Join us at this hidden gem of mountain biking just outside of Johnstown, PA. Riders will be treated to some fun singletrack built and maintained by LHORBA and there will be plenty of spectating opportunities at this venue. Home to Johnstown BMX, this park has welcomed two-wheeled competitors for many years and we’re excited to bring PICL back to Highland Park.
The weekend events include racing technical singletrack on the tights, twisties, rocks, roots, and logs of Highland Park. We’ll also be adventuring on-site or off, while exploring local history and plentiful bike-friendly opportunities in Johnstown and surrounding communities. With limited camping on-site and a host of hotels and campgrounds close by, make a weekend out of it and join us in Johnstown!
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Schedules are tentative and subject to change.
Saturday
11:00 PM Adventure Open**
2:30 PM GRiT Pre-ride Open (MS & HS Courses - sign up here)*
3:00 PM MS & HS Pre-Ride Open**
4:00 PM Last Call for Adventure Start
4:30 PM Staging Short Track V Girls/Boys Exhibition (learn more here)
4:55 PM Staging Short Track JV3 Girls/Boys Exhibition (learn more here)
5:00 PM Adventure Closed
5:20 PM Staging Short Track MS Advanced Girls/Boys Exhibition (learn more here)
5:30 PM Huffy Toss (sign up at the Registration tent)
6:00 PM Pre-ride Closed
Sunday
7:00 AM MS & HS Pre-Ride Open**
7:30 AM Head Coach Mtg at PICL Trailer^
7:40 AM Last Call for Pre-Ride Start
8:00 AM Pre-Ride Closed & All Riders Off Course
8:15 AM Staging 6th Grade Boys
8:30 AM Racing Begins
8:50 AM Staging 7th Grade Boys
9:00 AM Skills Area Open
9:25 AM Staging MS Advanced/8th Grade Boys
10:05 AM Staging ALL MS Girls/MS Fun Lap
10:45 AM Staging 9th Grade Boys
11:45 AM Staging JV2 Boys
12:50 PM ALL HS Girls/HS Fun Lap
2:00 PM Skills Area Closed
2:05 PM Staging V/JV3 Boys
3:50 PM Racing Concludes
4:20 PM Awards
*Meet at the GRiT Tent
^Each team must have a HC/TD/Delegate present.
**Riders/coaches on course during pre-ride must have their number/coach plate affixed to their bike. Ride groups are expected to maintain NICA ratio guidelines. Riders may not pre-ride alone. Pre-rides are for course preview, only, and should be ridden at a responsible pace.
Extreme Weather Flip-Flop: In the event of inclement weather that would otherwise cancel this event, we will consider shifting Sunday racing to Saturday. Our decision will be communicated through all PICL channels on Thursday prior to the event. Only those riders who were scheduled to race on Sunday, will be permitted to participate on Saturday.
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Online registration closes the Tuesday before the event at 8:00 PM. No day of registration.
In order to participate in this race/adventure ride, students must be fully registered in NICA Pit Zone - the parent dashboard profile will show a GREEN check mark and it will say “Registered” under THIS specific race/adventure ride in Pit Zone.
DO NOT check-in at the Information tent. Riders will get race plates from their Head Coach/Team Director prior to their first event.
DO NOT LOSE YOUR RACE PLATE! You will use this for ALL events. There is a $10 fee to replace plates if lost or forgotten. Replacements are available at the Information tent.If you have not been invited to register yet in the NICA Pit Zone, please contact your Head Coach/Team Director. Independent riders, please contact PICL Registration at registration@pamtb.org. For questions regarding the NICA Pit Zone, please contact NICA’s Registration Services at registration@nationalmtb.org.
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*Teams electing to pre-ride PICL courses prior to event weekend are subject to venue day use/parking fees and are expected to get permission from landowners/managers prior to arrival. As always, please use care while riding private and public trails as our representation of PICL greatly impacts relationships with PICL venues and their park/trail users.
Highland Park Contact Info: highlandregionalpark@gmail.com
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Park in designated areas, only — see the Infield Map, and follow directions of all on-site parking volunteers, staff and signs. Handicap parking is available - please see the Infield Map for details.
Please be respectful of all parking volunteers and staff. Inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated and will result in immediate expulsion from the event.
Parking for RV and tent camping is dispersed throughout the venue. Please follow the directions of the on-site parking volunteers, staff, maps, and signs.
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Pit Zone is open for unloading only during the following times:
Saturday: 11 - 3 PM
Sunday: 7 - 8 AM
• NO parking in the Pit Zone.
• NO bike riding in Pit Zone - WALK your bike.
• NO grilling, smoking, fires, alcohol, gas generators, or dogs unless clearly marked service dogs in Pit Zone.
• Conflicts and/or disputes should NOT be dealt with in the team Pit Zone area. -
Volunteering is one of the best ways to get involved on event weekends. Stay close to the action while helping to ensure the event is a success. Positions are available throughout the event. There’s a spot for everyone!
VOLUNTEER SIGN UP LINK IS HERE!Once you’re signed up, fill out the volunteer waiver, so you’re ready to roll upon arrival.
Not sure which position is right for you? Check out the descriptions and training videos, HERE.
Still have questions? Email PICL Volunteering at volunteer@pamtb.org. -
GRiT rides are a staple of every PICL event!
SIGN UP FOR FRIDAY PRE-RIDE HERE! We’ll have groups riding both the MS & HS courses.
Learn more about NICA’s GRiT awesomeness, HERE!
Questions? Contact us at grit@pamtb.org.
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Adventure Course & Skills Area Instructions & Map
Saturday
Adventure Course: 11 AM - 5 PM (last call at 4 PM)
Skills Area: 11 AM - 5 PM
Sunday
Skills Area ONLY: 9 AM - 2 PM
On site this weekend you’ll find plenty of adventuring on the technical trails surrounding the Johnstown Showdown PICL course. Also, be sure to check out “Local Fun” for plenty of other bike-friendly activities in Johnstown and the surrounding communities.
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Alabaster Coffee Roaster and Tea Co. - A specialty coffee roaster in Williamsport, PA focused on ethically sourced and direct trade coffee. (And parent of student-athletes on Lycoming Co. Composite!)
Earth, Wheel and Fire Wood Fired Pizza (tentative)
Sweets for the Street - ice cream
Greenhouse Arcade - protein bowls, tacos, and more.
Golden Joe Juice Company - juice, smoothies, energy snacks and more
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Take advantage of bike-friendly activities all around Johnstown, such as the Quehanna Reservoir Trail, Inclined Plane Trails, and the 9/11 Trail. If you prefer getting off the beaten path, head over to the Abandoned PA Turnpike, but be sure to bring along a headlamp or flashlight. This website has excellent descriptions of where to park and how to access.
If you’re looking to explore local history, check out Flight 93 National Memorial and visit the Johnstown Flood Museum, which tells the story of one of the deadliest natural disasters in US history.
Johnstown and the surrounding communities also offer many different options for places to eat and drink!
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Camping on-site is always a highlight of our event at Johnstown. Johnstown camping is booked through our league on BikeReg here.
Both RV and tent options are available for Friday and Saturday nights - cost is $15/site. Be sure to review the Event Notes on BikeReg for details, as well as the “Johnstown Camping Rules” below.
Johnstown and the surrounding communities offer many other options for overnight accommodations including campgrounds and cabins, air BnBs, regular old BnBs, and hotels.
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It is your responsibility to understand rules related to the venue, event, and NICA competitions.
Penalties will be assessed to individuals and teams for breaking/disregarding rules at NICA events. Penalties can include, but are not limited to, loss of individual points, loss of team points, time penalties, and event expulsion. Please read and understand the General Event and Venue Rules (below), as well as the PA Handbook.
Inappropriate behavior is not tolerated toward any volunteer, staff member, or other community member. Such behavior results in immediate expulsion from the event.
General Event and Venue Rules• Garbage - PICL has reserved an on-site dumpster for this event. YOU are responsible for getting your refuse into PICL’s on-site dumpster before leaving the venue.
• Staging is for riders and coaches, ONLY. Parents can head to the start, finish, and fan zones!
• Grill only in designated areas.
• NO dogs in the Infield or Pit Zone unless clearly marked service dogs. Leashed dogs are permitted at the venue.
• NO inappropriate language.
• For Drone Policy, see Rule 4.14 in the PA Handbook.
Camping
For PICL events being held at established campgrounds, please follow all campground rules regarding check-in, check-out, quiet hours, etc. which are set and enforced by the campground staff.
For PICL events that offer camping at the venue via a partnership with the venue hosts, the following rules apply:
• You MUST pre-register.
• Camping is on your own/at your own risk.
• Camping is ONLY family camping - riders MUST camp with parents.
• Quiet time is 9 PM to 7 AM.
• NO gas generators overnight.
Pre-Ride
• DO NOT pre-ride on event weekends outside of designated pre-ride times on event schedule.
• Yield to event staff at all times.
• All coaches and riders MUST be fully “practice ready” in Pit Zone AND have their number/coach plate affixed to their bike. No unregistered riders are allowed on the course during designated pre-ride times.
• Pre-riding in the days and weeks leading up to the even weekend is permitted. If the course is on private property, please obtain permission from the land manager/owner beforehand.
NICA and PICL Reminders
Event details are subject to change. Please check back often for the most current information.PICL reserves the right to modify or cancel events should it be deemed necessary to do so. The league will notify event attendees via email and social media should modifications be required. Please make sure that you are receiving these communications; see FAQs for more information.
Safety
Incident reports are mandatory whenever a student-athlete or coach is injured during a NICA activity if any of the following occurs:
• Medical care is received
• Time lost from work or school
• Time lost from practice beyond day of event
NICA Insurance coverage is for registered student-athletes and registered coaches injured while participating in sanctioned PICL/NICA event activities. Please see the FAQs for more information. -
Camping Rules:
- Review the Event Notes section on BikeReg for additional guidance.
- Please follow directions, signs and volunteers.
- Tents are “walk in” - you won’t walk far, but you will leave your vehicle in the parking area.
- Please pack up early on Sunday so you can vacate the campground before the awards.
- Parental supervision required, no exceptions. League staff and team coaches are not responsible for student athletes outside of pre-ride and race day responsibilities.
- Camping is provided by the park, the league’s role is to assist in organizing the masses.
- Campsites are primitive. No hookups for RV’s – boondocking, only!
- No campfires or open flames allowed. Propane grills and stoves allowed as consistent with current local fire restrictions.
- Pack in/pack out trash - trash service is not provided. Campers are expected to transport their trash home or to PICL’s dumpsters on-site for the weekend.
- The way we treat and leave the venue is directly tied to their willingness to continue to extend this invitation and opportunity to PICL. Please be respectful.
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Check back soon!
This EAP form and its contents are intended for use ONLY by trained NICA Coaches and Event Staff for the purpose of holding NICA Activities and Events. This EAP form is intended to be shared only by a NICA Licensed Coach and Staff Member via a NICA official communication or webpage. If you have not received these materials directly from NICA, NICA does not warrant, either expressly or impliedly, the accuracy, timelessness, or appropriateness of the information contained in these materials and, further, NICA disclaims any responsibility for content errors, omissions, or infringing material and disclaims any responsibility associated with relying on the information provided in these materials.
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Our goal is to maintain the health and safety of our participants, volunteers and staff by following, to the best of our ability, guidance from the CDC, state and local health departments as appropriate for NICA at the national, league and team level.
If you have been in contact with someone who has had a positive Covid test in the past 14 days, or if you have any symptoms, please stay home.