From the Tahoe Daily Tribune - Oct. 1, 2015
Hiker Feels Threatened by Mountain Biker
As a hiker, I feel great trepidation when I read about making South Tahoe a “world-class mountain biking destination.”
Yes, it is wonderful to promote our outdoor recreation instead of indoor casinos, but the unfortunate truth is that mountain bikers are taking away much of the pleasure of hiking! I am fine with building trails for mountain bikers, and encouraging them to come here is good. But, with more and more bikers, it is imperative to leave some of the local trails for hikers to use without fear of being run down by bikers from out of town who have no understanding that multi-purpose trails mean you have to be going slow enough to not run down the hikers around the curve. There will surely be an injured hiker before long.
The U.S. Forest Service seems to have forgotten that there are many more hikers than bikers, and they have allowed a situation in which hikers feel threatened for their safety, as well as bothered by seeing the trails cut into “V” shapes and with tricky jumps. With all the special trails made just for bikers, especially in the Corral Loop area, and trails graded for biking as on Tahoe Mountain, why can’t we hikers have a few trails left just for us to peacefully enjoy? Some of my friends will no longer use the Cold Creek Trail because they are afraid of being run down. Please, powers that be, remember that hikers need some safe places near their neighborhoods where they can get some exercise and walk their dogs in peace and quiet. Give us back some of our favorite local trails!
Gay Havens
South Lake Tahoe, California
Hiker Feels Threatened by Mountain Biker
As a hiker, I feel great trepidation when I read about making South Tahoe a “world-class mountain biking destination.”
Yes, it is wonderful to promote our outdoor recreation instead of indoor casinos, but the unfortunate truth is that mountain bikers are taking away much of the pleasure of hiking! I am fine with building trails for mountain bikers, and encouraging them to come here is good. But, with more and more bikers, it is imperative to leave some of the local trails for hikers to use without fear of being run down by bikers from out of town who have no understanding that multi-purpose trails mean you have to be going slow enough to not run down the hikers around the curve. There will surely be an injured hiker before long.
The U.S. Forest Service seems to have forgotten that there are many more hikers than bikers, and they have allowed a situation in which hikers feel threatened for their safety, as well as bothered by seeing the trails cut into “V” shapes and with tricky jumps. With all the special trails made just for bikers, especially in the Corral Loop area, and trails graded for biking as on Tahoe Mountain, why can’t we hikers have a few trails left just for us to peacefully enjoy? Some of my friends will no longer use the Cold Creek Trail because they are afraid of being run down. Please, powers that be, remember that hikers need some safe places near their neighborhoods where they can get some exercise and walk their dogs in peace and quiet. Give us back some of our favorite local trails!
Gay Havens
South Lake Tahoe, California
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