Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board SIBBG Approves Plastic Bags???

No, of course not, but my stroll up to Lone Pine Lake on Friday afternoon turned sour when I came across what was perhaps an abandoned campsite in the meadow just below the log crossing to get to LP Lake. Frankly, I was heartbroken, disgusted, incensed, and depressed at the same moment.

I had just cruised up to the cascade, and after taking a few shots, stepped back to the trail when something brown and wrinkled caught my eye. It was a tarp, which looked as if it had been left on the ground, unattached, and blown in the wind a bit:



On closer inspection, just above the tarp, there was, of all things, a fire ring. It was not old, not even damp until I dug down into it near the ground (meadow!!!). In fact, the rock ring was still warm-ish.



Upon initial inspection, there were garbage bags shoved into the surrounding stumps/trees:





I stashed the tarp so it wouldn't blow away, and resolved to return to the site after finishing my hike to LP Lake. But even though it was a gorgeous day, wisps of clouds blowing through, warm in the sunshine, I couldn't get the site off my mind. So I headed back, rolled the bags in the tarp, and started dismantling the fire ring. It was then I noticed bright colors off in the willows:



This was the food 'stash', in lightweight, cheap plastic bags purchased from Josephs (there were a few of their shopping bags in the mess). All backpacker foods: oatmeal, canned tuna, loaves of bread, jar of 'American' peanut butter (??), tortillas, hot chocolate, enough ramen for a month. Nibble marks abounded, and ramen packets littered the willows. It had just been left there.
When I packed it all up, here's what I had (weighed around 10-15#):



I carried it down to the Portal, then actually brought it all the way home because most of the Portal trash cans were FULL. According to Doug, the contracts for the garbage removal/bathrooms wasn't done yet. (Maybe he can elaborate?)

How does this happen? How can people be so callous? I would have been more appalled, but then I saw BobR's photos of the summit hut and the s#$%-bag that was there last Saturday was still there under the register.

I couldn't think of anything more to say or do. Except when I got back down to the portal, a group was asking me about conditions, and I begged them to bring down anything they see (garbage-related). A desperate plea? Probably. But where is the oversight? The permit quota season has arrived, but where are the basic services (like toilet service and garbage removal??). Shouldn't those be in place before the road is officially open? Or I guess the Forest Service would like the bears to be pulled in extra early because the garbage is just sitting there?

For now, folks, bring TP with you: don't count on the poopers to have any. Minimize your pre-hike trash. I'd apologize for the rant, but I just think this is one of the most important issues we face right now.

-L

PS: Avid posted that he like my other pics better. I don't blame him... And here's the rest from the hike to LP Lake.

i too am outraged by the knuckleheads that leave their trash in the wild.

i thought i was the only one who picked up after those losers.

i don't come back with nearly as big a bag as yours, but i bring back everything that i see that doesn't belong.

Hard to believe!!!
You would think someone who enjoyed the outdoors enough to camp or BP in the Sierras would have a deeper appreciation and level of respect to pick up after themselves. It is hard to believe that the "It is all about me" crowd have made it to the beautiful outdoors.That is just un-acceptable.

Wonderful set of pictures...It looks like the snow down lower is melting fast.

Very disappointing to see a fire ring and trash up there. That is wrong on many levels...........and to think it bothers me to see a candy bar wrapper on the trail.

Laura -

I was on the Whitney Trail 3 weeks ago, and saw the fire ring, which at the time was still on top of about 3' of snow. The trash wasn't melted out, so at the time just the ring was visible.

Kudos to you for picking up the trash -

Kevin

the usual suspects: locals or LA people.

Apologies to my friends in the Owens Valley and Southern California.

It likely was the four young San Jose guys that Dave G and I passed about 2 miles up the trail on Wednesday. It was about 3 PM and they were going slowly because of very heavy loads. The timing was right for them to spend Wednesday night there.

We saw only four other parties during our climb, all ascending the following day (Thursday) when we were descending. All of them were camping elsewhere on Thursday.

When we hiked down past that cascade, around 6 PM, I saw the tarp in the limbs of that big pine tree. I thought at the time that someone might have stashed it there to pick up on the descent. I didn't look around, so didn't see any trash.

By the way, one of the other parties we saw was a single guy camped at Mirror Lake. He must have gotten special permission.

The national and state parks and forests could use a lot more enforcement rangers. Unfortunately, it is not going to happen. Every time there is a budget cut, it's the parks and forests that take it on the chin. I read a few years back that Death Valley has lost 45 staff positions. We were hiking earlier this year in Chino Hills State Park and were passed by a group of off-road motorcycles. I snapped a picture and emailed it to the regional director. He said that he was hoping to get some money to fund a patrol ranger. Wasn't one of the main trails in Yosemite graffitied a few seasons back? The situation now is that the parks and forests are left to fend for themselves.

Nice job MooseTracks!!!
Its such a drag to find garbage and then haul it out.
My first trip to Whitney I found a tarp at Outpost.

Thanks for doing more than your part. I am taking my 12 year old son up in June for his first overnight trip. I am making damn sure that he understands that if he brings it up, he is bringing it back down. It is upsetting to see that kind of disrespect to our mountains. Sometimes we get frustrated by what seems to be "overregulation" but this behavior justifies it. At least I know that I am doing my part with my children..

Bob: Normally I would admire someone carrying a good size load... If your assumption is correct (and I would agree with you) is there anything we can do to report these schmoos? Since you didn't see them higher up, I would think they gave up (hopefully!). I know, I know, assumptions just make and a$$ out of u and me, but if they had a permit (which who knows if they even bothered with that little step in the process), wouldn't the FS be able to look them up and question them?? Cite them?? Ban them from reproducing??

I know resources are low, which is why I think we need to start 'policing' ourselves, and others we see. Jeez, I know I sound like the 'trail monitor' but this is ridiculous.

BTW: his pack reminds me of someone's...





-L

A few years back I was with a group hiking in national forest territory, we ended up getting blamed for a trashed campsite at a lake we didn't even camp at, and stuck with a $90 fine from the forest service. As annoying as the mess is, I wouldn't throw out accusations unless you are absolutely sure who it was.

That is quite the pack though, maybe they brought their xbox.

I am not absolutely sure. I am never absolutely sure about anything, and my friends will verify that I use that caveat often. However, I am almost absolutely sure about this, and that is why I used the word "likely." I considered listing the evidence here--and it is damning--but decided it wouldn't serve any purpose. This is not the audience for it.

Having said that, I share your concern about people jumping to conclusions, and it bothers me when I see it. My scientific bent teaches me to keep both feet on the ground, always. Many thanks for your post; I do appreciate the opportunity to elaborate.

By the way, I had occasion to hike past this site today. Moose did a good job of cleaning up. The only thing there now is a circle of ashes, with the rocks from the fire ring scattered around.

Good job cleaning up Moosie, but you're making me feel guilty for not bringing down the "pink plastic telescoping female hygiene application device" I ran across at Trail Crest last week.
Pack it in, pack it out seems like a pretty simple and logical concept to me. Must be bad upbringing
Dave

I don't know if it makes things seem better or worse, but I have been hiking in the Rockies, Sierras, Cascades, and So. Calif Mtns for almost 50 years and have always seen stuff like this. There's probably more trash now, because the mountains are used so much more, but it's a matter of degree, not kind. To balance, there have always been some people who go way beyond what is called for in trying to keep the wilderness clean and pleasant. A bigger budget for the NFS and NPS would be a great thing but since people won't even pay for decent schools I don't expect to see that.

Thanks, Moosie, the wilderness needs all the help it can get.

I hiked up to Lone Pine Lake on 1 May, and I noticed two tents near the cascade. I noted to myself that I had never seen that spot used as a campsite before. Since the subject is garbage, I'll mention that I found a bungee cord on my way down, and I picked it up and took it with me.

Thanks Laura! I remember you from a hike I was on once with Dave M on Mt Wilson. You scaled down the side of the trail to retrieve an old tire tube:

http://images.kodakgallery.com/photos2620/1/3/56/23/87/2/287235603109_0_ALB.jpg

I thought that was pretty awesome of you...obviously you're still on trash duty, haha. I vote for banning reproduction!

(I tried to put the pic on here...haven't quite figured out how to do that yet)

THANKS again!

> I tried to put the pic on here...haven't quite figured out how to do that yet

I think the Kodak site is like SnapFish -- you can upload and view pictures, and send your friends links, but you can't post a link to one of your pictures in a public message board like this.

I tried to access your picture above, and it won't let me view it.

You could try Flickr, the free site that Bob R and Moose Tracks use.

Some people are morons. but if you think that's bad, check this out: [Link]

Well..this is really ashame this happens.. I really don't understand the mind set of some people that do this! How could one not see leaving trash left behind in the backcountry as being okay? Yet they go out into a beautiful environment and they can do this..it does not mesh together..it really worries me what other stuff these people may be doing out there to harm the wilderness.

Laura sorry you had to come across that mess....I thank you for picking it up and packing it out with you...not a very nice thing to have to do...you are a good person to do that.

So could one maybe put some nice big posters saying Please pack out your garbage....maybe some don't know what pack it in pack it out means...using the word garbage or trash they may just get it..put them on the bathroom walls, bear lockers, where that scale is with all the other info posted...I don't know just a thought