain Bike Riders (CMBR). CMBR is a charitable and educational 501(c)3 dedicated to promoting and developing the sport of mountain biking in Alaska.