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LETTER: Motorcycle on Seven Summits Trail

by Contributor on 03 Aug 2011
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Got a thank you, beef, complaint, kudos or just need to get something off your chest? editor@rosslandtelegraph.com
Got a thank you, beef, complaint, kudos or just need to get something off your chest? editor@rosslandtelegraph.com

Dear Sir, While hiking up Old Glory Mountain on July 29 I had the mis-fortune to encounter a dirt biker riding the Seven Summits Trail.  The Seven Summits Trail is designated "non-motorized".  I followed a dirt bike track up the Old Glory Trail to Gibbards Junction, which turned left towards Granite Mountain, then later in the day I encountered a dirt biker at the intersection of Plewman Trail and the Seven Summits Trail.  His justification for being there was that he is local to the area, and felt he had a right to be there.  He seemed to assume that the trail designations did not apply to him.


Aside from being offensive to legitimate trail users who have hiked, biked, or ridden horses into the alpine, dirt bike use is terrible for the well being of the trail.  I would encourage anyone who wants to experience our spectacular alpine areas to hike, bike or ride a horse to get there.  It is well worth the effort.


Mark Impey
Rossland

Comments

Compliance and Enforcement?

by Walt Kowalski on 30 Aug 2011 at about 20:47.
Who enforces the non-motorized use rule for the Seven Summits? Is there Government legislation in place to back it up? OR is it something KCTS simply advertises in hopes it will deter motorized users. Is there a penalty that motorized users should be aware of? If so, what is it? I share the opinion as others have expressed that these trails could be managed in a better way to include all users. The arrival of electric dirt bikes is right around the corner. With no invasive sound and zero emissions what arguments will concerned non-motorized user groups come up with to prohibit there use?

thank you for not starting any feuds.

by scottie on 23 Aug 2011 at about 19:12.
I have to say after writing a comment about the sane use of dirt bikes in the wonderful outdoors we are blessed with here, I was afraid to read comments for a while.for some reason dirt bike have had a bad reputation since I raced in the 70s. last year I went back to my home woods in the midwest and was happy to see the same trails, in the same shape. just trails in the woods. just wide enough to hike down.I had to comment on the KCTS comment. I totally understand the issue of permission on private land as these issues came up when developing the transcanada trail. trails that where open to travel for a century were closed to the public when threatened with a publicly advertised trail system. liability was a concern , as was loss of control.nothing could be worked out and parts of the trail were rerouted.thank you KCTS for pointing this out as I would never do anything to jeprodize access to these trails by traveling on private land. good point, and thank you other folks for thoughtfull comments and not throwing any rotten eggs!

Dirt Bikes on Mountain Bike trails

by Marc on 17 Aug 2011 at about 14:42.
As a local mountain biker and dirt biker I am familiar with all the local trails. As a general rule I do not ride mountain bike trails with my dirt bike for two reasons; they're not that fun and it annoys some, not all, mountain bikers. But make no mistake about it , if ridden properly a dirt bike will leave no trace on a mountain bike trail. I could easily ride down the Dewdney or along Seven Summits without leaving a trace due to much better traction and suspension than a mountain bike. So here is my point: I urge all dirtbikers to stay off mountain bike trails, but if riding them is deemed necessary then please tread lightly, leave no trace, and slow down to an idle when encountering hikers or mountain bikers. Marc Manaigre Rossland

Kootenay Columbia Trails Society Perspective

by Isaac Saban on 11 Aug 2011 at about 21:11.
Given the comments below I felt it was worth providing some additional insight from the perspective of the Kootenay Columbia Trails Society (KCTS). The official trails network managed by the KCTS is non-motorized and there is an extensive list of reasons why. The primary reason is that 90% of the trails are located on private land. Landowners have agreed to allow the public to use their land in a non-motorized way. It has been a huge effort to work with landowners and have them agree to provide public access on their land. Many of the landowners have significant land holdings, legal and liability requirements and impose stringent conditions upon the KCTS to provide public access. Volunteers and paid staff with the KCTS spend many hundreds of hours every year working with landowners, lawyers, insurance providers and local governments to maintain the trails network that we currently have the privilege to enjoy. Specifically regarding the 7 Summits, this trail is located on a mix of private and Crown Land. After the roads were closed, the Crown Land portion of the trail has never had sanctioned motorized access. Approximately 5 years ago the provincial government turned management of the Old Glory and Plewman Basin trails over to the KCTS and we have continued to manage these trails as non-motorized. The remaining portions of the 7 Summits were developed by the KCTS as a non-motorized trail. The funding providers and land managers all were supportive of this decision as the trail was developed. I would encourage motorized users to organize a group to represent their interests and engage with local governments and land managers to address their access requirements. The KCTS was part of a process a few years ago that began the process of identifying the needs of all trail users. However, the progress has been slow and requires more representation from all user groups. It is my hope that all trail users, but especially motorized users, understand the many complex issues around public access to local trails including landowner permission and insurance requirements. KCTS volunteers have spent tens of thousands of hours over the past 15 years establishing the relationships, legal infrastructure, safety procedures, financial management and policies to allow the trails network to exist as we now know it . Isaac Saban President - Kootenay Columbia Trails Society

give the dirt bike a fair share.

by scottie on 06 Aug 2011 at about 19:06.
I have to comment here, first let me clarify that my first love is hiking.I don't mind sharing the trail with mountain bikes even though you cant hear them coming and many times they come fast. who jumps into the bush and off the trail?not the bike! I also love horses my daughter has one. in truth they are harder on a trail than any dirt bike.the dirt bike , my son has one and so do I, The first thing we noticed was that we felt like criminals wherever we rode. we would ride somewhere then get off and hike, or pick berries. we slowed down or pulled off for anyone we met but no matter where we ride we are always met with frowns, pretty conceited I think. in a days riding we burn a gallon of gas.less than the car people drive to the summit trail head. or the gas burned so a mt. bike can get dropped off at the top and picked up at the bottom. the dirt bike cost my teen son 400$. less than the 4000$mt. bike, or the 2400$ horse.He maintains and fixes it himself.a good skill to learn.It was a real shame that the local trails have been taken over by elite groups. Its been brought up before that other recreation areas like Utah share the trails with everyone. if there becomes a problem with too many users, trails are designated for different uses. hiking, horses, motorized, mt. bikes, snowmobiles or snow-cats. as for here, your lucky to see another person. I think we should all be tolerant of and accepting of each other and however we choose to get out there.as long of course as no one is compromising the wilderness.designating the seven summits trail for non motorized use was a mistake from the start,which maybe should be readdressed, I see a lot of snowmobiles out there in the winter.Itseems a large number of users are being left out, and should be as legitimate as anyone else.

Price?

by Phil F on 24 Aug 2011 at about 08:27.
Just wondering what price of dirt bikes has to do with being allowed to ride them on non-motorized trails? And are you comparing the price of used dirt bike with a new mountain bike? For that matter, you can get a mountain bike for a lot less than $4000 for your teen. And I don't get your argument about mountain bikes being relatively quiet, although I've never found them so quiet that as a hiker I haven't had time to step aside for them instead of having to "jump into the bush". Do you actually like to hike in an area with the constant drone of engines? There's also a practical point that needs mentioning: if there were a bunch of motor bikes on the trails you wouldn't be able to hear the mountain bikes anymore and then your point about the quietness of mountain bikes would be valid.

You have missed the point.

by Marc on 27 Aug 2011 at about 08:07.
You have missed the point - price is directly related to accessibility of trails, especially for a money challenged teenager. And just because you haven't jumped in the bush does not mean it has not happened. I regularly startle dog walkers while mountain biking fast. They usually are not very happy it.

Then change what you buy

by Phil F on 27 Aug 2011 at about 13:16.
I'm just saying you don't have to buy a $4000 mountain bike to go mountain biking so you're right: I don't get your point. Want to instill mechanical aptitude in your teen? You can get plenty of used mountain bikes or bike parts for free to scavenge for parts and custom build one for nothing more than the cost of your time. If part of your argument to allow dirt bikes on trails is because they are louder than mountain bikes (and less likely to startle hikers), then that's a pretty weak argument. Just guessing here, but I don't think hearing the roar of dirtbikes through the woods has much appeal to a lot of nature lovers. A better solution would be to get mountain bikers to slow down at blind turns and call out more often. Taken to the extreme, the quietness of mountain bikes would indicate the need for even less mixed used trails. I'm not saying don't go dirtbiking if that's what you love to do, I'm just wondering why you're so surprised that there are people that don't want to share the non-motorized trails with dirtbikes. Are there not trails available for dirtbike use?

Scottie, you hit the nail on

by Marc on 17 Aug 2011 at about 15:37.
Scottie, you hit the nail on the head with all your points but I especially like the Utah reference. Disgruntled Rosslanders should ride Amasa Back , Slickrock, or Poison Spider and see for themselves how a trail network has evolved to include all users.

Different type of geography

by Phil F on 27 Aug 2011 at about 13:21.
You can't really compare trails in Utah with those built in forests. Much easier to build trails in the desert, and different erosion concerns too. But I have to say, the motorized use of trails in Utah did turn me off somewhat from the experience of biking there.

Thanks, Scottie. I have to

by Adrian Barnes on 07 Aug 2011 at about 09:29.

Thanks, Scottie. I have to say you've opened my eyes to some basic facts here. I suppose when one is out quietly jogging or hiking and one hears a dirt bike coming, one feels infringed upon and gets annoyed--I know I have. But I never thought about the relative impacts of dirt biking versus car drop offs, etc, before. And it's also a good point that our trails are quiet enough that there is room for all. I'll try to be less disapproving in the future!

Quiet enough

by Phil F on 23 Aug 2011 at about 20:30.
They're quiet enough because most don't have motorized bikes on them. Once you get a bunch of motorized bikes on them, they're no longer quiet.

Missed the point again.

by Marc on 28 Aug 2011 at about 08:06.
Missed the point again. Quiet means not used very much, which would be the status quo if the extremely small community of local dirtbikers was allowed to ride them. And of that extremely small community, some already ride them and some would not start.