[Thor29]

Now that they opened up the new parking lot, I've started seeing horse manure and tracks on the trails. There were some pretty big divots on Sierra Morena yesterday. Maybe I'm paranoid, but I'm concerned that this is only going to get worse. The rangers with radar guns were bad enough, but I really don't want to have to try to get around a big nervous horse ridden by a self-entitled rich person on a narrow trail or have to dodge manure...

Anyone encounter any horses on the trails yet? What are your thoughts on this new situation?

 

[SS Hack]

Wasn't that why the built the parking lot? Wait until they do compacted gravel everywhere like at Huddert.

 

[Berkeley Mike]

Welcome to sharing.

 

[Procter]

I knew it. I knew this would happen all along. From the day the new lot was announced, as having horse trailer parking slots.

 

[rho]

I've been seeing horse crap out there for years. There are quite a few very hearty equestrians who ride up from woodside or otherwise live nearby who ride there. They are also very good riders... I haven't come across them before (I only managed a couple rides there last year and none so far this year..)... but I'd wager they have their horses under control if you have your bike under control...

A lot of those trails are designated as multiuse, I think we'll see more (equestrian) riders out there in the future.

 

[Thor29]

Welcome to sharing.

If it's all about sharing, why haven't the number of trails available to bikes increased? I've got no problem sharing - in Colorado you can ride horses, hike, or mountain bike on almost every trail with very few exceptions (Wilderness areas and Boulder Mountain Park being the main non-biking areas). But notice that here the horse riders get access to another set of trails and mountain bikers continue to be severely limited.

Some of you guys should spend some time in the Boulder/Denver area and see a completely different world where they actually add new Open Space parks every few years and these parks almost always include mountain bike access. Yeah, it's not as crowded there, but c'mon, the Bay Area has an amazing amount of park land and very little of it is open to mountain bikes. It's a shame, really.

 

[dirtvert]

And, ironically, the horsie folks have (another) entire park, Huddart (as well as Teague Hill), on the other side of the road at their disposal. Parks that don't allow mountain biking. Yet another salting of the wound by Midpen, and a great example of how well they use their money--on multi-million dollar parking lots for equestrians.

I hardly ride there anymore, but it's sad to see Skeggs slowly fade away.

 

[Jayem]

It's about pooping.

 

[Berkeley Mike]

...and to people who don't have to share.

 

[Axe]

...and to people who don't have to share.

You mean equestrians? There are several properties on the other side of Skyline and elsewhere around that are their exclusive playground, where they do not have to drive up extra 20 minutes to get to with their trailers, and yet Midpen spends my tax money so they can come over and **** on the few remaining decent MTB trails in the area.

 

[262741]

You mean equestrians? There are several properties on the other side of Skyline and elsewhere around that are their exclusive playground, where they do not have to drive up extra 20 minutes to get to with their trailers, and yet Midpen spends my tax money so they can come over and **** on the few remaining decent MTB trails in the area.

But remember to vote in favor of the bond!

 

[SS Hack]

But remember to vote in favor of the bond!

Those horse trailer lots aren't free! Wait till they build the trails to "horse spec" like the other side if skyline, you'll need a gravel grinder.

 

[gonzo]

I ride both sides of Skyline

yes, I break the law................... I'm in and out like a ninja

No tickets or issues with hikers and horsey folks over the last 25yrs.......

I also choose to break the law and smoke with mary and jane.

I would have also broke the law by teaching a black person how to read in amerika.

And yes, I would have broken the law by associating with a communist and a socialist in amerika.

I ride skeggs over 15mph ALL the time

Some LAME laws a meant to be broken

 

[Berkeley Mike]

If you ride at over 15 mph and there is not one there to see it is it an infraction?

 

[gddyap]

If you ride at over 15 mph and there is not one there to see it is it an infraction?

Only if a tree falls too.

 

[ziscwg]

But remember to vote in favor of the bond!

No, I don't think they need any more money from us.

 

[ask]

Hmmm.... I was planning on heading up there later today. I pretty much stopped going to Skeggs on a regular basis due to all the rangers. Sounds like Skeggs might be a total loss now with the horses too. Maybe I'll skip it and go to Santa Cruz instead.

 

[TahoeBC]

I seriously doubt horses will ever be a big problem there, my bet occasionally they might be seen during non peak times and by those that don't know the area well.

The area is just to overloaded with bikes to be attractive to them. Mostly because we are shoe horned into a small number of area's, if everything opened up to bikes we would be spread out and conflicts would go down in IMHO.

 

[SS Hack]

I seriously doubt horses will ever be a big problem there, my bet occasionally they might be seen during non peak times and by those that don't know the area well.

The area is just to overloaded with bikes to be attractive to them. Mostly because we are shoe horned into a small number of area's, if everything opened up to bikes we would be spread out and conflicts would go down in IMHO.

When I ride there I actively send hikers to other parks that are "more fun" for hiking. This should just become a bikes only park.

 

[ForbiddenBeat]

My fear is it's only a matter of time before an equestrian complains that Manzanita, Resolution, and South Leaf are too rocky for their horses...