[pct-l] bikes on the PCT

[Bob Bankhead]

Mountain bikers and hikers can co-exist on the same trail. Look at the Colorado Trail. With the exception of a few wilderness areas, non-motorized bikes are allowed anywhere along its length. Parts of the trail are included in the routings of the Leadville and Breckenridge 100 mile races, and there is even an annual bike race from Denver to Durango on the CT. There are designated biker CT road routes around those sensitive wilderness areas.

How do they do it? Respect for each other. Bikers put in hundreds of manhours each year maintaining the CT. I've never met a disrespectful biker on the CT. Quite the contrary, they are a great resource for hikers, often sharing water, trail condition, and providing rides to/from remote trailheads. Yes, the bikes do cut ruts into the trail tread, but fixing that is where a lot of their maintenance hours go.

The rules of the road are everyone yields to stock, and bikes yield to hikers. Courtesy modifies that a bit such that descending hikers routinely step off the trail for bikes pedaling uphill. It's a lot easier to get going again for the hiker. Bikers are well aware of the presence of hikers and make a concerted effort to avoid collisions on blind corners and sweeping curves, even during the races.