We (and every other media outlet in Canada) brought you a disturbing story this week about someone allegedly setting traps meant to cause mountain bikers to crash on Mount Fromme.
Perhaps almost as notable is the way police made the arrest. Two anonymous mountain bikers placed cameras in the trees to capture footage of the suspect repeatedly laying branches across a steep trail. We admire them for their initiative, even though it has raised legitimate questions about the use of surreptitious cameras in the backcountry. We're mainly glad that no one was hurt.
The story has opened old wounds and stoked old arguments about who has the right to do what in the backcountry.
Disturbing as this is, we're asking for calm. This isn't the opening salvo of another war in the woods. We don't yet know if the Crown will press charges and the suspect is an innocent woman until a judge or jury says otherwise. We look forward to the trial, should it come to that.
This is also a good time to affirm something that may have been forgotten. Some conflicts are bound to happen and there will always be those who like to agitate, but our recent history between trail user groups on the North Shore has been one of cooperation. As well it should be.
Our backyard backcountry spans thousands of acres of mountainsides and valleys and the trail network has been built by users of all types. If there isn't room enough for all of us, then we clearly don't deserve such a bounty.
