Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Leave no trace...as in nothing, nada, zip.

Had a brilliant summit on Monday and packed out of Trail Camp Tuesday. HOWEVER, even though the masses haven't invaded yet, there were already empty fuel cannisters, a daypack, nalgene bottles, pieces of tent poles, bits of trash, unused (fortunately) wag bags and other camper effluvia that should have been packed out. (This was new trash, too.)

I'm not trying to sound like the pope or anything, but double and triple check that you're packing everything out. And if you want brownie points, walk around and pick up anything else you find (like we felt compelled to do).

That's all.

Good work SBS
Had to do that last year.
Guess some of us dont need our parent there to watch over us.

Thank You SBS!! We always carry a trash bag in our packs to leave the trails just a little bit better than we found them.

It boggles the mind that someone can be at Trail Camp (or anywhere else for that matter) and be so unaffected by the majesty, power and beauty of the mountains that they can leave their trash without a second thought. But, unfortunately, we all know and have encountered the type. (If we could just figure out a screening process...)

It's more than a screening process; it's an education process too. I've been taking my 8 and 5 year old kids hiking quite a bit the past couple of years, and the thing I stress the most (after safety, of course) is "take only pictures, leave only footprints." Once they see the natural beauty of the places we visit, they understand how important it is. I'm hoping it remains with them for the rest of their lives.

How anyone can leave litter in the mountains, or in any wild area is totally beyond me!! Something I can't understand at all...it really boggles me how these people that do this cannot see what they are doing is wrong. And I take it personally.
Gosh empty fuel canisters...who are these people? They come to hike up to a beautiful area & then they leave there trash behind, it is totally disrespectful to the earth. I do see it every once in a while, and it is very sad to me, I bend over and pick it up. What is really bad is finding fising line which I have seen quite a few times & I always pick it up an pack it back out with me. There is no excuse for leaving trash in the backcrountry. sbsslowpoke thank you for picking it up and packing it out!

Stupid people do stupid things that ruin it for the rest of us who respect the wilderness. I wonder what their houses or apartments look like? Probably live like slobs. How would they like it if some bear "dumps" in their yard? Please, please, keep it clean for the next group of hikers and backpackers. Thank you to those who clean up for those who can't.

Thats right. "Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, and kill nothing but time", right....

I was there over the weekend and we camped across the snow on the rocks to the left (looking at the mountain).

I am sure I know the group that left this mess. They were loud with no consideration for those camp right next to them and they left a sick person high on the mountain. With that in mind I am willing to bet it was them that left this trash! They we a stain on what was other wise a truly amazing trip.

I would like to also thank you for your help in keeping this place as it should be. The world could use more people like you!!!

THANKS!

Hi BFrank,
We were there on the 5th-6th, so it was another sloppy group.
Sad but true.

I read your other post about the "lone ranger" and can empathize with your anger. The thing that gets me is that I, like you, spend hours (days, weeks) planning trips for myself and others and make sure that just about every possible problem will have a ready solution. We use our experience for our own safety and optimal enjoyment. Having to bail someone out of a mess (or the completely unfair burden of responsibility) that stemmed from ignorance and no planning is what is so frustrating. I think a lot of people with a "who cares?" attitude have come to rely on those of us who do care.

Regardless, I'm going through Sierra withdrawal. (But, I just picked a week in July to take my daughter out through Cottonwood to Rock Creek to fish and perhaps do a side trip up Langley---hopefully, we won't have to haul a bunch of trash out, but if we do, it's a small price to pay for the rewards.)

It surprises me where the trash problem rears it's ugly head....

For instance, a couple of years ago, I did a solo cross-country leg of a trip over Milly's Foot Pass to Lake reflection, where I picked up another trail. Off-trail, in the middle of no-where, at lake 12013 just below the pass I set up camp for the night.

After dinner, I'm walking around barefoot with an after-dinner beverage, just kinda poking around and enjoying the sunset. I stepped on some broken glass from a beer bottle (of all things) that left a pretty nasty gash on the instep of my left foot.

After patching myself up as best I could, and making the decision to high-tail it back to civilization for medical attention, I returned to the site and picked up all the glass I saw and packed it out with me.

Took three days of tough hobbling to get back out to Onion Valley where my car was.

Final damage: 8 stitches, two cut ligaments, a lot of pain, and a trip cut short due to someone else's stupidity and inconsideration to others.

So, not only is trash unsightful, it can be life-threatening.

I pick up trash I see on the trail and in camps, I *know* most on this list must also. We need to police those around us who are uneducated.