CHP helicopter “H30” is assisting ConFire with a Search and Rescue operation for an injured hiker, in Lime Ridge Open Space.
UPDATE: H30 has located and rescued the injured hiker. They will “short-haul” transport the victim, to a landing zone, at Pine Hollow Middle School, where they will be transferred to a ground ambulance.
Thanks to Paul for the information.
16 comments
So relieved the hiker is ok. I was hiking in Lime Ridge and watched the helicopter land. Thanks for letting us know!
Honestly the place is too crowded and a ticking time bomb for things like this. This is the second time a hiker has needed medical attention this month on that trail. You have about 100+ people walking the trail on any given day and tons of people speeding down the trail on their mountain bikes its no wonder there isn’t more injured over there — not to mention the problems the packed trail presents to social distancing, it that’s your thing. They should paint the curbs outside the parking lot red and if that lot is full then no one else should be allowed on the trail. Its too unsafe and bothersom to have this many people parking and heading up there. Before the pandemic that trail was always empty and people never parked in that lot because it was notorious for having your vehicle broken into.
Jay –
Maybe we should just shelter in place and not ever leave home, then there would be no need to paint the curbs, thus saving the city tons of money.
the park was never this crowded until the lock downs and everyone losing work they now all have become hiking warriors. It really sucks because they go in groups and chit chat the entire hike… I loved going to have serenity of peace and quiet walking through nature not hear a bunch of gossip talk… Then there is the people who walk side by side like they are holding hands and take the entire trail width up and love to wait for the last moment they possibly can to get out of the way. I’m just gonna start playing coughing audio clip on my phone on repeat while im there jogging/hiking that might make them move!
Hayden —
Do it! If that’s your thing, hide inside all you want. And I have no problem painting the curbs red myself, free of cost to the city. You stay indoors, it might save a life and I’ll do my part at saving lives by painting the curbs.
I used to hike on Lime Ridge all the time, in the last couple of months I’ve almost been run over by a mountain biker every time I’ve gone there… and every single one of them told to me go f— myself for yelling at them to slow down and watch where they’re going. One guy tried to run me over while he was peddling UPHILL because I refused to jump out of his way and then so aggressive with me I had to pull out my pepper spray… absolutely ridiculous.
Once upon a time mountain bikes were restricted to the fire roads but the City of Walnut Creek changed the rules and now the park has been completely ruined by a bunch of selfish jerks.
MAKE LIME RIDGE GREAT AGAIN – BAN THE BIKES!!!
@ Lime Ridge Hiker. I too am a frequent Lime Ridge hiker, going back to 1984. I try to maintain a live and let live attitude towards the mountain bikers. It’s not my cup of tea, neither are a lot of things. However, a few things have happened that have dimmed my view of the mountain bikers.
A few years ago, about half way to the top on the Lime Ridge Trail, I happened by 7 or 8 folks from the East Bay Trail Dogs. EBTD is a wonderful volunteer organization, that fields trail crews to build, maintain, and repair hiking trails. On that day, they had remediated about a thirty yard section of the Lime Ridge Trail, including a hairpin turn, or switchback. It was a thing of beauty. That trail was graded and groomed for drainage. They left a smooth, compacted single track trail, which probably would have remained in that condition for many, many years if used for its intended purpose. Within two weeks that freshly rebuilt section was scored and rutted, and the hairpin was completely blown out. It made me angry that a crew of volunteers would give up their Saturday for a day of back breaking labor only to have it completely undone. The rules clearly state that bikes are to stay on 8 feet or wider trails (fire roads) and off of the single tracks. I had thought this was for safety, but now I see it is also for trail maintenance. Prior to this encounter, I had this unfounded idea that bikes were actually maybe good for trails. My long conversation with the EBTD folks disabused me of this notion.
Probably a few years before this, the Ridge Trail had a major makeover. Clearly with aesthetics in mind, someone had designed gently meandering curves as it slowly rised to the summit. It was postcard worthy. Mountain bikers blasted their own dirt chutes through this lovely serpentine trail. Picture the bars of a dollar sign slashing through the “S”.
Those are merely the most egregious examples. The theme is repeated throughout the park: Switchbacks destroyed, single track trails designed for pedestrians turned into dirt slides by bikes that aren’t even allowed on those trails.
I’m not anti-mountain bike, but I do respect the park regulations set forth so that everybody can enjoy the park and the park police can manage the public safety, and also manage the maintenance expenses of running an open space. This is your tax dollars at work. It’s a little silly to complain about government spending and then actively create additional expenditures for the government by flaunting the park rules. There are plenty of cool things I would LOVE to do at Lime Ridge. Archery, plinking with my 22, rocketry, drones, but I don’t do them because the rangers say you can’t. Call me weird, but I generally follow lawful orders from police. And they don’t have to be standing there with a gun. Just posting a sign works for me. I think it’s something I learned in Grown Up School…
But there is clearly an enormous appetite for trails to ride on. Again, not my cup of tea, but the public should be served. There is one particular quarry bowl closer to Boundary Oaks that has insane drops that bikers have frequented since before my time. I think it’s great. I also don’t have a problem with the squirrelly trails bikers have forged leading down to the enormous quarry pit just above the golf course. The one the damned City of Walnut Creek made less awesome by filling it with garbage for several years in the 90s.
I think Lime Ridge is big enough to have the official hiking trails, and a separate network of whatever hair brained trails the bikers want to forge. I think there is room that everyone can have what they want. I don’t realistically think the mountain bikers would honor such an arrangement, but that’s my best solution. As it stands now, lawlessness reigns on Lime Ridge, and the bikers know there is no risk to ignoring the rules. Until the park police get serious about enforcing the rules, that situation will continue.
I have a bike, and I use to hike a lot. I don’t think it is necessary to ban the bikes, but bikers need to observe certain rules, and also realize that a run in with a hiker, the hiker is likely to loose. Of course hikers needs to be mindful of other on the trail as well, be they bikers or hikers.
Lime Ridge Hiker,
We should sit down and have a beer sometime. I was just going to post about the obnoxious hikers who don’t understand when to step aside an let a bike pass. Especially uphill.
I always tell them to f— themselves. One time I had a guy pull out his pepper spray. Go to know it’s you. Nice to meet you.
HIKERS and HORSE RIDERS SHOULD BE BANNED FROM LIMRIDGE. IT’S TIME WE MAKE THE RIDGE MTB ONLY. HIKERS ARE A SCROOGE TO SOCIETY!
SCROOGE?
You are the problem.
I am a longtime resident in the area and a mountain biker.
Having a local, legal singletrack to ride has been a long time coming and is greatly appreciated. Not having to drive to another county to ride legal, rocky singletrack (Rockville Park near Fairfield) – especially during the pandemic – has been one of the few positive things for my family these days. And really, why should we have to drive so far with such beautiful trails in our backyard?
Yes, during the pandemic/lockdowns, more people than ever have been getting out in nature to exercise, as they should be able to do. Lime Ridge has become very busy and unfortunately, as others have opined, there are a lot of noobies out there – hikers and bikers, alike – who don’t know the rules of the trail. But more than knowing how and when to yield to one another, the most important thing is to learn to RESPECT one another.
Let’s not ruin one of the only outlets many of us have. There are already sections of this great park that have recently been closed due for rehabilitation. My fear is those areas will not open again. And that really would be a shame for us all. People, let’s not let that happen.
Wow, I can remember when you rarely met another hiker, let alone a bicyclist, on some of the trails in the area.
Gangs, Bikers vs. Hikers, I know gangs from So. Central LA. Give each other respect.
108RS
Wow…. even the whole wide wonderful outdoors isn’t big enough for you people. I’m beginning to believe none of you can get along with anybody!
Maybe when it’s warm enough for the wasps & rattlesnakes to come out the hiking gridlock will lessen.
Dear Limeridge Lawrence:
What makes you so special? Or should I say, what makes you and your bike more special than hikers or equestrians and horses? What makes you so special that you simply must have an entire state park trail system dedicated solely to bikes? Also, would you include any kind of bikes, or would Mt. Diablo be strictly for mountain bikers? If just mountain bikes, then who are you to be prejudiced against my Schwinn 5-speed? You heartless clown. Such a senseless act of entitlement. Don’t forget everyone, that when you’re out there, remember hikers AND bikers must grant equestrians and their horses the right away (see posted signs). Otherwise you just might get that kick in the teeth you weren’t quite expecting 🙂
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