Trail User Conflicts…Let’s improve!

Here is a short article from the PATC (Potomac Appalchain Trail Club) news letter.  If you come across a hiker/s while riding stop..talk, listen…wait for all riders in your group to prevent additional surprises.  This was an eye opening read for me! – Thomas Jenkins: tj@shenandoahbicycle.com

Sunday October 13.  Wolf Ridge-A HIKE FROM HELL!.  Michael XXXX, Mike XXXX and Jack XXXX did this unscheduled hike on an off-and-on but mostly on rainy day.  Despite the rain the autumn colors were impressive and we initially were all in good cheer as we ascended the Wolf Ridge Trail.  It soon turned into the most dangerous and unpleasant hikes we have experienced.  About halfway up the Wolf Ridge Trail several mountain bikers came rushing towards us.  The light rain muffled their sounds so when we saw them they were on top of us.  Because of the muddy condition of the trail, which was deeply rutted by bike tires, and because of the enormous speed by which they were racing down the steep trail, the bikers were unable to stop suddenly but skidded in our direction narrowly missing us.  Very narrowly.  They apologized for almost killing us (the way one would apologize for spilling a cup of tea) and then immediately resumed racing down the slippery mountain trail.  A bit shaken we continued only to have two more bikes come out of nowhere and again narrowly miss us.  A few minutes later a biker unable to stop came so close to hitting Mike Seth than he is still amazed to be alive.  Then more came rocketing toward us and we had nowhere to go on the narrow ridge.  We scolded the bikers but were told by one “hiking is inherently dangerous.” It certainly was that day.  We made it to the junction of the Sand Springs Trail walking carefully constantly trying to listen for the for next human missile to descend on us.  The way back was thankfully uneventful.  And we made it out alive vowing never to hike this trail again.  Since it appears to be a favorite with the mountain bikers-we were told by one of them that Wolf Ridge was a popular for its fast descent- it probably should be avoided by hikers.