This year we're a month earlier than our historical start.. primarily due to the change in heavy visitation weekends... it keeps getting earlier and earlier!
We've been chomping at the bit to get going... and finally, the weekend arrived.
So this year we started... in the snow! And despite the slippery conditions, there were still plenty of visitors...
You know with a mountain as popular (in other words..crowded) as Old Rag, you see a lot of interesting things (read: destructive resource abuse) from visitors. Pooping and peeing right on the trail, breaking and pulling up plants, short-cutting switchbacks... vandalism of all types..lack of preparedness..... and basically non compliance with all of the principles of Leave No Trace (LNT) and in general most Park Service regulations that pertain to Old Rag Mountain.
Rarely, however, do the folks who are making the most impact leave their calling card.... until this weekend.
The good folks at the CAPITAL HIKING CLUB, I guess didn't get the word about all those pesky guidelines and regulations.. Showing up in several large buses... hiking in multiple LARGE groups, substituting (several) graffitti signs for adequate trip leadership..... I would expect much better from a prominant(?) hiking club.
I guess the blue blazes, the deeply rutted trail, and copious signage just aren't enough...
2 comments:
Interesting; too lazy to supply adequate trek leadership but not so lazy as to bring along lime for marking trails? Or is that coffee creamer they used there? Off with their heads!!
I will play the unpopular role of public defender here. While clearly guilty of some mistakes the CHK did check in at the contact station in order to make sure they were approaching the hike responsibly. Personally I was bothered but not hugely bothered with ground markings but while preparing for this defense I found out that the majority of folks were hugely offended by the temporary trail markings. I hope it is just a matter of CHK not understanding that some folks detest their temporary signage. If it is wonton disregard I will need to resign as public defender and join with Wild Type's final sentiment.
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