Others Bug Me With This in the Backcountry!

"there was something in the air that night, the moon shone bright…"

WHAT, now I I cant smoke or be naked—WTF After a long hot day the first thing I do is strip naked and dive in a lake or creek. If you dont want to see me naked dont look and if you want to stare fine with me. Even in the middle of winter we taunt each other to see who will strip and dip. NAKED GOOD TOO MANY RULES BAD. Now im going to go strip smoke a twister and play my bongo. :)

"P.S. Any tips on quitting smoking are welcome"

Just say no. ;-}

1: Large groups of people that don't even TRY to be respectful of the experience of solo hikers and smaller groups: Up late making lots of noise, dominating the trail, splashing around in water sources, etc. Leaders of large groups need to educate inexperienced people on proper trail etiquette- Yielding to solo and uphill hikers, not taking breaks in inconvenient areas like narrow bridges, not leavings packs all over the trail when breaking, etc.

2: People with dogs who seem to forget that not everyone likes dogs, or who blatantly ignore signs prohibiting dogs. Unleashed dogs running on trails, chasing wildlife, jumping at my face when I'm trying to eat, splashing and muddying water sources, etc. Can't stand 'em, or more accurately, can't stand their owners. The presence of dogs in the backcountry and in National Parks tends to be an overwhelmingly negative experience for me. I'm LONG past being polite about this issue and now whenever I see someone with a dog where they obviously shouldn't be, I have some strong words for them.

3. Other hikers who are clearly unprepared through their own fault and want a handout. Like the SUPER-EXTREME-ULTRA-ENDURANCE-RUNNER guy out for a 50 mile day hike I ran into on Glen Pass on the JMT with no food, no pack, no jacket or sun protection, who literally had NOTHING on his person but shoes, spandex shorts and an 8 oz. water bottle who was… out of water and food. Schmuck.

Daniel,

My ex BIL took zyban for a few weeks when he quit smoking. It worked great. Now he thinks it's crazy he ever smoked.

Leave the nudists alone. They are doing the most natural thing in the world, and you don't have to look. They are not breaking any LNT rules either.

David, perhaps if you try hiking a bit more than a mile from the trail head you wont have these problems. I cant remeber the last time I have seen or heard anyone near my stealth site. This sounds more like car camping site issues and that goes with the territory. Ali

What if you bug your own self?

I can think of more than one time when hiking through a National Park with permitted backcountry camping sites that a group showed up at one of these sites with obviously little regard for others. This is FAR from the trailhead.

Certainly, many of these people are well-intentioned and are not aware that they are being noisy and disruptive. Heck, many are just inexperienced and enthralled with their backpacking experience.

But I generally have had really positive experiences in the back country.

Dirk

*Snaps fingers*. Ohhhh…. AWAY from the trailhead. I've been doing this "long distance hiking" thing all wrong, thanks.

True, many of these experiences occurred near trailheads, but nearly all while I was actually thru hiking a long distance trail. There are still scout groups on the PCT, youth groups out for day hikes on the Colorado Trail, groups of idiots who frequent AT or LT shelters, etc. Even exceptionally ill-traveled trails and routes like the Hayduke and SHR pass through high use areas. I have trouble recalling the last time I was bothered at a stealth site by people, but unfortunately, I can't hike a long distance trail while staying entirely at a remote stealth site.

Moreover, when visiting National Parks or other areas, sometimes it's just not practical to get far out in the backcountry- For example, if I'm just stopping for a couple days on a road trip. Regardless, I don't feel I should be expected to put up with other peoples rude behavior just because I'm in a popular area. I think the more popular a locale and the larger the group size, the more careful folks should be to be polite and respectful of the experiences of others. Unfortunately, it seems like the opposite is true.

David I read your Bio and it seems that you have done most of the US big hits. I have hiked for weeks in Mexico as well as many parts of Central America and never seen a soul maybe its time to head south or maybe north to Alaska. I hear you on the rude people but thats just part of life in the US we all think we are the center of the universe. BTW great pictures. Ali

I'm bugged when I'm hiking along and I encounter a group coming the other way and they ask 'how far is it to such-and-such a destination?' If it comes up in conversation about where they/you're headed it's not so bad but when it's obviously a I'm-done-hiking-and-don't-want-to-be-out-here it gets my goat. My automatic response to that question has simply become, "oh, not much farther." I answer that way no matter how much farther it might be.

Wow, you're a crank!

Haven't you ever been sore, tired, hungry, etc., and wondering how many more GD switchbacks you have to drag yourself to the top?

I'm also one of those people that follows the map on road-trips and constantly adjusts time/mileage estimates for the destination….so it's just a habit I drag into the backcountry.

Yay INTJ's.

"I'm bugged when I'm hiking along and I encounter a group coming the other way and they ask 'how far is it to such-and-such a destination?"

This is more of a river thing, but I don't know how many times I've been camped on the river, in the late evening, and seen some rental daytrip canoers go by and they ask me this. They basically might have less than 1/2 hour of usable daylight left and have several miles to go. It ranges from families with small children to drunk river dorks, and they are totally unprepared having NO gear whatsoever, besides their picnic cooler, not even shirts. I always give them a big scare and tell them they had better get on the ball and paddle as hard as they can, which is the truth! It just gets on my nerves and then I have to worry about if they ended up drowning in the darkness or something.

Based on the personality test results that were posted a little while ago, I am not surprised of the comments on this thread. Quite typical of Judging Introverts, No?

"Quite typical of Judging Introverts, No?"

That's priceless.

One thing for sure, this thread has made me appreciate off trail hiking more than ever.

Tom, I agree with your observation of popular float rivers and extremely rude behavior. I once had a couple float past my camp at dusk in chilly weather. They asked for matches (silly me; I thought to light a campfire) so they could light their cigs. They were soaking wet from dumping their canoe. The woman was wearing only a sodden sleeping bag, and she was already mildly hypothermic. They were both at least three sheets to the wind. The only sin they weren't committing (at least per this thread!) was that of the heinous boom-box. I was very concerned that they would die if I let them continue down the river, so I gave the woman some dry clothes and let them camp in my campsite. It totally ruined the backcountry experience I was having with my then 10-year old son, but at least I could sleep with a clear conscience. The last image I recall was the guy removing a steak from its styrofoam package, tossing the plastic into the fire, and then cooking the meat in the toxic smoke! My son and I broke camp early the next morning whle they were still sleeping it off, and we never saw them again.

My point is: sometimes you can't avoid stupid, obnoxious, rude or bothersome morons in the field, but most times you can just move on and leave them in your wake. They are usually too slow, lazy or unprepared to keep up with you, or to go to the places that require even a modicum of effort to reach. Like the OP, I don't like cigarette smoke either, but I just go upwind or far away from smokers so they don't bother me. I am not so presumptious that I think I can make them change their behavior in wide open spaces, so I just put more of that space between them and me. If people want to be stupid, that's their choice. My choice is to just avoid them as much as possible.

Jim,
Nicotine addiction is a very serious problem and it has nothing to do with a lack of intelligence.

Off trail hiking is the only way in the backcountry O/W 47th and Broadway or some version thereof.

My favorite part of this whole (silly) discussion is that it started with a post that simply says that people force Tad to hike their hike and he would prefer it if they hiked HIS hike.

I mean c'mon. Hike your own hike and understand that other people will do the same. Yeah, I'm bugged by certain things too, but I just tell myself that people have every right to hike how they want. Sure, often times people are inconsiderate and that really sucks. I'm an extremely considerate person so I get especially bothered when people are not empathetic. However, I understand that maybe these people think they are alone. Maybe they are not experienced hikers and since they can't see anyone they have this idea that there is no one around to bother. Of course this isn't true at some crowded campground, but I've never slept a night at a campground expecting solitude.

So basically, I respect the right of people to do their own thing. I may not always like what they do, but it doesn't bother me because they are not intentionally causing any real trouble.

Hike your own hike and respect that others will do the same :-)

Daniel,

I didn't mean my "stupid" reference to mean smokers per se. I know that nicotine addiction is a real curse, and smokers oftentimes have a very real physical and psychological need to have a smoke (my mother was a smoker for years, and even though she knew it was bad for her, she just could not quit.) Many smokers these days are aware of their impact on others, and many are courteous enough to try to not impose on non-smokers. If I offended you, I apologize.

By "stupid," I was referring to those who are unaware, or worse, who don't care, that their boorish behavior is taking away someone else's enjoyment of the outdoors or wilderness. Courtesy these days seems to be a rare commodity, not only in the backcountry, but in our society at large. Sad.

"I didn't mean my "stupid" reference to mean smokers per se."

There are plenty of intelligent people that smoke, but I think a lot of them would agree that smoking is a stupid thing to do. Heck, even I smoked for a few years, and although I'm not exactly smart, I'm not a complete moron. I understand that smoking is trending out in the U.S., although you wouldn't know it in southern Missouri or rural Arkansas. In fact, I think the numbers are up here, there's nothing else for economically and culturally depressed citizens to do. I hate to see the ill feeling towards smokers result in criminalization, we already have a massive problem with a judicial industry based on another smokable substance. (Heck, this is getting off topic.) Something that really bothers me on the popular rivers, at every fire ring on the gravel bars, you will see hundreds of cigarette butts. I don't think I've ever seen any other kinds of smokable "butts" though. ;-)

What I don't like is loud talking.

When I was hiking the PCT I was amazed how loudly people talk. Not other PCT hikers but the people we'd meet along the way. They shout at each other all the time. I figured it was the din of civilization still ringing in their ears.

When I returned home I could not bear the Sierra Club hikes I used to always go on. Why do people talk so fast, so much and so loud? Do you really need so many words?

It can be hard to know what is offending someone else. I mean, this shouting that everybody does is really just how most people talk. I've gotten used to it again. I guess the din of civilization is ringing in my ears again.

Andrew — Your entire post, ending with the following conclusion, is right on target:

"So basically, I respect the right of people to do their own thing. I may not always like what they do, but it doesn't bother me because they are not intentionally causing any real trouble.

"Hike your own hike and respect that others will do the same :-)"

I agree 100% with everything that you said. Thanks for the great posting that puts all of this in perspective.

JRS

Personally I avoid trails with people, and for sure campsites with other people, and usually avoid trails altogether. If there is a trail guide published for a given area, I avoid that too, unless it is likely to be sparsely used in "off seasons". Even a hiking partner is rare (unless a day hike with my wife). This way, I don't need to be concerned with any of these issues. Thus I have not been on the JMT or Whitney since 1971. However, I can find lots of great places to go in solitude.

If you insist on hiking where there are lots of other people, then it seems to me that you just need to accept the downside of "civilization."

:)

– Nick