Bad Behavior

[Jack H.]

Yesterday, I came across some backpackers in a tight desert canyon in Arizona. They were cutting down one of the areas six trees. As I passed, I simply asked "What's up here?" "Firewood." I believe that they knew they were in the wrong, as their answer suggested defensiveness. "It was already dead." It wasn't, I pointed out that the trees don't have leaves because it's winter. "Someone had already started to cut it." I moved on, disappointed by other's behavior.

Cutting down rare trees for firewood in the desert is bad behavior.

What's some of the bad behaviors that you've seen outdoors?

[Ken Helwig]

Jack, that is pretty bad. I know I can come up with some. Though yours is pretty messed up.

[John Nausieda]

Trees seem to get the worst treatment maybe because they can't scream-hacked cambium with a hatchet or a saw usually when green and when they won't even burn. Or nails pounded into them or slow death-nylon rope left from some clothesline or pitch that slowly girdles them. People doing dishes with soap in Alpine lakes or streams is pretty low as well. But personally when I'm base camped in the Cascades it is people rolling in to my campsite at 11 or later with headlights and cellphones and plenty of noise and camping ten feet from me in an undesignated site in groups of three to believe it or not one night about 75 people celebrating the graduation of the Bend Culinary Institute all night long. And when fire season is critical people insisting on a fire that they don't even cook with or need. 30 years ago when Canyonlands was still wild and Moab had nothing more than garages that sold tires and a Mormon butcher and 2 cafes I saw people burning 100 year old wood regularly and guys torturing rattlers for fun. We're not the best animals out there.

[Ken Helwig]

John, that was sooo perfect. Great post!

[John Nausieda]

Hey since you dug it a real memory. We were in Arches again 30 years ago camped in a couple of dinky canvas tent's and our Landcruiser. We were almost asleep when all of a sudden this big back-up light is coming towards us on a huge Spam-Can or Winabargo as we said back then. We run out of our tents yelling "Stop Stop" This guy and his friends are from West Germany . Luckily my brother knew a bit and he didn't run us over.They hadn't even seen us. We talked to the ranger that night . Young guy. He said "They'll run that generator all night.Here take this rubber ball. Stuff it up their exhaust pipe. Drives 'em crazy. It will start , but then it dies. Ha Ha. " Edward Abbey Country.

[EndoftheTrail]

Shame!!

[cary bertoncini]

Dishwashing directly in alpine waters is high on my list. I was in Dusy Basin once and walked by a climbers' base camp–the adjacent stream was full of all kinds of leftover food from their dishwashing. They were basecamped there for two reasons: one member of the party had elevation sickness and was attempting to acclimate, and they had been hit by a rampaging bear because they didn't secure their foodstuffs properly and had sent one party member back to town for resupply. That was high on the disgust list.

Almost every trip above treeline in the Sierra I find at least one helium balloon carcass–spent balloon and ribbon. I hate the release of helium balloons.

My friend and I packed out one night near Carson Pass at Roosevelt Lake due to incredibly loud drunken voices past midnight. We couldn't sleep and decided to just hike out under the full moon, partially to avoid killing the partygoers if we happened across them the next day.

[James Marco]

Dying in a mountain lake.

We were camping at a mountain lake. About an hour after sundown a group showed up and paddled across to a point. They set up a rather loud noise maker, causing the loons to yell every little bit. They were partying rather heavy. About midnight one of the guys got in the canoe they brought and tried to paddle over to where we were camping (my wife and two daughters 4-5.) He tipped the boat over and drowned about 60' from their shore in the 40F water.

[Chris Kosiba]

I do alot of climbing as well as backpacking, and one problem I've run into the the kids in a campsite 200 feet away finding a way to blast dave mathews, blows my mind.

[Michael Haubert]

I hate the booze-related, high-volume shouting, partying crowd. I've even been around groups that erupted in fist fights. You want to take a snort and hit the sack? Great. Want to grab a brew with your buddies after hiking in? Fine. But if you can't handle your liquor, leave it at home.

[cary bertoncini]

dying is definitely bad form–very inconsiderate.

i am reminded of the guy either schizophrenic or tripping on something like acid or mushrooms who crept into our campsite at Henry Coe two years ago. soon after, several of his comrades began searching for him, yelling his name. I think Bob Gross may have even spoken (or tried speaking) with him.

[James Marco]

Yeah, he really ruined the fishing.

[cary bertoncini]

What is the fishing there–Lake Trout?

[Ken Helwig]

@ James, wow what a way to end a trip on a somber note. Hope your kids had no ill affects.

@ Chris, anyone listening to Dave Matthews should be castrated. PERIOD.

Folks, do your own thing and do not infringe on others, simply said.

[cary bertoncini]

I like Dave Mathews

But I certainly wouldn't want to hear him or anyone else when I was in the backcountry

[James Marco]

No, I was up in the Adirondacks. That's where I usually spend any time off.

Mostly brook trout, well, not really a trout…

[Larry Dyer]

Cat holes. Dig them. Use them. Cover them back up.

I don't want to see your f-e-c-e-s chillin' in the open air <20 yards from established camp sights with gobs of toilet paper still stuck to it.

[Chris Kosiba]

I agree, I am not a Dave fan. My friend actually tried to "convert" me by buying me tickets to a show…I went…and walked out because I was bored out of my mind. He just stands in one spot the entire show. I was raised on punk (think: Racid) and while I don't frequent those shows any more, I need artists to move at least a little bit during a 3 hour show.

[Bob Gross]

"I think Bob Gross may have even spoken (or tried speaking) with him."

I have no idea what you refer to.

–B.G.–

[cary bertoncini]

One of us–and I'm pretty sure it wasn't Nate Meinzer–or was it!?, tried to talk to that guy. I KNOW it wasn't me–I was off to the side on the edge of that berm that served as the dam/levy. I remember looking out through my bugnet and seeing that guy leaning against the tree–I thought it was right by where you (Bob) had set up camp?

[Bob Gross]

Since I have never slept inside Coe Park, I guess that lets me off the hook.

–B.G.–

[cary bertoncini]

I think I must be

coulda sworn you were on that trip two years ago

[cary bertoncini]

maybe I am experiencing a potassium deficiency (judging from my misspelling of Jay's last name above…ha)

[te – wa]

i agree, music on a loudspeaker (audible for 50' or more) has NO PLACE in the woods. want to listen to your ipod? do it at home in a backyard barbeque setting.
of course, when you bring up the topic that their music is not desirable, they argue. I even had one undesirable tell me "if you dont like my music, dont come hiking with me"
thanks for this invitation, but im one step ahead of you. even worse, this rancid attitude came from an experienced, well diciplined and influential leader of a hiking club. i of course, quit that hiking club.

i have seen even worse things like gunshooting from a forest road, directly into the forest where trails exist (i was unknowingly shot at, several times while hiking with my 1yr old baby) and its just irresponsible and stinky. I had to yell "theres a hiking trail over here" and lo and behold, half an hour later while i was camped about 1/3 mile away, the shooting started again.

same goes for my last pet peeve, destroying local scenery. cutting down a live tree is nearly as bad as destroying petroglyhs. just plain Ignorant!
stay out of the wilderness and keep your watered down, fizzy yellow alchohol-water at the nascar race, where it belongs.

off my soapbox now. peace out.

[cary bertoncini]

in El Dorado National Forest

someone was firing a rifle from across the canyon–the bullets were whipping into the ground, ferns and tree trunks only 10-20 feet from me but probably almost a half mile from the other side of the canyon–can't even imagine what they thought they were shooting at (pinecones in trees above them or something?)

so i started screaming as if i'd been hit

the shooting stopped

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