Crowded trails spur rising ‘off-road rage’ – SantaFeNewMexican.com

Crowded trails spur rising ‘off-road rage’ – SantaFeNewMexican.com 

Critics point out ATV riders account for 10 percent of visitors to public land, at most. Yet their impact whining engine noise, dust clouds visible for miles and nuisance driving, especially by young operators profoundly affects the other 90 percent.

"You can’t recreate with these machines around. It will ruin your day," said Bob Clark, a Sierra Club regional official who was knocked to the ground by a dirt bike in the Great Burn Roadless Area in eastern Idaho two summers ago.

Clark declined to discuss the episode after the biker was penalized with only a misdemeanor $72 fine. But according to witness accounts, the dirt bike’s front wheel was in line to come down on Clark’s head when Clark deflected it, spilling the rider atop another hiker. Clark had been trying to get a photo of the biker, who was on a trail barred to motorized vehicles.

"If you’re out there, just about every time you’ll run into off-road vehicle conflict," said Mike Eisenfeld, a Farmington environmental activist who often mountain bikes in nearby Glade Run, the sort of demi-urban recreation zone under the most pressure.

"It’s the norm, not the exception," he added.

Trail tensions are not driven exclusively by ATVs. Hikers are irked at having their solitude broken by careening mountain bikes. And everyone has to get off the trail to let horses pass. But along with their noise, recreational off-roaders often are preceded by their reputation.

"It’s totally about culture," said Bethanie Walder of Wildlands CPR, which opposes off-roading. "I think that’s where the problem derives. They prefer to ride off-trail. They want to blaze their own trail. The culture’s one of ‘I can do whatever I want.’ I think the Forest Service is afraid of them. I wouldn’t confront an ORV rider."

Crowded trails spur rising ‘off-road rage’ – SantaFeNewMexican.com