Mountain Bikers Keep Hiker on Her Toes

As a regular hiker in the hills and parks of Orange County, I am well acquainted with the potential difficulties of sharing hiking trails with mountain bikers. Thus it was with alarm that I read your article on the San Juan Trail (“An Uphill Battle,” Aug. 26). I feel that articles like this will only serve to increase the use of a trail that was not made for bicycles.

The San Juan Trail was built for hikers (including the Juaneno Indians). Heavy bike traffic will inevitably destroy the footpath and result in a widened and rutted trail. Witness the trails at Crystal Cove, some of which were at one time no more that 15 inches wide and are now virtual roadways because of the heavy bike traffic there.

But damage to the trails and surrounding vegetation is only one concern. Your statement, “Hikers quickly learn to keep an ear out for approaching cyclists . . . ,” etc. fails to convey the extent of that problem for hikers. Bicycles are often difficult to hear, especially coming from behind, and seldom give any kind of advanced warning to allow the hiker to make a safe move without being startled. Why should hikers always have to be on the alert?

SARAH B. JAYNE,

Irvine