I believe in planning ahead. I plan to stay out of campgrounds unless I'm there to take a shower.. if I have reason to stay there ill pitch the tarp low and tight and pretend I'm in a tent.
I believe in planning ahead. I plan to stay out of campgrounds unless I'm there to take a shower.. if I have reason to stay there ill pitch the tarp low and tight and pretend I'm in a tent.
Just came across this old one thread from a few years back and wanted to give it a bump. Kind of neat seeing the names of some of the posters who are still around the forum. With more and more people going out and using the resources, it's still important to minimize our impact so everyone can enjoy it.
As I'm sure someone already pointed out, the park probably cares less about LNT and more about potential liability. Or at least, their percieved liability. Their experience with people day after day is quite possibly that people are just "the worst" and have no idea what they are doing. And now one of those people wants to hang from one of our trees? Are you kidding me?!?
So yea, I guess I kind of get it.
Since perhaps ~2014, I would say that 66%-80% of everyone I see backpacking is in a hammock not a tent. I feel like the pressure to accomodate will lead most places to provide poles or at least make it clear on the webiste that you need to bring your own stand and set up on the provided tent pads.
I completely agree that minimizing impact on wild lands is needed. I try to follow the LNT guidelines when I am hiking and camping. This thread was about LNT camping in state parks, and the reality is that folks that are “casual” campers frequent these locations and almost all of them probably have never heard of LNT.
This discussion has been going on forever. If you participate in other forums, you know it can be a hot topic on them as well.
I think that one of our responsibilities as dedicated consumers of wild lands is to take on the role of teachers and mentors not only with words, but with our own actions. I’ve found that you catch more flys with honey and if we take an attitude of my approach to this is superior to yours, we alienate the folks we are trying to positively influence.
I would also point out that if you spend any time at all as a volunteer, clearing deadfall and restoring trails, you know that using chainsaws, shovels and clearing out brush and downed trees is all part of creating trails and forests that are inviting to the hikers and campers that practice LNT.
The Forrest’s in the West, are particularly in bad shape because of droit and wild fires. The are full of combustible material as evidenced by each years worsening fire seasons. And work performed by volunteers and citizen campers is welcomed and necessary because there are not enough forest service workers to perform this service.
Maybe a return to the days of the Civilian Service Corp would be a good thing.
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“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men should do nothing.”
- Edmund Burke
I just finished reading through this thread. I am so sad when I realize how constricted our choices for sites to enjoy being outdoors has become.
Places to park vehicles to enter into forested area's are shrinking. Sometimes several little parking spaces are closed or removed and a huge paved lot is placed for users of the area. There are several problems with that idea.
Our coastal camp grounds on all levels (local, county, state, BLM, federal, utility company owned) are becoming swamps. I suspect due to logging in full or in part. We have the Coast Range coming down to the ocean, a lot of the trees are gone, so the water just runs off instead of being absorbed. The open places are flooded and not able to drain. Lots of discussion about moving parks to the east of the Oregon Coast Highway.
Last week we did a Fairwell Hang at my favorite spot, it is a very small BLM site right next to the ocean. Five years ago, we would have had the park to our selves. No longer true, we had to make a reservation, we were surrounded with tin motorhomes, great big land yatchs, they needed atleast three people to help them get into their site. So sad.
My daufhter was leary of Hanging in our beloved site, she stayed with the car and dogs. I did what aI planned on. I slept sound, enjoyed the Hang. I said my Goodbye to the site and park. The trees are starting to die, trash was starting to accumulate, branches were coming down (there was no wind or rain, very unusual). I am so sad.
I am forced to recognize my Hanging days are soon to end. Not by my lack of desire but by circumstances.
I feel/think here in Oregon the public is being forced into concentrated areas, the larger public lands are being closed off, quietly, slowly and surely. I AM ASHAMED OF BLM!
I will stop my rant before I get blocked again, for political comments.
Gone are the days when I could swim where I wanted, park my car safely and go for a hike, camp, swim, fish etc.
Come North and enjoy true wilderness once again.....in these parts you have it all to yourself and just maybe you might bump into a person. I'm here because I had enough of the madness that huge populous creates. I really despise camping around other unknown people.
And the beauty of the Mountains rivers lakes valleys etc in these parts is just stunning
Life is too Short to not feed the addiction....Hang on and explore the World
That is a real shame! I am lucky to live in an area where there are national and state forests and parks that have good access and are never very crowded (with a few exceptions). When I car camp, I go to a state forest that is around 3 hours from the closest major city and I never have an issue finding a site and things are very well taken care of. The lack of bathrooms close to the sites probably scares many people, a few of my friends included, off. It is a drive that can be anywhere from ten minutes to an hour to get to the bathroom and some sites are only accessible via 4WD trucks.
My wife and I were discussing this very thing the other day. Without being political about it, we would be considered 'tree-huggers', or 'rock-huggers' as one of our State Legislators put it. Having a sponsored or sanctioned Civilian Corp arm of the BLM/NFS/NPS/etc. would be a pretty reasonable idea, and would help people as well as the public lands.Maybe a return to the days of the Civilian Service Corp would be a good thing.
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