FamilySherpa
Trail Wise!
Tangled up in Rhododendron
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Post by FamilySherpa on May 24, 2019 9:35:39 GMT -8
To protect our common interest? This just seems totally counterproductive. I realize its a (mostly baseless) opinion piece, but this is a well known & widely distributed magazine. Publishing this seems irresponsible at best. www.outsideonline.com/2396926/trail-runners-are-lazy-parasitesWe've already alienated Horseback riders. Mtn Bikers are nearing the point of being classified as trail terrorists. So we are going after trail runners next? Pretty soon its going to be hikers left alone, maybe bickering among themselves. We are killing the idea of power in numbers, which helps us in the fight to keep public lands public.
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crawford
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Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.--Edison
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Post by crawford on May 24, 2019 10:27:37 GMT -8
Similar issue happened in hunting over the issue of crossbows being added to archery seasons in many states. We, as a species, seem good at several thing: 1) working together for survival and 2) figuring out ways to better divide ourselves. Some find it easier to find difference than common purpose, some see making common cause with someone a bit different from themselves as "making a deal with the devil." I'm with you on this one.
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Post by High Sierra Fan on May 24, 2019 10:48:19 GMT -8
Looks like it’s a writing style. The actual details are rather hopeful. Solutions (the trail volunteer race requirement for instance) rather than just complaining.
“So there you have it. Signs of progress. But will trail runners outside of chill towns like Durango and Missoula get the message? Tough to say. They might not want to get their arms all swole doing manual labor. But I hope so, if only because, if that happens, then the trail-running and mountain-biking communities can shame the hikers into stepping up as well. Call me snitty, but there are 45 million of those lazy parasites.”
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RumiDude
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Post by RumiDude on May 24, 2019 10:55:08 GMT -8
It's an opinion piece, but not backed by good stats or good sense. I hate crap like that. Rumi
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davesenesac
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Post by davesenesac on May 24, 2019 10:56:58 GMT -8
Nothing new regarding human behavior... if different than me or are unknowns on the other side of the railroad tracks then must be an enemy thus deserves wrath.
Until sometime in the 80s, I was a Sierra Club member and also a snow skier. However there was a majority of free heelers in the cub and enough of them hated anything to do with resort snow skiing that it was not enough just for lawyers to block resort unreasonable resort expansions or new resorts where they ought not be but rather anything their lawyers could do to block and annoy resort snow skiing was encouraged. And they lost a lot of us as members.
People (esp politicians) need to learn to engage in reasonable calm logical discussion, compromise, then pragmatically allow some give and take.
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Post by Lamebeaver on May 24, 2019 10:59:48 GMT -8
I may be a contrary opinion on this one, but if a trail is so congested that people are fighting over real estate, then I would prefer to avoid it altogether.
I actually prefer trails that are poorly maintained...with downed trees blocking the trail, and washed out sections, specifically because it discourages horse and mountain bike traffic.
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rangewalker
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Agitate, organize and educate.
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Post by rangewalker on May 24, 2019 11:53:24 GMT -8
We do have an outdoor culture war going on. My number one issue I won't budge on is mountain bikes, or any mechanized vehicle in designated or inventoried wilderness. Do I like horses, llamas and often dogs on the trail, nope, but our companion animals have been with us, evolved with us for more than few millennia and I am going with the flow. In my area, horse groups like Backcountry Horsemen are doing much of the volunteer work. Also the organizer of the Bighorn Trail Run have a trail crew that does work and clean-up in thee Bighorn National Forest.
In Wyoming we do have a loose coalition called "Keep It Public" (KIP) of forty some organizations from sportsman groups, national, regional and place based conservation organizations, environmental NGO's (me and others), and active individuals fighting to keep public land public. I am going to the dark side and declare that the current political appointees among the Federal Land Managers are undermining their agencies and are in cahoots with legislators in UT WY MT and OR to either transfer management or title to public lands to the states. It is an energy first and the all the other factors in multiple use, from recreation to wildlife be damned. So far KIP has held center and had victories in Wyoming against some very well funded organizations like ALEC, the Cato Institute, the Liberty Group (Susan Gore) and urgings from our Congressional Delegation. We have one large Cycling and Mountain Bike advocate group who will not join KIP over wilderness. If there are not serious changes in 2020 in DC, we may lose these lands.
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Hungry Jack
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Living and dying in 3/4 time...
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Post by Hungry Jack on May 25, 2019 5:48:14 GMT -8
The first part of the article is identity politics at its finest: pick a substantial segment of a population, identify them in a highly visual way (short shorts wearing running on the trail), demonize them by accusing them of engaging in unfairness and damaging public assets, and don’t provide any data to back up the assertions beyond anecdotal observations. Brilliant.
That said, at least the author moves on to illustrate efforts of effective collaboration. So there is something useful written here.
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ErnieW
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I want to backpack
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Post by ErnieW on May 25, 2019 6:19:57 GMT -8
Which is worse for the trails: hordes of runners in lightweight trail shoes who probably never poop when on the the trail or hordes of overloaded backbackers pooping as they go? Backpackers clog up the trail with their big packs and move so slow. Lecturing people on leave no trace isn't a good way to make allies. And they are a god awful rainbow with the tacky colors of their gear. Have you ever gotten near one? They stink. Unsupported you can sensationalize any point of view. I like FamilySherpa 's question. We do have common cause. We love the trail.
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Post by johntpenca on May 25, 2019 8:06:59 GMT -8
It's an opinion piece, but not backed by good stats or good sense. I hate crap like that. Rumi Not sure I understand the topic. Just seems a way to create more division (as if we don't already have enough in this world).
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texasbb
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Post by texasbb on May 25, 2019 8:59:39 GMT -8
It's a way to create clicks.
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swmtnbackpacker
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Back but probably posting soon under my real name ... Rico Sauve
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Post by swmtnbackpacker on May 25, 2019 9:55:45 GMT -8
Trail runners don’t really create any more “impact” than hikers besides numbers (and would a fair amount be hiking anyways?), .. unlike the different ride characteristics of bikes, deep impact of horse hooves, etc.. If it’s a congestion issue on municipal trails, then they may need more trails geared to runners, or better yet, widen some trails to allow different users at different speeds.
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Hungry Jack
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Living and dying in 3/4 time...
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Post by Hungry Jack on May 25, 2019 11:07:46 GMT -8
My anecdotal experience is that horses do far much more trail damage than any other type of backcountry user discussed here. All it takes is some rain and a few horses to destroy good tread. It was very common during my trips in southern Illinois.
We should spend more time talking about the great organizations that lead volunteers in doing very good work. The Ozark Trail Association and the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative come to mind.
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Hungry Jack
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Living and dying in 3/4 time...
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Post by Hungry Jack on May 25, 2019 11:10:14 GMT -8
It's a way to create clicks. And cliques
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null
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Post by null on May 26, 2019 6:25:57 GMT -8
It was very common during my trips in southern Illinois. OMG as I was reading your post, the first thing that came to mind was the River To River trail. And then you go and mention Southern Illinois...
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