READERS COMMENTS

I was solo hiking camping over Thanksgiving & a couple with 2 dogs set up camp about 50 ft away, with a German Shepard & Pit Bull. I love animals & it was clear the dogs were enjoying their "freedom". They would come near me & bark, but owners assured me they were just playing.

The next morning, the Pit approached me a few times barking, like she had before, but she lunged & bit me on side/back of my knee. I kicked her & she ran off. Thank goodness I had been cold and put on 2 pr of thermals in the night. She didn't break skin but I have a huge bruise & had to cut my trip short. (Not to mention scared crap out of me!)

So my suggestion is to keep your dogs leashed.
Posted: Nov 27, 2011 Native Atlanta Girl

To Ed in Maine.
No. The fact is the slower hiker has the right of way, it is the responsibility of faster hiker to pass safely when they can. Same rules apply for Alpine or Nordic skiing, same rule for boating, same rule for automobiles.

I do not condone blocking the trail, keep right where possible so faster parties can pass on the left, but the slower party is under no obligation other than keep right where possible. If the trail is narrow, cool your jets and wait until it opens up so you can pass safely. Leave the city attitude in the city, it does not belong on the trail.
Posted: Aug 09, 2011 R English

About cairns: they have their place and can be very useful in showing you the right way to go, like say on the large open granite flat we were on a couple days ago. The trail that exited on either side were diagonally across this little plateau. The cairns saved you looking across either side and maybe creating your own trail and tramping on nature that didn't need the extra wear and tear.

BUT!
1) We don't need cairns on both sides of the trail directly across from one another.

2) We don't need cairns every 50' or even closer.

3) We don't need cairns on perfectly obvious trails that are tramped through the bark or crushed rock where even a visually impaired hiker could find her/his way.

4) We don't need cairns where there is no branch, no side trail, no possibility of getting lost.

5) We generally don't need hikers adding to the clutter or cairns - let the park service, forest service, etc put up cairns as they see fit.

Many, many hikers put up cairns because they are CUTE! Maybe to you while you are passing through but not to me. They are visual clutter, ego trips, look-at-me-Ma! reminders that man rules this place. I go into the back country to be with nature, not reminded of how you can stack three rocks together.
Posted: Jul 25, 2011 Terry

RE cairns

We just finished hiking Arches Nat'l and Canyonlands in Utah. Cairns are everywhere, and for good reason. They're used to mark the trail to keep (or attempt to keep) people from stepping on and damaging the cryptobiotic crust. This crust (which is everywhere) takes decades to grow, and is one of the primary reasons for vegetation growth in the desert.

So if you feel you must remove a cairn because it doesn't look right, just remember your single handedly do much, much worse to the desert ecosystem.
Posted: Apr 29, 2011 mxshiel

Who are you people? I like to have fun out there and sometimes I might try and bounce an echo off a cliff or in a ravine-kids are told to be quiet all day long and you'll turn them off with Shhhhh in the outdoors. Also, a horse person on the trail told me to keep talking to the rider as they pass and a horse is less likely to spook.
Posted: Apr 03, 2011 Hoghiker

my two cents:
DESCENDING hikers always have the right of way.
It's more difficult for them to stop.

Posted: Apr 01, 2011 Ryan F.

To the website administrator:
I just noticed that whenever I refresh the page in order to view new posts that it re-enters my old post. I always wondered why some posts were up here numerous times, and refreshing the page seems to be the culprit. It would be helpful for viewers if you could work on that. Thanks.
Posted: Apr 01, 2011 nerrek

My 2 cents worth.

I grew up in the outdoors, and was never let to be unruly or loud out there. It's naturally more respectful. Yet at 41 years old I love nature. I also support numerous environmental groups. Clearly being well mannered on the trail doesn't need to lead to disliking nature.

I love nature 1000 times as much as I like most people these days. People have proven to be rude, arrogant, lazy, self gratifying, and generally disrespectful of most things other than themselves. And everyday it becomes more popular to behave that way.

I know a number of very wonderful people into the outdoors, but that list grows shorter every day.

People have these discussions often, because they all too often run into these kinds of problems from others.

In short, EVERYONE NEEDS TO TREAT EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING, ALL THROUGHOUT LIFE NO MATTER WHERE, WITH ALL THE RESPECT THEY WISH TO BE TREATED WITH, LIKE WAS DONE IN THE DAYS OF OLD! Then there wouldn’t be any need to have these colorful discussions.

I’m not religious, but this hits the point home. “Do unto others as ye shall have others do unto you.”

Posted: Apr 01, 2011 nerrek

I agree with cairns rule provided they are on an established trail that is marked on a map. If the trail is on a map one should expect some sort of guidance where there is no tread to follow. However, if they are off trail, where a person is doing their own route finding they should be knocked down. If you get everyone hiking from cairn to cairn there will soon be a trail/path that lacks the erosion control engineered into maintained trails. I've been in off trail locations where there are two or three trails, some of which are badly eroded, in a place where there should be no trail. Sometimes, if I'm day hiking in a tricky off trail situation, where there may be cliff bands or other obstacle, I make small cairns on the way up and knock them down on my way back.
Posted: Apr 01, 2011 Alan

Large groups hiking close together should give the right of way to solo hikers or couples.

Faster hikers coming up from behind should be allowed to pass. It seems logical and almost always takes place but I have had people intentionally block the way as if they were on the last lap of the Daytona 500.
Posted: Apr 01, 2011 Ed in Maine

For all of you without kids. Understand that sometimes you have to let them be loud. Sometimes they have to run around and be unruley. Why, because if they don't have FUN they wont grow to be hikers and ecoligists. Part of learning about the outdoors as a kid is listening to the eccos off the canyon walls, splashing in the steam, and flipping over rocks. Yes silence is good but they are costantly having to be quiet in school public transit you name it.
Posted: Apr 01, 2011 Daniel

Re: noise. When we hiked with our kids in Glacier, we were TOLD to make noise - lets the grizzlies know you're there so they can avoid you rather than having a surprise encounter.
Posted: Apr 01, 2011 Julie

Cairns may be unnatural but are considerably less unnatural than trail signs. On the east end of the Uintah Highline trail hiking west from Highway 191 to the Leidy Peak trailhead there is relatively no trail. Very few hikers ever attempt this section of trail so cairns are critical to wayfinding. The topo map trails, and therefor any route created for a GPS, are off by over a half mile in some places on the first twenty five miles of this trail. Without cairns it is very easy to get lost. Thanks to those who take the time to build cairns and thanks to those who leave them alone! Those of you who think you are doing nature a favor may be placing a fellow hiker in danger. Think about it.
Posted: Apr 01, 2011 Utah Hiker

Cairns are not natural and should be torn down unless they serve a true purpose. if someone has trouble finding a trail in summer or winter then they need to stay in more established areas. with the reasoning used above we should leave old fire rings that others have built and not torn down. i would hate to be on any trail and come across a fire ring every 100 yards.
Posted: Apr 01, 2011 bolen

I don't agree with keeping your phone buried deep in your pack. If you take a spill and become immobile, your smart phone could become your lifeline. I would recommend keeping it put away, but somewhere you can reach it without taking off your pack.
Posted: Apr 01, 2011 Jon

A courtesy rule I normally follow is taking the "outside" of the trail in a meeting engagement with approaching hiker(s) while on a side slope. Naturally, "common sense" and the nature of the trail must be taken into account. Oh yeah -- we can't have everyone taking the outside or we may all go "over the side".
Posted: Feb 27, 2011 Huh

If you're gonna poop or pee be alert to camouflaged wildlife cameras in order to avoid being caught in the act. Such cameras are installed along the Appalachian trail for wildlife research purposes.
Posted: Feb 27, 2011 Cmntr

I always yield to the descending hiker. when a trail is steep, the downhill hiker has gravity working with her/him and might be harder to stop... I just stop going uphill and enjoy the opportunity to take a breath. I just think it is safer. And, of course, in a tight, precarious spot forget rules...safety always dictates who yields.
Posted: Feb 23, 2011 helen

If possible, clear the trail upslope.
ALWAYS clear the trail for pack trains. Keep still and quiet--a spooked horse or mule can injure you, the rider, or both.
Keep quiet! The backcountry is no place for loud talking, etc.
Be friendly. Offer info about trail conditions, safety hazards and so forth, without being a know it all.
If someone is hurt, lost or scared, STOP AND OFFER AID! Sometimes just a word of encourgement can make the difference. Other times your good deed may save a life!
Smile! Sure your feet hurt, your neck is a little red, there's a rash on your butt, and your upset because you left that Snickers bar melting in your car. So what! If you're not enjoying this stuff enough to show it, go take up golf or something....
Posted: Feb 20, 2011 Mono Mindy

It doesn't happen often..but should you encounter horses and riders approaching, remember to step off the trail until the horses or mules or burros pass you
Posted: Feb 19, 2011 Paul

ADD A COMMENT