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peter707
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Joined: 16 Jun 2022
Posts: 136 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle, WA |
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peter707
Member
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 Wed Feb 01, 2023 7:34 pm |
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| HitTheTrail wrote: | | the core area is usually choked with hikers. |
Choked with hikers is somewhat subjective, but there's usually much fewer than compared to Colchuck Lake below, simply due to the substantial vertical gain required. What I meant is that if the trail is well defined, it's very possible to have 100-500 people a day travel on it with very little impact on the sides of the trail. But if the trail is hard to follow - such as with 50-ft-long bare rocks with no marking, people get to the other side of the rock in a variety of different places, and inadvertently trample while making their way back to the main trail.
People will have to deviate to get to the peaks of course, although for something like Little Annapurna there's a somewhat well defined trail.
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Joseph
Joseph
Joined: 13 Jun 2018
Posts: 260 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle |
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Joseph
Joseph
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Wed Feb 01, 2023 8:32 pm |
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| Waterman wrote: | | No to your question.
The real problem of hordes of hikers is those who insist on posting photos of scenic areas on social media sites,which leads more hikers to the same area. Even worse is posting gps tracks in off trail areas which leads to a informal footpath.
All of these activities lead to more impacts on the environment. More micro trash, firepits trampled fragile areas.
Leave a small footprint. Tuck your tent out of sight. Wear earth tone clothing. If you must post photos make an effort to scrub meta data.
People want to get out, education on how to have a low impact is crucial.
You want no crowds? Quarter mile off trail gets you what you want. Just dont set camp up in the veiw of others, be discreet. |
And leave the "fur baby" at home.
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Joseph
Joseph
Joined: 13 Jun 2018
Posts: 260 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle |
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Joseph
Joseph
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Wed Feb 01, 2023 8:43 pm |
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| snowmonkey wrote: | | If you can find an old copy of Ehrlichs The Population Bomb, read it. I was mesmerized and terrified in the early 70’s as I made my way through this under the covers and by flashlight. Just too many darn people. |
and of course Ehrlich was wrong in his predictions.
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Joseph
Joseph
Joined: 13 Jun 2018
Posts: 260 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle |
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Joseph
Joseph
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Wed Feb 01, 2023 8:54 pm |
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| NightOwl wrote: | | Schroder wrote: | | What is "the Wilderness Experience"? Not seeing other people? |
That, or at least not seeing people who look like they wandered in from a gym, running down the trail in short shorts with headphones on in a narcissistic bubble, etc. It means experiencing something more wild, sacred and selective. This is probably alien to the mentality of most people in our society, who just brush it off as "my problem". Maybe so, but I doubt I'm alone in this feeling. Hiking as an industry and hobby for the masses sucks; the more people and money are involved, the cheaper the experience gets. This may be my problem, but it's also your problem. |
"hiking as an industry and hobby for the masses sucks" - I'd argue its not really for the masses, as so many people never venture far from their homes. Its more a hobby and industry for the elites who have tons of disposable income and free time to go out into the wilderness. REI is expensive. Driving out to trailheads in your nice Subaru Outback or Forester requires $$. Just go to REI and take a look around you: you'll see tons of young people with $$. Social media is part of the issue, as is conformity. Everyone wants to do what everyone else is doing. And there is $$$ to be made by increasing the numbers of hordes who go to REI to buy expensive gear and gadgets and then hit the trails so they can post tons of photos on instagram - of course with them in the center of the photo of the beautiful lake or peak, or their fur baby. Its hard to afford all this stuff if you have kids - you're more likely to just go camping.
I think it will get more and more crowded, especially since there won't be new trails made (which there should). It will lead to rationing and permits required to use more and more of the wilderness. That is the future.
 Cyclopath
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zimmertr
TJ Zimmerman
Joined: 24 Jun 2018
Posts: 1225 | TRs | Pics
Location: Issaquah |
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zimmertr
TJ Zimmerman
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Wed Feb 01, 2023 9:15 pm |
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I dunno I just go out in the mountains and woods because it's beautiful, feels good, and improves my overall health and longevity. Not much more to it. Not really trying to conform or pad an Instagram or have a religious experience or anything.
I imagine most others feel the same way.
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Cyclopath
Faster than light
Joined: 20 Mar 2012
Posts: 7732 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle |
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Cyclopath
Faster than light
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Wed Feb 01, 2023 9:20 pm |
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| Joseph wrote: | | And leave the "fur baby" at home. |
Thems fighting words in some parts! 
Joseph
Joseph |
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BigBrunyon
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Joined: 19 Mar 2015
Posts: 1456 | TRs | Pics
Location: the fitness gyms!! |
[quote="peter707"]| HitTheTrail wrote: | | the core area is usually choked with hikers. |
That's due to the known fact that the Core Zone stands well above anywhere else. Many are known to train for years in order the compete at maximum relevancy on a Core Zone approach, many foregoing all other activities in favor attending the the fitness gyms!!! The people you see in other areas are only there because they Failed to gain access and get in at the Core Zone.
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Seattle_Wayne
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Joined: 12 Nov 2019
Posts: 104 | TRs | Pics
Location: Greater Snohomish County |
REI said their future is "uncertain".
Does that mean the weekend hikers and the instagram hikers are gone and off doing other things?
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Cyclopath
Faster than light
Joined: 20 Mar 2012
Posts: 7732 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle |
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Cyclopath
Faster than light
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Mon Feb 06, 2023 10:55 am |
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| Seattle_Wayne wrote: | | REI said their future is "uncertain".
Does that mean the weekend hikers and the instagram hikers are gone and off doing other things? |
It means everybody already stopped hiking. The trails are completely empty. You'll be the only one.
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bccarlso
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Joined: 05 Aug 2011
Posts: 174 | TRs | Pics
Location: Tacoma |
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bccarlso
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Mon Feb 06, 2023 3:28 pm |
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| Seattle_Wayne wrote: | | REI said their future is "uncertain". |
Wait what? Where? LOL yeah right.
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Slim
This space for rent
Joined: 31 Aug 2004
Posts: 560 | TRs | Pics
Location: Falling off a turnip truck |
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Slim
This space for rent
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Mon Feb 06, 2023 4:25 pm |
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| bccarlso wrote: | | Seattle_Wayne wrote: | | REI said their future is "uncertain". |
Wait what? Where? LOL yeah right. |
REI Announces Layoffs
"Lean mean money-making-machines serving fiends"
"Lean mean money-making-machines serving fiends"
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slabbyd
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Joined: 21 Jun 2005
Posts: 293 | TRs | Pics
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slabbyd
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Mon Feb 06, 2023 9:02 pm |
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Need separate thread for how terrible REI is for anything other than mid-level "outdoorsy" clothing brands and water bottles.
solohiker
solohiker |
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zimmertr
TJ Zimmerman
Joined: 24 Jun 2018
Posts: 1225 | TRs | Pics
Location: Issaquah |
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zimmertr
TJ Zimmerman
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Mon Feb 06, 2023 11:22 pm |
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| slabbyd wrote: | | Need separate thread for how terrible REI is for anything other than mid-level "outdoorsy" clothing brands and water bottles. |
Strong disagree. Especially regarding their return policy.
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BigBrunyon
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Joined: 19 Mar 2015
Posts: 1456 | TRs | Pics
Location: the fitness gyms!! |
As someone who knows the gear, I usually win the argument with the sales employees. I always win vs the employees because I know the gear.
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altasnob
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Joined: 29 Aug 2007
Posts: 1406 | TRs | Pics
Location: Tacoma |
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altasnob
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Tue Feb 07, 2023 8:06 am |
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| Seattle_Wayne wrote: | | REI said their future is "uncertain". |
REI didn't say their future was "uncertain" as if they may go belly up. They said they are facing “increasing uncertainty” that justified the layoffs.
I am no REI fanboy, but if REI were to close, there would literally be no brick and mortar stores for me to buy hiking stuff in the Tacoma area other than places like Walmart. REI is all we have down here.
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