Tom Stienstra dives into the thicket, recommending:
— Single track for bikes. In each district, rangers should convert a significant amount of single track trails for the use of mountain bikes only. The trailheads would be signed, “No horses, no hikers, no motorcycles. Bikes only.” The benefits are mutual. Bikers would finally get sole use of the single track they passionately desire, and hikers and equestrians — who hate surprise showdowns on narrow trails with bikers — would know exactly what trails to avoid.
— Pristine areas off limits. Rangers would select pristine areas, sensitive habitats and popular hiking trails and prohibit mountain biking there. This would protect the landscape from erosion, gullies and other visual impacts, like tire marks through unspoiled meadows. For hikers, it would also preserve the quiet, moment-to-moment experience, free of the fear of running into high-speed users.
— Nail violators. If mountain bikers violate trail closures, such as is already typical on the Pacific Crest Trail in several spots (Caples Lake to South Lake Tahoe, Gumboot Trailhead to Parks Creek Trailhead in Siskiyou County are the most notable), they should have their bikes confiscated on the spot and face a $5,000 fine.
All sound ideas, I suppose, but if bikers really, really need to be out on the single-tracks, they might just as well be, uh, hiking.
Wow, what a display of tolerance? What about if we were to reverse roles? If hikers really wanted to be on single tracks, they should be biking…
You just prove the stereotype that most hikers are using the political process to keep the trails to themselves, despite the fact that we all pay for it.
The logic doesn’t reverse because people on foot can’t move as quickly as people on bikes.
Single tracks force you to slow down to very near a walking pace anyway, which by my logic says, why not just hike?
I’ve never had trouble with mountain bikers — but there’s no denying they are vastly outnumbered by hikers, and it’s the numbers that prevail because they count dollars.