Santa’s naughty list

[Paul Wagner]

Who’s been naughty?  Please feel free to add, delete, amend, correct, fold, spindle or mutilate:

Each year we put together a naughty list, and a nice list, to share our thoughts about this year’s adventures. Here’s the first part of that list:

Who’s naughty this year?

Idiots who deface our public spaces and parks, whether that be with graffiti, trash, or endless piles of stacked rocks. Just leave no trace. That’s all we ask.

Knuckleheads who make campground reservations and fail to show up—and fail to cancel them so that others could take advantage of the open space. It’s so sad to see campgrounds fully booked—and 30% of the spaces unoccupied.

One particular place in hell for the creep who stole our leveling blocks and step from our campsite one day when we were out on a hike in Kings Canyon. Grrr.

The multitudes of perfect people on the internet who have never made a mistake and are careful to second guess and point out the stupidity of anyone who has a problem in the outdoors. Sometimes stuff happens. And what you read in the news may not be the whole story. Shocking.

 

And let’s also include those who read about someone’s experiences and immediately point out what they are doing wrong, and why they should change. Hike your own hike. And let other people hike theirs.

Anyone who knows so much about the outdoors that they can ignore the rules. No fires? Well, I can build a small fire. Use a bear can? Well, I hang my food and have never had a problem. My dog doesn’t need to be on a leash, and doesn’t carry parasites…Etc. etc. Get over yourself. John Muir led domestic sheep into the Sierra, and damn near exterminated all the native sheep in our mountains. We have rules now, for good reason.

And yes, those silly people who think that the fact that they are tired, or thirsty, or just don’t want to hike any more means that they should call 911 and request a “rescue.” Here’s a tip: sit down and rest for fifteen minutes. Drink some water, eat a little something. and then get up and slowly start putting one foot in front of the other. You’ll be amazed how well it works.

[Marcus]

2nd the grafitti and trash sentiment for the Naughty list. In 2020 alone I erased a few hundred tags (~25 gallons of paint + many spray cans + many lacquer thinner rags) and collected over 250 gallons of trash from mostly greater Los Angeles folks (I know this because the trash and grafitti surged when LA county was still in lockdown but adjacent Ventura county was open. Our county sup’s needed to be smarter and follow whatever LA did. Not because it was right, but to keep the LA trash out of ventura. literally.) 2021 has slowed down somewhat, but its the off season now. I’ve moved large boulders into the parking area at my favorite spot blocking off about 80% of the parking. I have decided society is not worthy of that spot if they cannot (literally) pick up their own $h1t (Yes, dirty diapers and crusty poo logs are common at this spot, thus why I am now an environmental vigilante taking matters into my own hands. Cant plan for your own baby’s poo which you know will be an issue? GTFO my spot.) /rant

 

On the Nice list I’d like to nominate the Los Padres Forrest Association and Los Padres Forest Watch. the Assn does a lot of trail maintenance in my areas. The Watch fights against resource extraction in the LPNF.

You could show your support for the LPF Watch by signing their petition to stop logging on Pine Mountain (one of the last remaining mountians with large pine groves! please help us and sign the petition!) https://www.protectpinemountain.org/news/pine-mountain-project-approved

Also I’d like to nominate the BPL staff for the nice list, and especially Steven Seeber. This site generally has the best, most independent, factual and scientific information about backpacking gear on the interwebs. I value impartial, empirical information and BPL delivers! Steven’s articles on insulation are some of the only 3rd party independent scientific testing I can find around jackets and insulation in general.

[Paul Wagner]

Excellent notes.  Thanks for the additions, Marcus!

[jscott]

I clicked this thread and now I’m getting ads for an hbo series called The Sex Lives of College Girls.

[obx hiker]

^^ Dumb luck.   Hey for naughty I nominate all those elves who have slacked off instead of raking the leaves and etc…. ;)….. in Cali forests like Sequoia.

[SIMULACRA]

I clicked this thread and now I’m getting ads for an hbo series called The Sex Lives of College Girls.

YOU’RE WELCOME! ;)

[Ratatosk]

I live within walking distance of the Blue Ridge Parkway and the AT. Once or twice a season my girlfriend and I put heavy gloves on and walk the several hundred yards between my house and the BRP to clean all the trash people throw out of their cars. We get used needles, engine oil, snuff cans, enormously varied alcohol containers, tires, you name it. So #^$@ those people.

On the nice side, there’s the local AT club who do a ton of trail clearing work, the American Chestnut Foundation, and the occasional hiker we have over for dinner.

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