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Re: Anybody see this?

Posted: Sun Dec 20, 2015 6:04 pm
by rlown
Another good use of a trekking pole. right into the spokes. :) front wheel.

Re: Anybody see this?

Posted: Mon Dec 21, 2015 1:29 am
by cmon4day
cefire wrote:
cmon4day wrote:I really don't see the problem with MTB's in the wilderness. Everyone here on this forum loves the mountains for the solitude, scenery and adventure. What makes a person who loves to ride any different.
What makes a person who likes to ride their motorcycle any different? Their convertible car, is that any different? At some point, you've got to propose where the 'line' should be drawn and, more importantly why. In contrast, all that you currently propose is that the line be shifted just enough to add one more group.
cefire,

Motorcycles, convertible cars, are not human powered activities. There in lies your "line".

Re: Anybody see this?

Posted: Mon Dec 21, 2015 2:03 pm
by TehipiteTom
LMBSGV wrote:As a long-time resident of first Fairfax and then West Marin, I’ve been in the middle of the mountain bike-hiker-equestrian wars since the beginning. My first encounter with a mountain bike was Joe Breeze riding one of the first “clunkers” on a trail in Fairfax. Due to my extensive experience with bike-hiker encounters, I am completely opposed to mountain bikes in designated wilderness. For all the reasons stated in other posts, bikes on wilderness trails is a disaster. One of the biggest problems for the Marin County Parks department are all the illegal single track trails built by bikers in areas with extensive networks of fire roads where bikers can ride legally. (Within a mile of my house, I know of at least three illegal single tracks.) Imagine what will happen in wilderness areas with bikers building illegal trails.

Unfortunately, there is a rather pushy segment of the mountain bike community that will not give up on their push to get bikes in wilderness areas. Currently, the Marin Parks department is having meetings on rules for the parks and open space and the bikers show up in force, verbally intimidating anyone who disagrees with them. They simply do not perceive the incompatibility of a bike with wilderness or even most trails. “Erosion caused by bikes? Hikers run down? What are you talking about? We should be able to go anywhere we want.”

It is time for the National Park Service and Forest Service to state that mountains bikes will never be permitted in any designated wilderness and that the discussion is closed. No further comment.
Amen to this. Anyone who has witnessed the behavior of mountain bikers in the Bay Area is likely to be skeptical of allowing them in the wilderness.

On a practical level, the extended range of mountain bikes would cause real degradation of the wilderness. Just look at the condition of any easily accessible campsite in any popular wilderness area, then think about making access easier deeper into the wilderness, and you'll see what I mean.

Re: Anybody see this?

Posted: Mon Dec 21, 2015 6:16 pm
by Pietro257
TehipiteTom wrote:
LMBSGV wrote:As a long-time resident of first Fairfax and then West Marin, I’ve been in the middle of the mountain bike-hiker-equestrian wars since the beginning. My first encounter with a mountain bike was Joe Breeze riding one of the first “clunkers” on a trail in Fairfax. Due to my extensive experience with bike-hiker encounters, I am completely opposed to mountain bikes in designated wilderness. For all the reasons stated in other posts, bikes on wilderness trails is a disaster. One of the biggest problems for the Marin County Parks department are all the illegal single track trails built by bikers in areas with extensive networks of fire roads where bikers can ride legally. (Within a mile of my house, I know of at least three illegal single tracks.) Imagine what will happen in wilderness areas with bikers building illegal trails.

Unfortunately, there is a rather pushy segment of the mountain bike community that will not give up on their push to get bikes in wilderness areas. Currently, the Marin Parks department is having meetings on rules for the parks and open space and the bikers show up in force, verbally intimidating anyone who disagrees with them. They simply do not perceive the incompatibility of a bike with wilderness or even most trails. “Erosion caused by bikes? Hikers run down? What are you talking about? We should be able to go anywhere we want.”

It is time for the National Park Service and Forest Service to state that mountains bikes will never be permitted in any designated wilderness and that the discussion is closed. No further comment.
Amen to this. Anyone who has witnessed the behavior of mountain bikers in the Bay Area is likely to be skeptical of allowing them in the wilderness.

On a practical level, the extended range of mountain bikes would cause real degradation of the wilderness. Just look at the condition of any easily accessible campsite in any popular wilderness area, then think about making access easier deeper into the wilderness, and you'll see what I mean.
Amen to this again. I live in San Francisco and occasionally enjoy day hikes in Marin County, where trail bikes are a menace. I would hate to see them in wilderness areas.

Re: Anybody see this?

Posted: Tue Dec 22, 2015 6:22 am
by kpeter
Reading that paragraph of the Wilderness Act was interesting. Not only are bicycles banned, but other mechanical devices like "portage wheels."

I am reminded of what we learned about Duck Lake on this forum when I came across the memorial to a fisherman that had been placed there, and his grandson posted here to tell us about his history. That family carted an aluminum boat in to Duck Lake over Duck Pass using some sort of contraption, and left the boat at the lake until Wilderness designation forced it out. I imagine it was some sort of portage wheel.

If bicycles are allowed in, then why not portage wheels?

The one saving grace is that the Forest Service does such a bad job with trail maintenance that the jackstraw will make bicycles and portage wheels miserable on all the side trails. But what about those trails that are well maintained? I think the JMT will be a particular problem, since it is so meticulously groomed by volunteer groups. What do you say, Rogue, will the volunteers who extract every rock and cut every deadfall and projecting bush on the JMT want to be quite so thorough if they know they are grooming it for the easier use of mountain bikes?

Re: Anybody see this?

Posted: Tue Dec 22, 2015 2:07 pm
by Shawn
Well kpeter, according to the draft bill, they would be allowed.

(b) Activities involving “human-powered recreation” and derivative forms of this term generally mean those of the following types:
(1) Quiet activities undertaken through the exertions of a living being, including mountain climbing, rock-climbing, cliff-scaling, hiking, running,
jogging, camping, orienteering, backpacking, bicycling of all types, bouldering, unicycling, hunting, fishing, skiing, snowshoeing, boating,
paddling, kayaking, canoeing, skateboarding, and geocaching. Such Drafter’s note: see also § 201(c)(2), pertaining to activities permitted in
the National Wilderness Preservation System. D R A F T Human-Powered Wildlands Travel Management Act of 2015 v13 2015-09-09 3
activities may employ ancillary mechanical, electronic, or electrical equipment, such as hunting with a game cart or carrier, riding a bicycle, or
using a pedal-driven kayak or boat, wheel-supported backpack, springequipped walking stick, or global positioning system receiver. They do not
include power-assisted propulsive activities, such as riding a bicycle with a small electric motor.


E.g. "wheel supported backpack"

The text of the proposed bill is so egregious with its manipulative wording and misstatement of facts. What a load of baloney.

http://fcdn.mtbr.com/attachments/new-me ... -09-09.pdf

Re: Anybody see this?

Posted: Tue Dec 22, 2015 5:01 pm
by rlown
ok then. where do we go to sign a petition against it, and it doesn't look the work of a real legislative group; just lobbyists. They would have to rewrite the '64 act. good luck with that.

Re: Anybody see this?

Posted: Tue Dec 22, 2015 10:13 pm
by balzaccom
This does remind me of a hike I took years ago up to the top of Mt. Elwell in the Gold lakes area. The trail up the south side was a steep climb, with lots of talus, and we were pretty amazed to come across a group of mountain bikers dragging their bikes up to the top. they explained that they were going to ride down the North side, which was a better trail.

Only when they got to the top, they discovered the whole North side of the mountain was covered in snow and the trail was unrideable....so they dragged their bikes back down the way they came, over the blocks of talus...

Re: Anybody see this?

Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2015 9:24 am
by cefire
cmon4day wrote:cefire,

Motorcycles, convertible cars, are not human powered activities. There in lies your "line".
Seems a pretty clear distinction, would also account for BC ski's as well. Would presumably include wheelchairs, backcountry skateboards, kayaks, and portage wheels. Thanks for clarifying.

Re: Anybody see this?

Posted: Wed Dec 23, 2015 9:32 am
by cefire
http://fcdn.mtbr.com/attachments/new-me ... -09-09.pdf

Oh man, the wording of that bill is a joke. Haha, good luck :lol: