Getting outside

[kac1269]

https://coloradosun.com/2020/01/29/fewer-americans-participate-in-outdoor-recreation/

I found this article in my Google news feed, I thought some of you would find it interesting

[cmoulder]

https://coloradosun.com/2020/01/29/fewer-americans-participate-in-outdoor-recreation/

I found this article in my Google news feed, I thought some of you would find it interesting

Not surprised, but maybe not a bad thing that people who are recreating outside are doing so closer to home.

[TrailSlug]

My selfish side says "I wish half of these people would stay in side as well as trails are getting too crowded" :) My practical side says "What do you do if you do not play outside"?

[kac1269]

My selfish side says "I wish half of these people would stay in side as well as trails are getting too crowded" :) My practical side says "What do you do if you do not play outside"?I agree with you!

[Dirtbaghiker]

I feel bad for the kids. They have no idea what is out there and how beautiful our land is..

[FromNH]

I feel bad for the kids. They have no idea what is out there and how beautiful our land is..

Not true, they play video games that have some resemblance to nature.
On a more serious note, it’s amazing how much happier my child is after a backpacking trip. I’ve heard from a few fellow Veterans that hiking helps them too with PTSD. It’s in a way what we went through but you don’t get shot at. Hard to explain.

[cmoulder]

Not true, they play video games that have some resemblance to nature.
On a more serious note, it’s amazing how much happier my child is after a backpacking trip. I’ve heard from a few fellow Veterans that hiking helps them too with PTSD. It’s in a way what we went through but you don’t get shot at. Hard to explain.

I think it's because when we're hiking we're concentrating on something completely outside ourselves, both mentally and physically.

To me, this is especially true when trail running or climbing a hill at a sustainable sub-maximal pace... not enough excess oxygen in the brain to waste worrying about other things! :)

[OneClick]

My selfish side says "I wish half of these people would stay in side as well as trails are getting too crowded" :)

LOL I won't hide it. That's me 100% Walking down the trail all by myself, then I see someone on the horizon and think: "what the hell is this guy doing? get outta here."

[alifeoutdoors]

It's not exactly shocking. We live in an age where people readily watch streams of other people playing video games, to site one small example. However as others have said, if I'm selfish and cynical, I say this is just fine, I'm seeking solitude when I'm hiking/backpacking/paddling etc and the less people the better. Of course then it's the obvious double edged sword, more people comes with a lot more benefits for wild recreation, wild places, keeping trails open, overall health of the population, tourist dollars, the list goes on and on. We never seem to achieve balance as we continue to move forward, we're always swinging between too little or too much.

The report itself is an interesting read, especially if you're into stats. There's a direct download link to the pdf at the beginning of the article.

[kac1269]

I have noticed that backpacking has gotten more "trendy"for lack of a better word. It is hard to find places that are undisturbed. I packed some scouts in to a beautiful lake. When we're got there, someone had left bind an entire camp of junk. An old tent, wrecked boots, all kinds of trash. We packed it all out of course! That is not to mention all the trash I find in almost all fire pits. I agree that people spend too much time indoors, they just need be better stewards of the land and be taught more respect for it. I always say I can't wait till "outside" isn't trendy anymore.

[cmoulder]

I have noticed that backpacking has gotten more "trendy"for lack of a better word. It is hard to find places that are undisturbed. I packed some scouts in to a beautiful lake. When we're got there, someone had left bind an entire camp of junk. An old tent, wrecked boots, all kinds of trash. We packed it all out of course! That is not to mention all the trash I find in almost all fire pits. I agree that people spend too much time indoors, they just need be better stewards of the land and be taught more respect for it. I always say I can't wait till "outside" isn't trendy anymore.

I've noticed that the farther into the woods you go, the less of this you see. It's just too much work for the typical lard-azz yahoos who trash places in this manner.

That said, earlier this year I hauled out a bunch of bottles and associated trash that somebody had left near Bald Rocks shelter in Harriman State park for a long time.

179552