Spion Kop

[vistaww]

There are several great Clubs in the Okanagan as well as the largest OHV managed area in BC (Canada?). The problem is some people don't want to travel, some don't want to pay user fees, others don't want to follow basic rules such as sound levels, spark arrestor, courtesy. Also, once the snow is off higher trails I'd suspect the usage goes down quite a bit at Spion Kopje.

It's really important that users in any shared-use area (whether by proper designation or historical usage) give extra special respect to the other users. Quite often we're even talking about all users being in the wrong as they're on private properties. Having said that, I can guarantee you that the motorized community won't be the winner in most usage wars when, and if, authorities get involved. Smart riders know that and stay low impact and as out of sight as possible. Of course, likely the worst offenders aren't even local riders so really, locals need to police their own if they want to keep it.

I am a Dirt Biker and haven't ridden at Spion Kopje for years as it just doesn't seem like an appropriate area anymore. Having said that, should some strange fate happen that motorized use does get protected there then I could see how reduced use (certain days, hours) along with sound restirctions might be great. It's a nice little play area for starters and families who generally aren't creating the big noise, or might be interested in buying playbikes that are quiet. I have heard of Urban Interface areas in the US that adopted this stance in order to allow motorized (very low Db levels). As a hill climb area Spion Kopje is great but that usage no longer fits in or is acceptable (by most standards) and will likely be the end of it for all the others.

BTW- the noise from motorcycles speeding on Westside Road is also a part of the noise you hear sometimes.

While it's a 45min -1 hr drive around the lake to get to it, the Bear Creek OHV area is a legitimate area to ride and it's got far far superior terrain (unless you want to rip it up hill climbing).

Carol

Clubs in the Valley-

The Okanagan Trail Riders Association
http://www.okanagantrailriders.com

Southern Okanagan Dirtbike Club
http://www.sodbc.ca

[knoet2007]

http://globalnews.ca/news/1280463/lake- ... -accident/

[tantor]

Man you pompous people! I have grown up in this valley and have been riding up there since the 70's and you people come to town with your bags of money and buy and build on our recreation land and whine about the noise of us having fun. Most of what you are hearing is young people staying out of trouble. Well I guess you will keep complaining and have it shut down, then you will be complaining that your house has been broken into, your bicycle has been stolen and on and on. I suspect after all of that you will find something else to complain about.

[vistaww]

Man you pompous people! I have grown up in this valley and have been riding up there since the 70's and you people come to town with your bags of money and buy and build on our recreation land and whine about the noise of us having fun. Most of what you are hearing is young people staying out of trouble. Well I guess you will keep complaining and have it shut down, then you will be complaining that your house has been broken into, your bicycle has been stolen and on and on. I suspect after all of that you will find something else to complain about.

Actually, much of the land that's been ridden on is private so count yourself lucky to have got as many years in as you did or think of yourself as not so smart that you didn't buy it in the 70s ;) Wish I had

[tantor]

Yes wish I had bought in but I was a kid back then. I would not have known about any private property though. There weren't any fences or signs on the side we went up and no one ever complained.

[Meeko666]

Just FYI - the name of the mountain is spelled Spion Kop. .

FYI --- it is spelled Spion Kopje

[jimsenchuk]

Man you pompous people! I have grown up in this valley and have been riding up there since the 70's and you people come to town with your bags of money and buy and build on our recreation land and whine about the noise of us having fun. Most of what you are hearing is young people staying out of trouble. Well I guess you will keep complaining and have it shut down, then you will be complaining that your house has been broken into, your bicycle has been stolen and on and on. I suspect after all of that you will find something else to complain about.

Bravo, good one mate, right too the point, i like that. :)

[polisci101]

Man you pompous people! I have grown up in this valley and have been riding up there since the 70's and you people come to town with your bags of money and buy and build on our recreation land and whine about the noise of us having fun. Most of what you are hearing is young people staying out of trouble. Well I guess you will keep complaining and have it shut down, then you will be complaining that your house has been broken into, your bicycle has been stolen and on and on. I suspect after all of that you will find something else to complain about.

I grew up in this valley too and have often been shocked at the damage done by dirtbikes all over the Okanagan. Large areas of land ripped to shreds. Nothing but dust and sand in places once covered in native vegetation. I'm sure not all riders are bad. But too many think they have the right to desecrate land like that when they don't even know who owns it. Even if it is crown land, it belongs to all of us, not just you. Often this damage -including parts of Spion kopje is clearly visible so even those who don't hike are forced to live with the carnage.

[logman]

I suggest getting out of the house more. Not just what you see from your armchair.

[Gixxer]

How do you like the sounds of commercial trucks using their jake brakes on the new 4 lane highway?

Lets not forget the new side by side crazy.

[DirtBikeNation]

Im pretty sure the developers of the area around spine kop even advertised to home buyers that there was dirt biking and atving right near by. So the fact that people are complaining is ridiculous they all knew what they were getting into when they moved. You would have to be a complete idiot not to realize the house you were building is near a huge, old riding area. Iv even heard of sabotage on the trails in spinekop. People flying through barbed wire fences set up over the trail to cause injury.

[jimsenchuk]

How do you like the sounds of commercial trucks using their jake brakes on the new 4 lane highway?

Lets not forget the new side by side crazy.

I love that sound, and love the side by side, kewl to listen and watch.

[LANDM]

Just FYI - the name of the mountain is spelled Spion Kop. .

FYI --- it is spelled Spion Kopje

Both are technically correct, by definition, but I don't know which is the actual correct one for this ridge. I remember Kop being used more in the past than Kopje (the Afrikaans diminutive, apparently). Whereas Camp Kopje, below, was always spelled that way.

[the quadguy]

As far as dirt bikers making a huge mess with their bikes ,Well I guess as soon as your leg goes over the seat All your brains leak out the bottom end ,Because with almost all dirt bikers Iv'e ever seen the first thing they have to do is four or five do nuts and they dig a trench for 80 feet while doing a weely, wobbly wooly , whatever. as long as the dirt and gravel are flying they are happy,Who cares how much damage they do to the land. And anyone who says they don't act like this has kaka between the ears.

[ksnosheeple]

I've been hiking Spion since we moved here 2 years ago. In those 2 years the area damaged by dirt bikes and quads has grown noticably. The virus lockdown seems to have given the riders extra free time to chew up the hill even more. The fire ban kept them away last summer. The soil on steep sections of trail has been turned to powder to erode away and in places the trail has been cut a foot deep. Every year more and more trails are cut in the undergrowth by bikes. This park will become only suitable for the dirt bikers and not for casual hikers. Trails for both hikers and motorized vehicles isn't a great combination. The dirt bikers need an abandoned gravel pit and leave Spion for the hikers.
Lake Country district bylaws prohibit motorized vehicles in parks. Is this a lack of enforcement or is Spion under a different authority?