|
Post by hikerjer on Sept 4, 2015 18:01:14 GMT -8
I hike, on occasion, with several people who are annoyed when they meet what they consider, too many people on a trail. Too many varies from 2 to 3 parties in a day to significantly more. One guy even gets upset if he plans a trip based on planned seclusion and comes across anyone. He kind of views the area as his own personal fiefdom even though it's public land. While I don't particularly like hiking with large crowds of people, I really don't mind coming across an occasional hiker or two while on my hike. I, however, like to camp alone. I also realize that on certain trails, in certain areas, say in national parks, the trail is just going to be crowded. Just the nature of the place. In that case, I guess you just have to go in with the proper mind set. How about you? What do you consider crowded when hiking and at what point do you start to become annoyed, justified or not?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2015 18:42:01 GMT -8
I don't mind meeting folks if that is the sort of hike I choose to take. And I've had fairly good luck predicting where I won't and where I might meet other hikers. As a result, I've had countless days and nights when I met no one at all. On the other hand, I've met some very interesting folks when I chose that sort of hike.
In some areas and some times of year, it's to be taken for granted that I'll meet someone — if I stay on trail. I rarely use any trails except occasionally as a route to get to a better off-trail area. Because I go mid-week, the trails that I may spend a little time on are virtually never "crowded" and often are nearly deserted.
I definitely want to camp alone, and I make my plans accordingly by avoiding popular camping areas. So far my luck has been extremely good. But I'm willing to extend a hike past what I had planned to avoid others — and even into the night hours if necessary.
For a couple years, I did almost exclusively night hikes and absolutely never met anyone on trail or off. I kept saying to myself, "You know, if I met the boogeyman himself on a night hike, he'd be as spooked as I would." But he was never there — and neither was anyone else.
|
|
|
Post by High Sierra Fan on Sept 4, 2015 19:04:23 GMT -8
On the trail? Pretty much don't care. As long as, say, I'm not incessantly being caused to stop as groups troop by. Now I can't abide noise: I was out recently and some jerk across a rather large lake was loudly yelling at his "troops" to muster them for their grand adventure. Hell I was eight hundred plus feet away and I thought he was too loud, can't imagine the people right next to him were very comfortable.
I do prefer to settle down for the night alone, but I pretty much can always arrange that, I tend to go for elevation over nearness to water for instance.
|
|
|
Post by hikerjer on Sept 4, 2015 19:06:27 GMT -8
Ah, Travis, he was there. You just didn't see him. Boogeymen are like that.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 4, 2015 20:44:01 GMT -8
Ah, thanks for the reassurance, Jer. Heh, heh.
|
|
|
Post by trinity on Sept 5, 2015 4:57:30 GMT -8
I don't really mind it, usually. I don't get away very often, so when I do I am very careful to plan trips that will be sparsely peopled. The few people I do run into tend to be like-minded, respectful of the wilderness, and rather interesting. It is almost always possible to get away from people, so I figure if I run into crowds it's due to poor planning, and that's on me.
|
|
tarol
Trail Wise!
Redding, CA
Posts: 582
|
Post by tarol on Sept 5, 2015 5:45:06 GMT -8
Like you said usually I know what to expect based on how popular the area is so I don't get uptight about it. Mostly I hike during the week so usually have the place to myself, or with an occasional retired or vacationing person
|
|
toejam
Trail Wise!
Hiking to raise awareness
Posts: 1,795
|
Post by toejam on Sept 5, 2015 6:17:42 GMT -8
I love to meet people on the trail. I've even had people crash my campsite and enjoyed the company. I hate camping near noisy people and plan most trips to camp where there will be few if any other people.
Got a local spot picked out for tomorrow night - the crowds think it's too hot, too dry, and too far to hike.
|
|
leafwalker
Trail Wise!
peace on earth and good will toward all - om shanti
Posts: 526
|
Post by leafwalker on Sept 5, 2015 7:33:32 GMT -8
Like others have said, "I know what to expect based on how popular the area is so I don't get uptight about it". If it is a big group going the same direction as I am I pull off and take a break and let them get ahead of me a ways. Usually, I tend to get moving pretty early and the trails are not busy then. Later in the day more are out, but it is what it is. Beside, it is sometimes it is kind of nice meeting a few people (note "few") and maybe stop and visit for a bit.
|
|
|
Post by calidream on Sept 5, 2015 8:30:46 GMT -8
One thing about people I meet on the trail - up the trail, past the day trippers - is that nearly all are people I'd like to know. Same as Toejam, I'd rather camp where not too many people are.
|
|
BigLoad
Trail Wise!
Pancakes!
Posts: 12,946
|
Post by BigLoad on Sept 5, 2015 8:56:56 GMT -8
I've run across some egregiously huge groups in wilderness areas. One was a dayhiking group of over 50 people that arrived that the trailhead in two full-sized school buses. Another was a boy scout troop that divided into subgroups of 15 to fool the rangers, but reassembled at full strength at camp. Other times it was less coordinated. The last time Mrs. big_load and I camped near a small alpine lake (on a weeknight), we were joined by 38 other people, most of them in two other maximum-sized groups.
|
|
BlueBear
Trail Wise!
@GoBlueHiker
Posts: 3,224
|
Post by BlueBear on Sept 5, 2015 10:45:17 GMT -8
I'm on board with the "be reasonable about your expectations" notion. This past summer I took my kids backpacking, twice, to a popular alpine like not far from a nearby trailhead. Both weekends we had at least 10 other parties camping at the lake, made for a somewhat crowded place but the kids still found it completely awesome and we had a good time. I recall at the second weekend running into a party (another with kids) who was yammering on about how crowded it was, how much this sucked, etc. Meh, it's what you make of it. If my kids needed absolute solitude to enjoy the wilderness, we woulda gone elsewhere (and at times we do). I didn't expect it there, but we still had a great time. The kids each met other kids they could run around with, explore a nearby "cave" (more a divot in the rocks, but hey) and tell tall tales with.
I understand some surprising disappointments, like folks blatantly breaking the rules and ruining it for everyone, there's a need for appropriate rules and boundaries. But those who demand solitude, go to the blank spots on the map without trails and (even better) without names. They don't seem quite as appealing to brag about on facebook, but they're there, thankfully.
|
|
zeke
Trail Wise!
Peekaboo slot 2023
Posts: 9,888
|
Post by zeke on Sept 5, 2015 14:16:28 GMT -8
I know a couple of places where it bothers me to have others in the same camping area. Other than that, no big deal to me.
|
|
|
Post by Lamebeaver on Sept 5, 2015 16:38:14 GMT -8
I've even met people hiking off-trail, where you'd never expect to see anyone. I think we'd like to think we're the only ones who know these special places, but there are others out there like us. That's not necessarily a bad thing.
|
|
Woodsie
Trail Wise!
Colorado
Posts: 272
|
Post by Woodsie on Sept 5, 2015 18:30:23 GMT -8
If I want to avoid crowds, I can do that by going where fewer people go. In general, I don't mind running into folks on the trail. After all, they are out there for the same reason I am.
I love being outside and hiking. It would take a lot for me to consider a trip ruined because of too many people. You can make yourself miserable on a hike if you choose to do so, or you can accept whatever comes your way and have a great time. I choose to do the latter.
I do get upset with people who are loud or who have no respect for their surroundings. Don't go picking the wildflowers or carving your initials on a tree, okay?
|
|