The Mountain Bike Debate
There is a somewhat lengthy thread over at Backpackinglight.com debating whether mountain bikes should be allowed on back country trails. This is a complicated issue. For the few folks who have hiked with me, they know my preferred routes are cross-country, ancient Native American Trails, and unmaintained trails. These areas get very little traffic, and there is almost nil human impact from hiking. I avoid trails that see a lot of use.
Instead of posting this rather long essay on BPL, I decided to gather my thoughts here. In my opinion, folks should review their philosophy about public lands to make sure it aligns with their opinion on mountain bikes. That is; are you an environmentalist, a conservationist, or something else?