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pnw_transplant PNW Transplant
Joined: 07 Sep 2020 Posts: 4 | TRs | Pics Location: Portland, Oregon |
Made the mistake of jumping into a group backpacking this weekend at Tuck & Robin Lakes in the Alpine Lake Wilderness (without knowing anything about the area). Big mistake. Arrived to the trailhead around 10:00am to find cars parked half a mile down the road and then leading all the way up to the three parking areas. People everywhere. Not to mention the hundreds of people dispersed camping along the entire forest road to the trailhead. Hiked up to Tuck Lake (one of the harder trails to backpack due to the sheer elevation gain in the last mile up to the lake) and it was just overrun with people. Toilet paper tucked into the underbrush in a lot of spots. People camping RIGHT next to the water. Attempted to hike up to Robin Lake and again, nowhere to camp. We could have camped on ground cover but we knew it was not the right thing to do so we had to head back down. Found a campsite lower in the forest and then day hiked back up to hang out at the lakes.
Trail conditions: super dusty, lots of people too. Wear a mask if for nothing else to keep the dust out of your airways (got a bad sore throat from it!). Good shade during the morning but definitely heats up in the afternoons. No bugs, but probably because we had a steady breeze the entire time.
Note: I know how discouraging it can be to backpacking somewhere and to find there are no established campsites available, but please do not create new sites by camping on delicate ground cover. Go in with the mindset that you will Leave No Trace, no matter what, and be prepared to pivot plans if need be. The health and preservation of our natural spaces is more important than you're desire to camp somewhere.
Happy trails everyone.
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Chief Joseph Member
Joined: 10 Nov 2007 Posts: 7701 | TRs | Pics Location: Verlot-Priest Lake |
That's really old news for us, but thanks for the update. Research is your friend, welcome to the site.
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
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pnw_transplant PNW Transplant
Joined: 07 Sep 2020 Posts: 4 | TRs | Pics Location: Portland, Oregon |
Yeah usually I research my own trips to death but made the mistake of trusting my friends do the same and didn't so much as google this place.
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philfort Member
Joined: 02 Sep 2003 Posts: 443 | TRs | Pics Location: seattle |
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philfort
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Mon Sep 07, 2020 11:58 am
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Did a day hike in that area yesterday (near Mt Daniel). Plenty of folks camped on the meadows around Peggy's Pond, some right on the shore (although in general that area didn't seem too crowded). Just seems like a lot of new people in the woods not knowing about LNT.
That line of parked cars was insane, but arriving at 6:30am there were some empty spots right at the trailhead. Seems like a lot of people left Sunday evening too.
Also saw:
- Several vans of trail runners, I dunno if it was some event
- A family standing in the middle of the forest road, shooting into some meadows... seemed like a bad idea with so many people around
- There's some type of "commune" along the forest road that sprinkles boulders across the road to attempt to slow people down. If you had a low clearance vehicle you'd probably have to clear some of them out of the way and potentially have conflict with the people
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olderthanIusedtobe Member
Joined: 05 Sep 2011 Posts: 7708 | TRs | Pics Location: Shoreline |
Sigh. It seems like a lot of places are pretty much ruined now. At least I got to visit some of them while they were still okay.
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pnw_transplant PNW Transplant
Joined: 07 Sep 2020 Posts: 4 | TRs | Pics Location: Portland, Oregon |
Is it just me or has this summer been absolutely insane? We've only been in the PNW for three years but even some of the spots we like to frequent because no one is there, we'll arrive at the trailhead and there will be 10-15 cars.
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philfort Member
Joined: 02 Sep 2003 Posts: 443 | TRs | Pics Location: seattle |
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philfort
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Mon Sep 07, 2020 1:00 pm
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I think it's primarily two things:
1) COVID, forcing people into the mountains since there is nothing to do in the city
2) A few of the social media apps/groups (WH&C, alltrails), which have the effect of concentrating people in a handful of areas happen to be most instagram-worthy at the moment.
(2) is obviously a long term issue, so the only solution is to monitor those groups and see where not to go.
A few times this summer I've been pleasantly surprised at how uncrowded a trail was (Monogram Lake and the Loowit trail on St Helens come to mind).
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seattlenativemike Member
Joined: 06 Oct 2012 Posts: 524 | TRs | Pics Location: seattle |
pnw_transplant wrote: | backpacking this weekend |
This was a large part of the problem sadly
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Malachai Constant Member
Joined: 13 Jan 2002 Posts: 16092 | TRs | Pics Location: Back Again Like A Bad Penny |
Wait until larch season
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
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reststep Member
Joined: 17 Dec 2001 Posts: 4757 | TRs | Pics
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reststep
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Mon Sep 07, 2020 1:41 pm
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Did you check Granite Mountain Pot Holes for camping spots?
I suppose with the crowds all the spots in that area were taken also.
"The mountains are calling and I must go." - John Muir
"The mountains are calling and I must go." - John Muir
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Outdoorsman Member
Joined: 24 Jul 2014 Posts: 3 | TRs | Pics
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Timing is everything. My son and I were just at Tuck and Robin Lakes / Granite Mt / Potholes / Trico a week ago Sunday through Tuesday, and other than passing many on their hike out the first day, we saw very few people.
Granted we don't always have the option for a weekday trip, but it provides a greater opportunity for solitude when you can make it happen.
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Dick B Member
Joined: 06 Jun 2013 Posts: 345 | TRs | Pics Location: Redmond, Or |
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Dick B
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Mon Sep 07, 2020 4:47 pm
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Hiking has ramped up down here on the Deschutes, out of Bend, also. Last Tuesday my wife and I arrived early and did the easy loop around Todd Lake. Not many cars when we left the lot, but it was full when we got back at 10:30. Drove down to the Green Lakes/Soda Ck TH and it was nearly full. Went on to Devils Lake and it was full also. Those hikers were probably heading up South Sister, or off to the PCT to hike thru the wilderness. We got our hiking and back packing in years ago. Often we were often the only ones on the trail. Not so now, and this summer has been the worst.
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MyFootHurts Huge Member
Joined: 22 Nov 2011 Posts: 912 | TRs | Pics Location: Kekistan |
Dick B wrote: | Hiking has ramped up down here on the Deschutes, out of Bend, also. Last Tuesday my wife and I arrived early and did the easy loop around Todd Lake. Not many cars when we left the lot, but it was full when we got back at 10:30. Drove down to the Green Lakes/Soda Ck TH and it was nearly full. Went on to Devils Lake and it was full also. Those hikers were probably heading up South Sister, or off to the PCT to hike thru the wilderness. We got our hiking and back packing in years ago. Often we were often the only ones on the trail. Not so now, and this summer has been the worst. |
That Cascade Lakes Highway is like the I-90 of bend.
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Randito Snarky Member
Joined: 27 Jul 2008 Posts: 9512 | TRs | Pics Location: Bellevue at the moment. |
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Randito
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Mon Sep 07, 2020 7:20 pm
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I'm shocked, shocked I say that one of the most scenic destinations in the state with no limits on overnight permits was crowded on a Labor Day Weekend with perfect weather.
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BigBrunyon Member
Joined: 19 Mar 2015 Posts: 1456 | TRs | Pics Location: the fitness gyms!! |
Need to reinstall grizz specially at Robin lakes!!! Area needs a solid predator presence. Has for a while! Keep these hooligans out. Keep em out.
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