County Mounties : Volunteer Rangers Dispense Some Horse Sense to Park Visitors Insensitive to Mother Nature

It’s a frustrating game of tag that county rangers play with Orange County’s backwoods renegades.

Their targets are nimble mountain bikers and horse riders who skim up and down steep hillsides, leaving damaged wilderness terrain and angry rangers in their wake. The rangers, reluctant to tear up sensitive biome with their vehicles, must stick to the trails as their quarry disappears over the next ridge.

Fortunately, most bikers and equestrians respect the environment, say county officials. And sooner or later, those who don’t run up against the “county mounties.”

A special unit trained in the county’s ranger reserve program, the county mounties--formally known as the Mounted Assistance Unit, a volunteer group of horse and wilderness lovers--have the mobility to follow any off-road vehicle or horseback rider.

“We never have a problem once they see us,” said Alice Sorenson, founder of the Mounted Assistance Unit. Stroking her mount, Pete, a brown, broad-chested quarter horse, she added: “In a chase, it’d be no contest. We’d definitely catch our man.”

While county mounties are issued uniforms and badges, they do not have peace officer status and are not authorized to make arrests or write citations. But they do issue plenty of advice to the public about treating Mother Nature gently while enjoying the backcountry.

Most of the time, the lesson sticks. But occasionally, the mounted unit must deal with somebody who isn’t getting the message.

“A couple of weeks ago, this young guy was speeding down a trail on his mountain bike,” Sorenson said. “He was weaving in and out between hikers, and he was going so fast, I knew he was going to slide any minute.”

“He listened, didn’t give me any back talk, but he was going ‘uh-huh, uh-huh,’ and I knew what I was saying was going in one ear and out the other,” she said. “If they’re willing to take slides and scrapes for the excitement, that’s OK. I just don’t want them to take anybody down with them.”

Ignorance of potential environmental dangers to wilderness can often be a greater threat than the small percentage of off-roaders who abuse the parks, the mounties say. Dressed in khaki uniforms with round, broad-rimmed hats, the mounted unit also acts as a symbol of ecological awareness.

On a recent weekend, O’Neill Regional Park in Trabuco Canyon was filled with Earth Day celebrants. Girl Scouts, aging hippies, couples and families alike showed no fear of Sorenson and Pete as they roamed through the park. The horse stood calmly as streams of people walked up to pat his broad neck and ask Sorenson questions about the park.

“When we started, (parks officials) said the most-asked question would be ‘Where’s the bathroom?’ ” Sorenson said. “But people ask much more intelligent questions. Many of them show a real interest in learning about nature.”

One of the most common misconceptions among park visitors is that it’s OK to let family pets roam in wilderness parks.

“That can be trouble,” Sorenson said. “It can be hard for people to understand, but domesticated dogs and cats don’t belong here unleashed. Their presence disrupts the natural flow of wildlife, and (with the presence of coyotes and mountain lions) it can be dangerous for them here.”

County mounties also deal with problems such as misguided off-roaders. The ground off the trails can be easily churned up by feet, wheels or hoofs. Not only is sensitive vegetation destroyed, but when impromptu trails are cut into the hillsides, resulting erosion can seriously threaten the stability of the slopes.

“I think a majority of bikers are careful about riding the trails,” said Randy Wheeler, an avid mountain biker who regularly frequents Orange County parks. “I suspect most of the abusers are damaging the park for lack of knowledge. The ultimate service (the mounties) do is telling the abusers what they’re doing wrong.”

But some mountain bikers feel they are sufficiently self-regulated.

“There’s always going to be some gonzo kids out there tearing the park up,” said Chuck Cotton, a 73-year-old mountain cycling enthusiast who is a founding member of Share, a local cycling group. “But I think it’s pretty well under control.”

“We kind of police ourselves,” he said. “When we run across somebody fooling around, we tell them, ‘Look, fellows, if you’re going to destroy the park, nobody will be able to enjoy mountain biking.’ ”

Currently, five equestrian rangers patrol the parks on weekends, putting in at least 18 hours per month. Two other horse riders will be graduating from the county ranger reserve training program this week.

County officials are ecstatic over the performance of the special unit.

“The image of a ranger on horseback is really significant,” said Tim Miller, director of the county parks system. “It breaks the barrier of having a ranger look more like a ranger and less like a cop.”

“Our No. 1 role is to protect the environment out there,” he said. “The mounted patrol is so mobile that it greatly enhances our ability to touch a lot of people out there. They’re a great public relations tool.”

Miller added that what most impresses him about the special unit is that “these people are footing the bill for almost everything. They handle the cost of feeding their horse and transporting it most weekends to the park. That’s dedication.”

For Sorenson, it’s just part of the job.

“We want to educate people to treat the environment nicely,” she said. “Otherwise, there will be no mountains to walk through or sunsets to watch. What I get out of this is the satisfaction of knowing that I’ve contributed to preserving something that is precious.”