Northern California Message Boards

[ rant ] Mountain bikers won't be allowed to ride in Huddart and Wunderlich parks. This is because mountain bikes are dangerous to everyone else. Especially horses. We can't give mountain bikers separate trails from the horse people, because the 0.3 rangers we have are way too busy to patrol them. Besides, bike people already have other trails they can ride, so why do they need more? Ultimately, it comes down to the poor equestrians - they just don't have anywhere safe to ride their horses these days near big cities. True, they are allowed to ride their horses in just about every place that mountain bikers can go ride, but they really prefer to have their own trails. Besides, mountain biking isn't really a legitimate enjoyment-of-wilderness activity. I mean come on! They are too fast and they scare runners. And they screw up the trails - horses and foot traffic are proven to not cause tread erosion. Only mountain bikers do! Why, mountain bikeres are responsible for all of the silt in every creek on the peninsula! Finally, these bikers whine and whine about having no safe access from the east side of the ridge to Skyline for bikers. Well, fock them! A few more Santa Cruz hood ornaments for the cars on King Mountain rd. and the 84 means less political tangles for our preserves!

To my beloved equestrian bretheren - you live in one of the most heavily populated urban centers in the US! You share this local public land with 8 million other people in the bay area! If you're so velophobic, go buy Bitterroot valley estates and ride off into the sunset. We're being held hostage by the minority. Pathetic. [ /rant ]

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Recommendations for Regional Trail Access

County Policy The Master Plan recommends no change in current County Policy regarding dog and bicycle use of the trails in Huddart and Wunderlich Parks. This recommendation is made based on several reasons:

• Safety: Unlike most other open space areas located on the Peninsula, Huddart Park and Wunderlich Park are heavily used by equestrians. Both bicycles and dogs can create conflicts with equestrians who may suffer injury. Historically, illegal bicycle and dog use has created significant safety issues that have resulted in serious injuries to horseback riders. Therefore, separation of use is important.

• Impracticality of creating separate use trails within the parks: Suggestions were heard that called for the designation of one major east-west bicycle trail route through each park. As a practical matter, it would be difficult for the current County forces to adequately patrol and enforce the separated users.

• Preservation of equestrian use in the Woodside area: Huddart Park and Wunderlich Park, along with the Phleger Estate, constitute the only significant open space areas on the Peninsula in which equestrians do not have to compete for trail space with bicyclists. As such, these areas are unique resources for the equestrian community. Equestrian use is an important part of the history and culture of the Woodside and Portola Valley areas. One of the broad goals of this Master Plan is to ensure the continued equestrian presence in this area. Practically speaking, once trails are opened to mountain bicycle use, the equestrians find themselves opting out of use of those trails due to conflicts and safety concerns. For example, there is little equestrian use of the trails in the MROSD open space areas located on the west side of the ridge, primarily out of concern for safety, whereas prior to the advent of the mountain biking as a recreational activity, equestrians routinely used these trails. Dogs on trails pose issues for equestrians as well, as occasionally dogs that are accidentally or intentionally uncontrolled by their owners can bite or spook horses.

• Preservation of the semi-wilderness character of the parks: In addition to equestrians, hikers and trail runners also appreciate the relative peace and quiet afforded by these semi-wilderness areas located close in to an urban population. Fast-moving mountain bikes and dogs which are not controlled by their owner can be upsetting to other trail users and to wildlife.

• Resource conservation: Huddart and Wunderlich Park lie within the San Francisquito Creek Watershed, which has been defined as a sedimentimpaired watershed. Sedimentation of the creeks would be increased with the addition of bicycle use of the trails, due to the ruts created by tire tracks that in turn channel rainwater and create gullies in the trails. Dogs who are uncontrolled by their owner can venture off trail and disturb wildlife.

• Other nearby opportunities for mountain bicycling: The Peninsula has numerous nearby areas that are open to bicyclists, including the many MROSD open space areas, Sawyer Camp Trail, the San Francisco Bay Trail, and others. In contrast, few areas are effectively available for equestrian use. Huddart and Wunderlich Parks are unique assets, and can not be expected to be all things to all people. Valley-to-Skyline Options

• A separate planning effort should be undertaken by the Town of Woodside and the San Mateo County Department of Public Works to arrive at a viable solution to this regional issue.

• The County Department of Public Works, Town of Woodside Department of Public Works, MPROSD, other agencies, bicycle organizations and committees, and other interested individuals should work together to arrive at a preferred solution. Bay Area Ridge Trail

• The portion of the BART located on the easement and connecting Huddart Park and Wunderlich Park (Figure 9) should remain open to equestrians, hikers, and runners only, for the reasons stated above under County policy.