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Letter: Burnaby Mountain hikers are the ones high on the trails - not bikers

Mountain biker responds to recent letter to the editor
burnaby-lake
NOW file photo

Editor:

Re: Burnaby trails plagued by bikers and ‘aggressive’ off-leash dogs, NOW Letters

I have been mountain biking on Burnaby Mountain since 2003, roughly three times per week, so I estimate that I've climbed the mountain more than 2,000 times. 

In all that time, all my interactions with pedestrians have been cordial and friendly. I do make a point of slowing down and greeting everyone I see. I understand that not all riders do this, but in my experience almost all do.  Mountain biking is a challenging sport which requires you to be alert, and stating that mountain bikers are frequently high/drugged/intoxicated is completely ridiculous. 

The trails are for all to use and being courteous is essential.

Most trails are wide with good sight lines and relatively gradual grades, so both bikers and hikers can use them safely - Mel's is one of these trails (it does have a few short steep sections). Having said that, some trails, which were built by and for mountain bikers, are quite steep, designed for downhill riding and not for hikers.

These trails should be reserved for downhill biking only to minimize negative interactions (Nicole's and Gear Jammer). Additional trails more suitable for hikers can be constructed to minimize negative interactions.

I have had close calls with off-leash dogs charging up the trail with their owner nowhere in sight, and trails (like Lower Snake) that can become overgrown with poor sight lines - and hikers wearing headphones so they don't hear you coming. 

Also, in terms of drug use, it is common to see hikers smoking marijuana on the trail, even in summer when smoking is forbidden due to fire risk (that fire on the backside of Burnaby Mountain a few years ago was not caused by mountain bikers).

In terms of trail damage, the picture in the letter is of a very old wood construction that his since rotted. This type of old rotted wood is present in various parts of the trail. I know that the wood is old because some of these structures were in place when I started riding in 2003. 

There has been trail damage, but the main culprit is poorly built trails with inadequate drainage.

Steep trails with inadequate drainage will erode - they literally become streams during periods of heavy rainfall. A flooding event on Gear Jammer a number of years ago (related to poorly managed drainage ponds) resulted in a lot of erosion and trail damage that has nothing to do with mountain bikers. Trails all over the world are built to handle drainage and excessive use - many trails on the North Shore have been built in this way.

I credit mountain biking with keeping me alive and healthy, many of my uncles had heart attacks in their 40s, but so far I am still going strong. It is an amazing sport, I have come across many beautiful sights, including bears, deer, owls, bobcats, along with many great people during my time riding the Burnaby Mountain trails. There are a lot of mountain bikers who ride Burnaby Mountain, and quite a few hikers as well.

I disagree that mountain bikers are in the minority. E-bikes are banned on most of the trails, and I have witnessed inexperienced e-bike riders going way too fast and skidding around corners. I agree with this ban.

Burnaby needs to take a more active role in managing these trails, with all the added foot traffic and development on the mountain. I encourage everyone to be kind and considerate to each other. Mountain biking is a great sport which gets people outdoors and exercising. 

The climbs on Burnaby Mountain are legendary for their challenge, both due to their technical nature and steepness. For local workers, you can go up and down the mountain during your lunchbreak, which is always a great experience. Mountain biking has a long history on Burnaby Mountain; nothing makes me happier than to see a bunch of kids on their own exploring the trails on their bikes and having a great time. If mountain biking is banned on Burnaby Mountain, this would be devastating to me and many people I know. 

It's a big mountain with lots of space for everyone, it just needs some management from the city, along with some trail work to improve drainage and minimize erosion.

Andrei Zawadzki, Burnaby