Blog by Helen Maurer

Hikers vs Bikers?  A personal interim report on the OC Parks’ search for solutions

On December 1, 2021, Ed and I attended an in-person meeting of the OC Parks Trails Subcommittee.  Two items were on the agenda:  an interim report on the Trail Use Pilot Project and an update on the creation of the Ted Craig Regional Bike Park in Fullerton.  

The Report on the Pilot Project was definitely the main event, which had drawn a large attendance of about 40 people, both hikers and bikers.  The Project involved the re-designation of a few trails in three parks (Santiago Oaks, Aliso Wood and Laguna Coast) to a particular use or direction to see if that would decrease conflict between users, which has risen in recent years.  To the best of my knowledge, no hiking groups were consulted during this process.  Dr Christopher Monz and graduate student Noah Creany from Utah State University, which had been hired by Orange County to collect and analyze data on the Project, were at the meeting to present their fndings thus far.  Their presentation focused on a statistical comparison of the results obtained in “random” surveys of park users taken at the very beginning of the Project in May 2021with those conducted in August after it had been in effect for some time.  The gist of their findings, expressed orally (there was a Power Point accopaniment, which because of tiny print and distance from the screen was just about impossible for onlookers—me, certainly—to make out, was that:

• Hikers are the majority of park users (no great surprise here)

• Persons interviewed registered “fair support” for the Project

• There was “some agreement” that conflict between users was reduced

• Trails must be seen as parts of a network (what happens on one affects what happens on others?  And if this is what was meant, it also does not qualify as Big News.)

These results struck me as underwhelming.  But these are early days.  Further statistical analysis will follow—we were assured that much data remains to be analyzed—and USU will present its final report in spring 2022.  The report will be given to the OC Parks Commission for review, probably via the Subcommittee, and the OCPC will then decide on what, if anything, should be done thereafter.

Questions and comments from the Subcommittee and members of the audience were certainly more interesting and possibly enlightening.  Commissioner David Shawver repeatedly asked what steps should next be taken based on the data obtained and whether the Project should have been set up differently in the first place.  Dr Monz patiently—and gently—reminded him that OC Parks had designed the Project and would ultimately decide on any further steps, whereas USU had only been brought in to do statistical analysis.  Observing this verbal dance, I had to wonder whether Shawver was looking for Someone Else to blame in the event that the final report produced a whole load of nothing in particular, and whether Monz could placate a customer in the early stages of buyer’s remorse. 

The hikers present expressed dissatisfaction with, or only limited approval of, the Project.  They felt that it completely overlooked the primary cause of user conflict, which they identified as excess speed and reckless riding by some bikers, exacerbated by the lack of enforcement of the 10 mph speed limit and other safety regulations in the parks.  They argued that no amount of user re-designation on some trails or new trail creation will address this problem.  Subcommittee member Ron Vanderhof, who had apparently opposed the Project from the beginning, endorsed this view and observed that no citations whatsoever had been issued for speed or recklessness in 2019.  Subcommittee chair Commissioner John Koos added that the parks’ limited funding does not allow for effective enforcement.

The bikers (all male, in contrast to the hikers) mostly took a “can’t we all just get along?” approach.  They apologized profusely to a male hiker who was hospitalized after being run into by a biker in Whiting Ranch and who still has further surgery pending.  One biker said that the vegetation along the twists and turns of singletracks should be “trimmed” to make it easier for them to see who may be on the trail ahead.  Another assserted that too many hikers wear earbuds, which prevent them from hearing his bell so that they are surprised to find him coming up behind them.  He suggested that hikers just remove the earbuds.  Not a single biker acknowledged the speed limit or addressed the problem of excess speed.  Ed later observed to me that many mountain bikers—like downhill skiers—get their thrill from speed, which is why they won’t talk about it as a problem. 

Once discussion of the Pilot Project ended, most of the attendant public left, including the bikers.  This surprised me at first because the next—and only other—agenda item was the new bike park in Fullerton.  This project was begun in 2014.  It now appears to be in the last stages of environmental assessment, to be followed by final public review and the go-ahead for construction, which could begin in 2023.  Based on images and examples of what the park will look like, that should go fairly quickly.  The park will offer jumps and obstacle courses to appeal to the most daring (with no vegetation to impede anyone’s view), as well as tamer trails for parents with small children.  What it will not offer (dictated by the limitations of terrain in Fullerton), is any long, steep downhill run.  And that is probably why most of the bikers left.  No questions were asked, and no comments offered.  Nevertheless, the Subcommittee expressed hope that this bike park will help to relieve bike pressure on the existing wilderness parks and reduce the urge among some bikers to create their own illicit jumps and obstacles elsewhere.  

Meanwhile, we were told that the trails affected by the Pilot Project have all returned to their original user designations.  What may be in store for our trails in the future remains to be seen.  We must all remain aware of whatever is going on and be prepared to speak up on behalf of our own interests.  I will do my best to inform you of upcoming meetings, etc.  Stay tuned. 

Helen Maurer

12/12/2021