Many trails have multiple users and we may have some combination of hikers, walkers, dog-walkers, runners, skiers, cyclists, e-bikes, fat tire bikes, snowshoers, horse riders, and possibly motorized users. When dealing with mixed use trails there are some guidelines we can all follow: Use Safe Speeds Keep right and pass left Standing still – step aside Mind your pets Be alert Know and follow the rules And some specifics: Proceed with caution around horses and pack animals. Stop, get off your bike/ATV and remove your helmet, move off the trail, speak to the rider to confirm what they’d like you …Continue reading →
I practice, support, and promote Leave no Trace. The seven principles are good guidelines for our personal conduct as we venture into the outdoors. I have taken the pledge and actively help out in a number of ways: adding Leave no Trace ideas to all posts on this website leading hikes, paddles, and snowshoe outings for groups and promote the ideas each time picking up garbage, disposing of garbage and recyclables appropriately, attending to campfires, and helping out on trails, trailheads, launch spots, etc. parking appropriately passing quietly, leaving nothing but ephemeral footprints Lets encourage others to also follow …Continue reading →
On a mid-December sunny day I hiked from Valleyview Arena across Highland Drive, then up into the silt cliffs benchlands between Owl Road and Highland Road. The benchland area is sagebrush grasslands cut by deep gullies and pocked with sinkholes. I followed both double tracks and single tracks around the gullies. Silt cliffs line the sides of each of the larger gullies in this area. I followed a series of tracks on dirt, some snow, and some mud, then returned to the Arena retracing my route. This is a good shoulder-season hike, especially since you will be unlikely to see …Continue reading →
