Pisgah Area SORBA

What Pisgah Area SORBA does

Pisgah Area SORBA (PAS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and a chapter of the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA), operating from Brevard, North Carolina, and serving the Pisgah Ranger District and surrounding areas of Western North Carolina. The organization's functional role is trail stewardship: it adopts, maintains, and constructs mountain biking trails across more than 150 miles of public land, coordinating closely with the U.S. Forest Service on land access, permitting, NEPA compliance, and technical trail standards based on the USFS Trail Class Matrix (Types 1-5). PAS engages 596 active volunteers, has 478 members, and has logged 26,399 volunteer trail work hours since 2020. Its core programs include trail maintenance and construction, the Trail Builders Club donor program, structured volunteer programs (Women in Trail Stewardship, Kids in Trail Stewardship), and the annual WNC Bike Fest.

PAS's business model is a community-led nonprofit revenue mix combining annual membership dues, individual donations and Trail Builders Club contributions, industry partnerships (including equipment and sponsorship from regional bike companies such as Gulo Composites and Pisgah Map Company), and grant funding. The organization is currently operating under a multi-year (4.5-year) National Forest Foundation disaster relief grant to lead Hurricane Helene recovery across the Pisgah Ranger District. Revenue mechanics are diversified across individual giving, recurring membership, industry co-marketing, and institutional grants, with no publicly disclosed pricing for membership tiers or donation amounts. Customer segments served include mountain bikers (primary), hikers, equestrians, and corporate industry partners, all of which benefit from trail access and stewardship outcomes rather than a commercial product.

Following Hurricane Helene in 2024, PAS underwent a leadership transition: founding Executive Director Natalie Narburgh stepped down after three years, and Chris Kehmeier was appointed as the second Executive Director in 2025, bringing 15 years of IMBA trail advocacy experience. The organization also added a Trails Program Director (Craig Brickser) and created a Disaster Recovery Coordinator role (Jared Hartman) to manage the expanded reconstruction portfolio. Deliverables from this expanded mandate include the two-mile Bracken Preserve expansion with the new Mac Morrow Trail (ribbon-cutting July 2026) and the ongoing phased Butter Gap Trail reconstruction led by Rock Solid Trail Contracting.

Name

Pisgah Area SORBA

Legal name

Pisgah Area SORBA

Website

https://pisgahareasorba.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Pisgah Area SORBA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit trail stewardship chapter of SORBA that adopts and maintains over 150 miles of mountain biking trails in Western North Carolina's Pisgah Ranger District, coordinating with the U.S. Forest Service and a 596-volunteer community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trail Stewardship and Outdoor Recreation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Cycling / MTB / E-Bike Guiding & Rentals (THAAALAG)

Keywords

• Trail stewardship services
• Mountain bike advocacy
• Volunteer trail maintenance
• Outdoor recreation nonprofits
• Conservation grant programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Brevard

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from individual members supporting trail stewardship activities
2. Disaster Relief Funding: National Forest Foundation grant funding distributed over 4.5 years for Hurricane Helene recovery in Pisgah Ranger District
3. Donations: Individual donations, Trail Builders Club contributions, and general fundraising
4. Industry Partnerships: Support from bike industry partners including equipment, sponsorship, and co-marketing

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Pisgah Area SORBA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that builds, maintains, and advocates for mountain biking trails across 150+ miles in the Pisgah Ranger District and Western North Carolina. The organization recruits volunteers for trail workdays, offers membership and donor programs (Trail Builders Club), runs inclusion initiatives (Women in Trail Stewardship, Kids in Trail Stewardship), and coordinates disaster recovery following Hurricane Helene through National Forest Foundation grant funding.

Product overview

Pisgah Area SORBA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and chapter of the Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA) that focuses on building and connecting the Western North Carolina community by improving mountain biking access and infrastructure. The organization operates several core programs including trail stewardship across 150+ miles in the Pisgah Ranger District, volunteer-organized trail work days, membership programs, and the Trail Builders Club for financial supporters. Additional programs include youth and women's trail stewardship initiatives and the annual WNC Bike Fest.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Trail Stewardship and Maintenance Building, maintaining, and adopting mountain biking trails across 150+ miles in the Pisgah Ranger District and Western North Carolina, serving mountain bikers, hikers, and equestrians.
• Volunteer Trail Workday Programs Organized volunteer workdays engaging 596 active volunteers to perform trail construction, maintenance, and disaster recovery, coordinated through the VolunteerHub platform.
• Trail Builders Club A donor program enabling supporters to financially contribute to trail maintenance and development efforts in the Pisgah Ranger District.
• Membership Program Annual organizational membership supporting PAS's mission, with 478 current members.
• Women in Trail Stewardship A dedicated program engaging and empowering women in trail building and maintenance activities.
• Kids in Trail Stewardship A youth program introducing children to trail building and outdoor stewardship activities.
• WNC Bike Fest An annual cycling festival in Western North Carolina promoting mountain biking community and recreation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 26,399 volunteer hours invested in trail stewardship since 2020
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• U.S. Forest ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPAS works in close collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service to coordinate and execute trail recovery work in Pisgah Ranger District. The Forest Service provides land access, permits, and technical guidance on trail standards.
• Pisgah Map CompanyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPisgah Map Company creates custom trail maps for PAS, which are featured on the organization's website and promoted to trail users. Maps are sold through Pisgah Map Company's website.
• Gulo CompositesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGulo Composites, a local WNC wheel manufacturer, is a Pisgah Area SORBA industry partner. They sponsored rider Rachel Pageau for the Tour Divide and are partner sponsor of the Wash Creek Dig In trail maintenance project.
• Pisgah ConservancyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner nonprofit working on Searcy Creek Connector while PAS tackles Butter Gap Trail reconstruction. Collaboration on complementary trail projects in the district.
• Rock Solid Trail ContractingminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProfessional trail contracting firm hired for Butter Gap Trail reconstruction, beginning January 2024. Phased construction approach including Cedar Rock decommission, new trail building, and heavy maintenance.
• Rouleur CoachingminorOthersLocal coaching service (Cypress Gorry) that trains Pisgah Stage Race riders. Referenced in PAS storytelling about member Peter Michaels' journey from beginner to Trail Builders Club member.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pisgah Conservancy: A 501(c)(3) nonprofit working on trail and land conservation in the same Pisgah Ranger District, collaborating with PAS on adjacent projects (e.g., Searcy Creek Connector while PAS tackles Butter Gap). Closest mission-aligned peer in the same geography.
• International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA): The national MTB advocacy and trail standards organization. PAS leadership (Kehmeier, Brickser) came directly from IMBA, and PAS adopts IMBA's Trail Class Matrix standards. Operates the same mission of building and protecting mountain bike trail access across the U.S.
• Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance: A regional MTB advocacy and trail stewardship nonprofit serving Washington State with a similar chapter-based model, donor programs, and federal land management partnerships. Closest comparable in organizational structure and scale outside the Southeast.
• Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA): PAS is a chapter of SORBA, the national nonprofit that exists to promote land access, trail preservation, and new trail development for mountain bikers. SORBA operates the same membership-and-chapter model, manages affiliated regional trail stewardship programs, and shares advocacy and funding infrastructure with PAS.
• Ocala Mountain Bike Association: A direct SORBA chapter comparable to PAS, also operating trail stewardship programs on managed federal/state lands (Ocala National Forest). PAS's Disaster Recovery Coordinator Jared Hartman previously served as President and Board Member.
• Vail Valley Mountain Trails Alliance: A regional mountain trail stewardship nonprofit in Colorado's Vail Valley that adopts and maintains trail networks, organizes volunteer workdays, and partners with U.S. Forest Service on federal lands. Directly comparable mission, model, and federal-land partnership structure.

Broad incumbents

• National Forest Foundation: The congressionally-chartered nonprofit partner of the U.S. Forest Service. PAS's largest current funder for Hurricane Helene recovery, NFF operates the same 501(c)(3) grantmaking and conservation model at a national scale across all 193 national forests.
• Access Fund: The national nonprofit advocacy organization for climbing conservation and public land access. Operates the same membership-and-grant-funded 501(c)(3) model for outdoor recreation stewardship on federal lands.
• Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation: A large 501(c)(3) wildlife and habitat conservation nonprofit that funds and executes land stewardship projects on federal lands, including trail-related habitat work. Comparable operating model at much larger scale with similar federal-land coordination and grant-making functions.

Others

• Pisgah Map Company: A for-profit cartography business that creates custom trail maps for PAS and other Pisgah-area organizations. Comparable ecosystem participant serving the same outdoor recreation market, but operating as a commercial vendor rather than a stewardship nonprofit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PisgahAreaSORBA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pisgah-area-sorba

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pisgah Area SORBA