Hike # 23: Wild Phlox and Valley View Trails

Today, I went back to Seaman's Gulch - the site of Hike #2. The great thing about the Boise Foothills, is that you can go to the same trail head, and not walk the same trail. I packed up my renewed enthusiasm and decided to hike the trails I missed the first time around.

 During the first Seaman's Gulch hike, my daughter explained the rules of "yielding". Today, I had a new appreciation for that hiking rule, and now understand it's limitations! Basically, if you are hiking downhill, you "yield" the person hiking uphill. This was always counter intuitive to me. The thought behind that rule is  that it takes more energy for the person going up hill to stop - so save that energy and keep walking. I always felt that it took more energy to stop when you are going downhill... but what do I know, I'm only a novice hiker learning the rules of the trail.Today, however, I'd like to expand on that rule.

This section of trail is available to horses, bikers, runners, hikers, and dogs (mostly off lease dogs). So here is the real deal. The slowest person "yields", and when two slow people meet each other, the downhill slow person yields to the slow uphill person. And this is how it goes...

Hikers "yield" to horses, bikers, and runners - regardless of direction - uphill, downhill, it doesn't matter, just get out of the way. Off lease dogs yield to no one!

 Parts of the trail are wide open, requiring no "yielding" at all... you only have to stay on your side of the trail. Parts of the trail are narrow, and surrounded on each side by sage brush, requiring minimal "yielding". Parts of the trail are so narrow and steep that only one hiker, horseback rider, runner, or dog could pass - hence, "yielding" is difficult and potentially dangerous. This is where things get interesting!

There is a "sweet spot" on the human body that dogs are drawn to, especially after unknown humans have been hiking for 2 miles or so. This spot isn't pleasantly fragrant to humans, but it is down right intoxicating to dogs - especially if they don't know you. Most dogs that go unleashed in the foothills are between 70-110 pounds. Mastiffs, chocolate labs, god-knows-what-mixes, you get the idea. When you stand 4'11" tall and an unleashed dog is nose height to the "sweet spot" - that is where things get  really interesting - especially if you are on the part of the trail that is steep, without a place to "yield".

Now as a former dog owner, I have to say that I love dogs - well behaved dogs. I met a few on this walk. Australian Shepherds mostly. Aussies don't seem to have the same distinguishing nose, nor are they driven by the same curiosity for strangers (some might say, lack of intelligence) that lab mixes are. So my "yielding" dilemma occurred on the part of the trail where I couldn't step or down, without avoiding falling off the trail.

So... running wild, with happy abandon, I met these two unleashed labs. One coming downhill and the other traveling uphill, with me in the middle. I stopped. Exchanged pleasantries like "Nice Doggie. Hi Buddy", held out my hand, etc. And there I stood, like bookends with one in front and one in back. Now these weren't mean dogs... just friendly, big, and checking out the nose-level spot for which they have been trained... I was trapped. I couldn't move off trail in any direction. Stuck... I had to wait for their owner because CLEARLY they weren't letting me "yield".

Here is my proposal...change the "yield" rules. Post the new rules at the trail head "Dogs must yield to humans. So train them properly!"