Mountain bikers love to ride where many people think bicycles can’t go. In the woods? That’s routine. Over downed trees? I’ve seen riders cross them lengthwise. Through jumbled rocks? They love them, calling them “rock gardens.”
But until a few years ago, one thing did stop most mountain bikers in their tracks: snow. Once deeper than a few inches, snow clogged up the wheels and turned the ride into an arduous crawl. So mountain bikers stayed out of the woods when there was snow on the ground.
Which worked well for cross-country skiers, who tend to use many of the same trails. The amount of snow determined who used the trails and maintained a natural balance to things.
But that has started to change with the increasing popularity of “fat bikes.” Fat bikes are actually normal looking except for their use of tires that are four- to five-inches in width, compared to the traditional two-inch tire.
Those couple of extra inches of width make a world of difference. Less-skilled riders are able to cross obstacles they probably couldn’t clear on a more-traditional mountain bike, and fat bikes can handle deeper snow.
Because fat bikes enable year-round mountain biking, winter recreationists and public-lands managers have been fearing the potential for usage conflicts. Recently, that happened on the network of trails atop Laurel Summit.
A cross-country skier, who also is a volunteer who “grooms” ski trails with a snowmobile and track-sled, encountered a fat-biker who was riding in and out of the tracks, essentially ruining them for skiers. The groomer asked the rider to not ride on the groomed trail.
“The [mountain biker] got belligerent and proceeds to cuss out the groomer and told him that this was a multi-use trail and to mind his own business,” wrote Mike Burk, who is the Patrol Director for the Laurel Summit Nordic Ski Patrol. “It got hot and both got fairly belligerent. Nobody was punched but lots of cussing ensued.”
Good tracks offer the best cross-country skiing conditions, which is why dedicated volunteers spend hours grooming the trails. Many non-skiers don’t realize that and unknowingly destroy good conditions by walking, snowshoeing or riding in the tracks rather than outside of them.
This is not a new situation for land managers. Fat-bikers are just the latest recreationists to join an ever-growing winter-enthusiasts’ group that includes hikers, showshoers, snowmobilers dog-walkers and dog-sledders.
In an effort to keep the peace and be fair to everyone, Forbes State Forest has published a “Winter Trail Etiquette Brochure” that suggests ways to eliminate – or at least minimize – conflict between users.The brochure names specific trails for recommended uses and also suggests loops, so users don’t have to backtrack.
Everyone, other than snowmobilers, for example, should stay off of designated snowmobile trails. That’s for safety reasons. Snowmobiles can really move and operators are not expecting to see anyone but other snowmobiles.
Other trails – specifically the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail and certain natural-area trails – are closed to mountain bikers year-round. State forest officials recommend that fat-bikers ride on trails that are less-popular with cross-country skiers.
To find the brochure, plug “Forbes State Forest” into your search engine, go to the Maps page and look under “Snowmobile Trail Maps.”
When conditions are right, winter can be a glorious time to enjoy the Alleghenies. Winter recreationists all share that in common – even though each enjoys our natural heritage in her or his own way.
“The potential for a conflict like this to escalate into something dangerous is real,” Mike Burk pointed out in his email to the cycling community. “We’re all out there to have fun, let’s keep it that way.”
Yes, mountain bikers love to ride where people think bicycles can’t go. But the best mountain bikers – and that includes most of them – also understand and respect the fact that there are places they shouldn’t go.