Pisgah Area SORBA
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersBrevard, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
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.
Pisgah Area SORBA firmographics
Firmographics- 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
Pisgah Area SORBA industry classification
Industry- 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
Where Pisgah Area SORBA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brevard
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Pisgah Area SORBA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from individual members supporting trail stewardship activities
- Disaster Relief Funding: National Forest Foundation grant funding distributed over 4.5 years for Hurricane Helene recovery in Pisgah Ranger District
- Donations: Individual donations, Trail Builders Club contributions, and general fundraising
- Industry Partnerships: Support from bike industry partners including equipment, sponsorship, and co-marketing
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Pisgah Area SORBA product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use Pisgah Area SORBA
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Pisgah Area SORBA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Pisgah Area SORBA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- U.S. Forest ServicecorePAS 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 CompanyminorPisgah 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 CompositesminorGulo 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 ConservancyminorPartner nonprofit working on Searcy Creek Connector while PAS tackles Butter Gap Trail reconstruction. Collaboration on complementary trail projects in the district.
- Rock Solid Trail ContractingminorProfessional 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 CoachingminorLocal 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
Pisgah Area SORBA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect 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
Pisgah Area SORBA social profiles
Digital presencePisgah Area SORBA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pisgah Area SORBA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Pisgah Area SORBA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pisgah Area SORBA M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pisgah Area SORBA
What does Pisgah Area SORBA do?
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.
Is Pisgah Area SORBA a public or private company?
Pisgah Area SORBA is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Pisgah Area SORBA founded?
Pisgah Area SORBA was founded in 2006. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Pisgah Area SORBA based?
Pisgah Area SORBA is headquartered in Brevard, United States, in the North America region.
How does Pisgah Area SORBA make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are disaster Relief Funding, donations and industry Partnerships.
Who are Pisgah Area SORBA's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pisgah Conservancy, International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA), Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance, Southern Off-Road Bicycle Association (SORBA), Ocala Mountain Bike Association and Vail Valley Mountain Trails Alliance. Broad incumbents are National Forest Foundation, Access Fund and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Pisgah Map Company is listed as an others.
Does Pisgah Area SORBA have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pisgah Area SORBA.
What industry is Pisgah Area SORBA in?
Pisgah Area SORBA's product category is Trail Stewardship and Outdoor Recreation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAAALAG, Cycling / MTB / E-Bike Guiding & Rentals. Its NAICS code is 813312 and its SIC code is 8600.