Sharing the trail with hikers and horses

[Monique]

So we've got hikers vs bikers in the summer and skiers vs snowboarders in the winter..

Who's the mountain biker - red or grey?

 

[Wilhelmson]

lower vegetation like this? 4-5' ferns. Just add velociraptors.

View attachment 106971

Yes that is lush.

 

[cantunamunch]

Just add velociraptors.

Durn it, threw my last set out 2 years ago.

 

[slowrider]

Around here everyone has their own trail system.

 

[Ron]

Durn it, threw my last set out 2 years ago.

This is a Velociraptor, ala Jurassic Park.

 

[cantunamunch]

I know. The punny part is that these are Velociraptors ala WTB:

(and yes, they first came out just after the movie).

 

[scott43]

I know. The punny part is that these are Velociraptors ala WTB:

View attachment 106986

(and yes, they first came out just after the movie).

They were good tires...

 

[cantunamunch]

Around here everyone has their own trail system.

You know, there's sections of trail near here that are like that BUT there's not enough space to make a difference in case of a bad event. I think the horse designation is just there to keep horseshoes off pavement.

They were good tires...

Yep, pretty much everywhere except deep mud - I remember being amazed how good they were the first time I had them out climbing on sand.

 

[crgildart]

Who's the mountain biker - red or grey?

 

[scott43]

Yep, pretty much everywhere except deep mud - I remember being amazed how good they were the first time I had them out climbing on sand.

If you accidentally brushed up against them you'd lose skin....

 

[Wilhelmson]

They were good tires...

I used to pull off tires as a mechanic helper at the pan mass challenge with my bare hands but those velociraptors were beasts to get off. Fire xc pro better imo.

 

[OnEdge]

Even as someone that is more often partaking in the hiking/running side of things I think the trail etiquette rules should be re-written some. It makes almost no sense to me that bikers are supposed to yield to hikers. It is MUCH easier for a hiker to move out of the way than a biker, and much more difficult for an uphill biker to get going again after stopping than a hiker. I mean it literally makes no sense. If a biker and a hiker are both traveling downhill in the same direction the trail etiquette rules dictate that the biker should ride all the way downhill at 2mph behind the much slower hiker. Obviously in practice the hiker moves out of the way and lets the much faster biker by, so why are the trail etiquette rules written so stupidly?

While I think this is practical reality, I suspect the bikers yield to hikers rules are really about land access. I think it's much easier to pitch bike access to existing trails with this in place, and much easier to advocate for the creation of new bike trails on public land if they are characterized as multi-use with rules in place than bike only.

But when I hike I yield to bikers, and most hikers I encounter while mountain biking yield when they see/hear me coming. But from an access perspective I do try to walk my bike on crowded trials or when using a predominately hiking trail during peak hours to access MTB focused single track.

 

[crgildart]

So, when traveling uphill or downhill the hiker/rider ahead of you has the right of way and it is your duty to avoid them just like the skier's code right? Never ride/run faster than you can stop or beyond your like of sight sounds like the prudent, but far less FUN thing to do.

 

[Monique]

So, when traveling uphill or downhill the hiker/rider ahead of you has the right of way and it is your duty to avoid them just like the skier's code right? Never ride/run faster than you can stop or beyond your like of sight sounds like the prudent, but far less FUN thing to do.

Well, yeah. If you want to go faster than that, go buy some property and make your own trail!

 

[scott43]

Or pay for MTB specific park..

 

[Monique]

Or pay for MTB specific park..

Well, yes, but have you ever come hot through a turn only to discover someone half on the trail and bleeding*? Or you know, come hot through the turn and discovered my slow self right ahead of you?


* Apparently shattered his orbital socket. Do not ride black trails at Trestle without a full face helmet!

 

[Pdub]

Around here (Western Mass) I have never encountered friction between mountain bikers and hikers. Never really thought about it, but I suppose it's because there are two types of trails: MTB trails designed by and for mountain bikers; and hiking-only trails, which are exclusively in state parks. MTB is forbidden on hiking trails. Hikers are allowed on MTB trails but they are in the minority and they seem to understand they must yield to bikers.

Anything motorized is disallowed on both sets of trails, but I have not noticed whether e--MTBs have crept into the picture. The riding around here is pretty technical and not super speedy/flowy so maybe less fun for e-biking?

An alternate-day system would be a huge drag; with a full time work and family schedule, it would cut my riding days in half.

 

[scott43]

Well, yes, but have you ever come hot through a turn only to discover someone half on the trail and bleeding*? Or you know, come hot through the turn and discovered my slow self right ahead of you?


* Apparently shattered his orbital socket. Do not ride black trails at Trestle without a full face helmet!

Well I mean, you can't account for EVERY variable.. But at least you're all on the same page..

 

[Vcize]

So, when traveling uphill or downhill the hiker/rider ahead of you has the right of way and it is your duty to avoid them just like the skier's code right? Never ride/run faster than you can stop or beyond your like of sight sounds like the prudent, but far less FUN thing to do.

Right. So technically according to the trail etiquette rules if you are riding a MTB downhill and you come across a hiker in front of you who is also traveling downhill you are expected to get off your bike and walk behind them for the entire rest of the trail. Obviously this is never how it actually works in practice, but if someone was taking the literal interpretation of the rules that is what they say.

 

[cantunamunch]

Right. So technically according to the trail etiquette rules if you are riding a MTB downhill and you come across a hiker in front of you who is also traveling downhill you are expected to get off your bike and walk behind them for the entire rest of the trail. Obviously this is never how it actually works in practice, but if someone was taking the literal interpretation of the rules that is what they say.

This surprises you? Ever notice that the same phenomenon is true in skiing?

If you are skiing downhill and there is a winding line of ski schoolers playing follow the leader across a trail, the literal interpretation of the Skier Responsibility Code is that you either stop or zigzag behind them until they're done taking up the whole trail. Which, unless the leader lets you through, will generally be at the bottom.

You're in UT, of course, so your ski trails are generally much wider than your MTB trails, but trust me this can and does happen elsewhere.