LMT Expansion
We have rules of “respect”. Respect the trail, respect the hikers, and respect your limits. LMBA aims to expand the Lebanese Mountain Trail from mountain bike access. Mountain bikers and Hikers will be able to enjoy the amazing natural trails of Lebanon safely and in harmony with nature.
Especially as athletes, we have a certain responsibility. Do you follow certain rules, and do you restrict or adapt your communication to public channels?
We have rules of “respect”, respect the trail, respect the hikers, and respect your limits. We have a pretty restricted social media presence and are very careful about how we communicate our actions.
Oftentimes critics argue that mountain bikers destroy trails and endanger other parties on the trail. Not even speaking of the dilemma of trespassing on private property and issues with insurance and liability. Is that true? Do we need to step back and protect nature and others?
Indeed there has always been a heated debate on these aspects. I do believe that we have to actively protect nature, and I also believe that generally the impact of mountain biking really is quite small and comparable to hiking. In the alps, all trails have been built by humans at some point in time, originally designed for walking, reaching a hut or summit, or as trade routes. Many trails are very old and a kind of cultural heritage. Now we use these trails to ride our bikes, I like that idea a lot. Proper environmental impact can be observed in the skiing resorts across the Alps. No amount of mountain bikers ever can even closely match this impact. Some heavily used trails may look quite bad, but I have seen enough trails being completely reconquered by nature after a year of biker absence. In fact, trails need to be used regularly, by foot or bike otherwise they disappear back into the terrain, like in the maritime Alps on the French Italian border.
Regarding other parties on the trail, I believe that the standard amount of respect that enables cooperation between people in normal life is sufficient for a peaceful coexistence on trails. It might be as simple as that.