LMC Summer Ride Series
This summer, three local nonprofits—Lookout Mountain Conservancy, SORBA Chattanooga, and White Oak Bicycle Co-op—have joined forces to launch the LMC Summer Ride Series, a five-session progressive mountain biking program for Howard High School students participating in LMC’s internship program.
This pilot initiative introduces 17 youth from underserved communities to the joys of mountain biking on Chattanooga’s trail systems, while building confidence, bike handling skills, and trail awareness. The program also fosters deeper connections to the outdoors and supports physical and mental well-being, said officials.
Officials said this series isn’t just about riding bikes—it’s about access, equity and transformation. Upon completion of the Summer Ride Series, each participant will receive a donated, refurbished mountain bike through White Oak Bicycle Co-op’s program—offering continued access to recreation and transportation just in time for the new school year.
“This program is a perfect intersection of our missions,” said Sunshine Loveless, executive director of SORBA Chattanooga. “We're creating access to trails and bikes for young people who might not otherwise have this opportunity, while also investing in the future of local trail stewardship.”
LMC has long engaged Howard High School students in outdoor leadership, land conservation, and trail building through its internship program. The Summer Ride Series builds on this foundation, using recreation to strengthen personal development and deepen students' relationship to the land they help care for.
White Oak Bicycle Co-op, a nonprofit focused on expanding access to bicycles and repair resources, provides mechanical support and staff for the ride series. Their ultimate goal: to ensure each youth leaves the program with a bike of their own.
“Our goal has always been to remove barriers to cycling—and this program does just that,” said Blake Pierce, executive director of White Oak Bicycle Co-op. “By providing bikes, support, and mentorship, we’re not only giving young people the tools to ride, but also a sense of ownership, freedom, and belonging within their own community.”
Together, these three nonprofits are creating a model for inclusive, collaborative outdoor programming—demonstrating the power of bikes and trails to transform lives, one ride at a time, officials said.
To learn more or support this program through bike or monetary donations, visit: sorbachattanooga.org/donate
LMC Summer Ride Series