Landscapers ― if you disturb a scene, do you restore it?

[ROL]

You don't need a sign-its always in the trail guides and other literature. I can't ever remember being in a National or State Park that didn't make a point of staying on the established trails.

A remarkably poor understanding of such signs and park literature. Those signs are normally placed in areas of habitat remediation, the point being to confine further damage to the existing trail itself, or for the safety of visitors in exposed, frequently used areas. The guides and literature referred to are not for seasoned wilderness travelers, but the casual and uninitiated visitor. In some few cases, such as in the cutting of park maintained switchbacks, the near trail or road tramping of desert cryptobiotic soils, having fires in restricted areas, or crapping in a river corridor, you may be in violation of park rules, and may even be fined if caught. But when not in heavily used areas, and even off trail in popular ones, you are free to be a happy wanderer, whether you're climbing the walls, running a river, or hiking and skiing cross country, with or without benefit of existing or maintained paths.

[Vaughn]

I think Kirk understands quite completely.

I had a California State Park ranger get on my case for being off-trail. I explored up a little creek/canyon just off the road and she saw me coming back to the road, and back to my car. I thought it quite strange. She also pointed to my beer in my hand and said alcohol could only be drank in picnic areas and campgrounds. I just said, yes, yes and she left. I grabbed the 11x14 and headed back up the little canyon...without a beer, though.

The canyon ended at a 15 foot tall 5 foot wide vertical wall of mixed gravel (a 'plug' of gravel in the creek bed) with two small waterfalls coming down it. The canyon is a few feet to 10 feet wide, walls perhaps 25 feet straight up. Covered with ferns if that section of wall has remained intact long enough. I must have stepped on the wrong rock -- a couple years later that 'plug' blew out. Must have been all my fault for going off trail!
rightwrong place! An incredible with the pyramid shape and the two waterfalls.

Below are two images of the canyon -- both 8x10, a carbon print, and a platinum print (with my boys)

The Falls came over the plug, and was photographed first. The second was taken a few years later, walking about 10 feet past where the wall was (no climbing). Both taken looking up canyon.

[Kirk Gittings]

A remarkably poor understanding of such signs and park literature. Those signs are normally placed in areas of habitat remediation, the point being to confine further damage to the existing trail itself, or for the safety of visitors in exposed, frequently used areas. The guides and literature referred to are not for seasoned wilderness travelers, but the casual and uninitiated visitor. In some few cases, such as in the cutting of park maintained switchbacks, the near trail or road tramping of desert cryptobiotic soils, having fires in restricted areas, or crapping in a river corridor, you may be in violation of park rules, and may even be fined if caught. But when not in heavily used areas, and even off trail in popular ones, you are free to be a happy wanderer, whether you're climbing the walls, running a river, or hiking and skiing cross country, with or without benefit of existing or maintained paths.

Really? I've never seen one of the signs or literature say "except for seasoned wilderness travelers". Nor when approached by rangers did any of them say "oh your a seasoned wilderness traveler-you can go wherever you want". Do you have to pass a test to be designated that or is that just what you tell yourself--"it applies to everyone else but not me-"i'm a seasoned wilderness traveler".

For me I don't make excuses for my actions. I sometimes skirt restrictions to get good images from unique point of views. I always try to understand unique issues in an area and minimize my impact but in all honesty-mea culpa-I'm so addicted to good images that I let my desire overpower my good judgement sometimes.

Interestingly, when doing artist residencies at national monuments etc., where (despite being warned not to) I also stray outside the boundaries, it seems inevitable that the images obviously taken from out-of-bounds are the ones they like the most and want reproduction rights to use. Go figure.

[domaz]

You don't need a sign-its always in the trail guides and other literature. I can't ever remember being in a National or State Park that didn't make a point of staying on the established trails.

Denali NP doesn't even have established trails. You are expected to hike off-trail there. You can also get permits to hike and camp in areas not accessible by trails, at least you can in the Washington NPs I visit often (Olympic, Mt Rainier etc..). You are always expected to not tromp on delicate landscape like Alpine Meadows though and around high-traffic "touristy" areas there is usually no off-trail travel allowed either.

[Kirk Gittings]

AAMOF they encourage bushwacking in Denali! From the guide:

Denali National Park is an area that predominately without trails. Hikers must travel crosscountry. Be prepared for uneven terrain and possibly streams and brush. Many rewards await those who take the challenge of hiking without a trail in the backcountry of Denali: spectacular vistas, possible encounters with wildlife, and the experience of traveling the land much as the first explorers did.

[SergeiR]

In Bryce, you will have a cryptogamic crust that took years to develop. I don't put footprints in that stuff, ever

yup. About 50 years, afaik.

T.R.E.A.D Lightly is quite good on educating people about this stuff. Pity that people dont want to get educated and crapping around like maniacs.. Efter easter jeep safari you always want to just do some manhunt with large caliber or just heavy stick... I lost count how many bottles i cleaned out there through few years of regular visits to Moab area.

Basically there is nothing wrong with "disturbing" landscape, if its not breaking lay of land or doesnt screw up existing vegetation. Theoretically you do want to leave place like it was before you. Minus trash, if possible/needed.

[Jody_S]

The only park I've ever felt compelled to 'stay on the trail' was Yellowstone. I read the signs, and while I do like lobster, I don't feel the need to lobsterize myself. I also refrained from petting those friendly-looking bison on the side of the road.

[Two23]

Woodland scenes or whatever, if I move a branch, I generally just break it off and toss it to the side.

I sometimes use a chainsaw.


Kent in SD

[coops]

I always have a chainsaw in the back of my truck. Tree in the way, no problem.

[Drew Wiley]

I thought the whole point of going to a Natl Park etc was to get off the trail. I've sure got
some bruises and scratches right now for following that philosophy the last two weeks.
Even my boots are being repaired. Any my buddy on that trip ended up with an expensive
Zeiss MF lens in the creek, another with tweaked front threads, and two legs broken off
his Gitzo carbon tripod - an interesting sight with squiggly hemlock branches duct-taped on to replace the legs! But I am conscious not to trample delicate mosses or, in the desert,
fragile soil crusts. I am always reminded of the Moab area in Utah, where thousand of nature-loving trail bikers have probably done more overall damage than bulldozers during the era of uranium exploration.