I was psyched to get a chance to meet with Janice Kurbjun from the Summit Daily News last week to get our voice heard on how us mountain bikers are doing our part to keep the trails in good shape in what has been a late and very wet riding season.

The key to protecting the trails for future use (and keeping a good reputation for mountain bikers) is knowing when to turn back. When to ride through the puddle instead of around it. When to stop and let foot traffic go by, or ask an equestrian if it’s OK to pass.

“Skidding (into turns) and making go-arounds are the biggest no-nos,” local pro mountain biker Leland Turner said. This spring and early summer, he’s been sticking to trails in the valleys, and has only recently tried the higher trails that he thinks are mostly dry.

“If you make a route going around, people follow you,” he said. “If you’re going to ride where its muddy, you have to suck it up and ride through it.” He added that deadfall is another problem riders encounter these days, and sometimes they ride around it instead of carrying the bike over the obstacle.

If the mud is too deep or the fallen trees are too thick, Turner would like to see riders pick up their bike and create a less obvious foot path to protect the trail. Same with beginners — if the obstacle is too hard, carry the bike instead of riding around or trying to remove the rock or branch.

 

Read the whole piece over at Summit Daily News