Hiker-biker clashes shouldn’t happen

Iappreciate Elizabeth Bradley’s My View (“Bikes and pedestrians don’t mix in wilderness,” May 20). I, too, have lived and hiked in the mountains of Santa Fe for more than 30 years, and love the quiet of trails like the Winsor, Aspen Vista and Dale Ball. Also, I support maintaining wilderness areas as hikeonly areas.

However, I do disagree with Bradley in that bikers and hikers do not mix. I both hike and ride my mountain bike on the same trails, and the two parties can coexist. It is up to us mountain bikers to rein in our worst offenders and work to make our trails safer for everyone.

Yes, there are mountain bikers who give us all a bad name. I have often biked on Dale Ball Trails while my wife has hiked the same trail at the same time, and even she has had bad run-ins with idiots who should not be on mountain bikes. Mountain bikers do not have the right of way, and should always pull off the trail to let hikers by first.

I also, however, disagree with Bradley in that trail erosion is not all due to mountain bikes. In all the years I have been outdoors, it is usually hikers who are cutting undesignated new trails or cutoffs. All those shortcuts worn in over the years on Atalaya Mountain are from hikers, not bikers. And, yes, bikers should not be on muddy trails leaving deep marks, but neither should hikers.

I extend an apology to Bradley on behalf of all the mountain bikers I know and hope she only has good experiences going forward. Let’s be better stewards of our outdoors, mountain bikers.