[pct-l] Bikes and Horses

[Deems]

In Sept 2011, my friend, Bill Roberts the veteran USFS Horse Packer for 40 
years on the Klamath NF was severely injured while riding the trail north of 
Seiad Valley. His horse bucked him off when a hiker come up from behind and 
surprised his horse for basically no reason. Bill suffered a broken pelvis 
and internal injuries from the rare event. Fortunately Scott Williamson and 
Bill's partner were there to help him get airlifted out, or he would have 
died.  If bikes start riding the PCT, there will be many horse rider/hiker 
events with injuries incurred due to the inevitible surprise. Horses simply 
spook for no reason at all (imo).  Bikes are fast and will cause 
mulit-catastrophic issues, and the PCT is no place for all three to agree to 
be...The current PCT use rules are logical, and should remain.
http://users.sisqtel.net/losthiker/pikastove/The%20Pct%20Rules!.jpg
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I agree with all of the advice that you have posted. I will just add one 
thing. IF it is safely possible, move off the trail on the downhill side. 
Some horses will be frightened if you are higher up.

The only problems I have had, both on and off the PCT, has been with 
Mountain Bikes - because they are sometimes approaching very fast, downhill, 
and on blind curves. Motorcycles (Dirt Bikes) have not been a problem for my 
horses since they can be heard from a long distance and I have time to get 
safely off the trail. Where I come from, most of the people riding Dirt 
Bikes were polite, stopped and even shut off their engines so I could pass. 
There were a few exceptions.

MendoRider-Hiker