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Report unknown scenic spots?
Yes! Knowledgable locals be damned.
23%
 23%  [ 12 ]
No! Keep all the hikers on well-known trails.
76%
 76%  [ 40 ]
Total Votes : 52

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TellimaChris
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Joined: 02 Jun 2019
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Location: Bellingham, Washington
TellimaChris
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PostTue Jul 28, 2020 3:20 pm 
If there's a spot that is not named on any maps or discussed anywhere on the internet, but is of exceptional scenic beauty and has a good boot trail and camp spots .. is that something that should be trip reported here? On the one hand, just having information on the internet about it will inevitably increase visitation, perhaps ruining the wilderness solitude and anger the few that currently do know about it. On the other hand, it's unlikely to convince anyone who wouldn't ordinarily go on a hike to try it, and if anything it would just shift hikers off more popular trails. Plus, why be selfish and hoard all the nice spots to yourself? Any thoughts?

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moonspots
Happy Curmudgeon



Joined: 03 Feb 2007
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moonspots
Happy Curmudgeon
PostTue Jul 28, 2020 4:08 pm 
TellimaChris wrote:
If there's a spot that is not named on any maps or discussed anywhere on the internet, but is of exceptional scenic beauty and has a good boot trail and camp spots .. is that something that should be trip reported here?
No. 40, 50 years ago, sure. Not now with all the idiots trampling all over. If "they" want to see scenic, let them go find it themselves.

"Out, OUT you demons of Stupidity"! - St Dogbert, patron Saint of Technology
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Bosterson
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Bosterson
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PostTue Jul 28, 2020 4:34 pm 
TellimaChris wrote:
if anything it would just shift hikers off more popular trails. Plus, why be selfish and hoard all the nice spots to yourself?
Digital LNT. There is no moral obligation to "share" online. It's a repeated fallacy that choosing not to do so is somehow selfish or restricts access. All public lands exist on maps. Trying to disperse crowds away from popular areas is also a fallacy, akin to "reducing" traffic by widening highways.

Go! Take a gun! And a dog! Without a leash! Chop down a tree! Start a fire! Piss wherever you want! Build a cairn! A HUGE ONE! BE A REBEL! YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE! (-bootpathguy)
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Randito
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Joined: 27 Jul 2008
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Randito
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PostTue Jul 28, 2020 4:43 pm 
Given the availability of high resolution satellite imagery and stuff like Strava Heat Maps the concept of "secret" locations is silly. However the phenomena of "Instagram hikers" people that choose destinations largely to be able to replicate someone else's selfie is a thing as well. Posting on Sociallist Media does raise the profile of a location and increases the chances of the location being "the next hot spot".

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Waterman
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PostTue Jul 28, 2020 4:49 pm 
I could list quite a few very scenic spots. Most places or general areas have names. Posting specific information leading others there is something I'd never do, as evidenced by my posting zero trip reports. For me half the fun is doing the research finding these places. Finding others who have been there before. Old maps, old guide books are great resources. The price paid can be quite high in suffering which tends to weed out those less willing to work for the hidden gems.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference. Robert Frost
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Anne Elk
BrontosaurusTheorist



Joined: 07 Sep 2018
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Anne Elk
BrontosaurusTheorist
PostTue Jul 28, 2020 4:54 pm 
There are still secret spots?

"There are yahoos out there. It’s why we can’t have nice things." - Tom Mahood
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cefire
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cefire
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PostTue Jul 28, 2020 5:08 pm 
moonspots wrote:
No. 40, 50 years ago, sure. Not now with all the idiots trampling all over. If "they" want to see scenic, let them go find it themselves.
lol, there were plenty of idiots 40 years ago. Heck most of you are still here

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Ski
><((((°>



Joined: 28 May 2005
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Ski
><((((°>
PostTue Jul 28, 2020 5:19 pm 
you did not list my option.

"I shall wear white flannel trousers, and walk upon the beach. I have heard the mermaids singing, each to each."
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Cyclopath
Faster than light



Joined: 20 Mar 2012
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Cyclopath
Faster than light
PostTue Jul 28, 2020 5:38 pm 
If there's a boot path from other people visiting, a great view, and satellite imagery, it's not that secret. There's no hard and fast rule on whether you can post a trip report or not.

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BigBrunyon
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BigBrunyon
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PostTue Jul 28, 2020 10:18 pm 
Only I have secret spots!!! Whatever you think is secret, look - im gettin' into way more secret locales.

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Chief Joseph
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Chief Joseph
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PostTue Jul 28, 2020 11:01 pm 
Yes! ^ I think people should just post photos and no location info. That ship has sailed, too many miscreants will soil fragile areas that they have yet to discover, let's not help them. As I have told some, I won't tell you where it is, but I MIGHT take you there...well, after you swear an oath and such. wink.gif O' and PS....we might very likely get lost.

Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
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Washakie
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PostTue Jul 28, 2020 11:58 pm 
Anne is right. As the Beatles sang on one of their first albums....DoYou Want To Know A Secret?...there are no longer any secret spots. The clostest thing to a secrete spot is one that is really difficult to get to...many may know of it, but few are willing to take the effort or time to go there.

"What is the color when black is burned?" - Neil Young "We're all normal when we want our freedom" - Arthur Lee "The internet can make almost anyone seem intelligent" - Washakie
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Bedivere
Why Do Witches Burn?



Joined: 25 Jul 2008
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Bedivere
Why Do Witches Burn?
PostWed Jul 29, 2020 12:16 am 
Washakie wrote:
The clostest thing to a secrete spot is one that is really difficult to get to...many may know of it, but few are willing to take the effort or time to go there.
I'll argue that's not necessarily true. There are still some lightly visited places that are fairly easy to get to but are lightly visited because they have no official trail to them and because they haven't been bragged about on social media, yet. See the thread about the NWH&C Facebook group for examples of the role that social media plays these days in driving visitations to particular areas. Look, the bottom line is you're free to post whatever you want. If you know of a cool place that doesn't see a lot of visitors and you'd like to keep it that way, keep your trap shut about it. If you don't care that the next time you go there you'll find ten fire pits in ridiculous places, sh## and toilet paper and other garbage strewn about, not be able to find a camp spot, have to listen to someone's terrible music on their portable speaker and defend your food and campsite from their uncontrolled dog, post away.

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slabbyd
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slabbyd
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PostWed Jul 29, 2020 12:12 pm 
Not adding anything new here but there are precious few, reasonably accessible, scenic spaces left, not overrun by decidedly non-wilderness size crowds of hikers. I've got three spots off 542 I routinely visit with my family that have very limited internet exposure and still offer complete or almost complete solitude. Yet both are surprisingly close to some of the most crowded hikes around. Enough people visit both though that I think there lack of internet exposure is intentional. Both were "discovered" by looking at a map and taking a chance of potentially wasting a day on something that wouldn't pan out. Maybe leaving these places to people willing to take a chance is not a terrible thing. Trip Reports have a dramatic impact on visitation. I believe last fall someone posted a TR on the Bath Lakes High Route with excellent imagery. A day or two later in a stadium full of people, a couple guys behind me were excitedly talking about the TR, how they had never heard of it and how they needed to get there. So please, please keep it to yourself.

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borank
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Joined: 16 Dec 2001
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borank
Lake dork
PostWed Jul 29, 2020 12:24 pm 
Some of my most memorable trips are ones where I unexpectedly stumbled upon an amazing view or a lake with great fishing. I think discovery is way under-rated. Sure, if you have a great trip, you might want to extend the experience and revel in it by talking to others. I just think it's important to minimize the details, especially online. Leave some room for others to "discover" a destination or a route. Don't add data to a world wide searchable database for anybody, anywhere to discover details 5, 10, 20 years in the future. I try to let a good trip fill me with an afterglow of accomplishment and positive energy and leave it at that - not be too braggy or smug. But then, I'm not super social either. I think it's worthwhile to avoid anything that could potentially bring more unintended usage to locations, especially in wilderness area. Just my two cents.

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