Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Big Pine vandalism FYI

Reported by my friend Steve Eckert on another board:

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Just returned today from the eastern Sierra. Met a fellow hiker at our
motel in Lone Pine who was ripping out the remains of his shattered
windshield, so that he could see to get home. (The repair guys in town
told him it would be three days before they could find a replacement).
He, along with approximately twenty other cars at the North Fork Pine
Creek Trailhead parking lot (west of the town of Big Pine, CA), had
their windows shattered over the Labor Day weekend. In addition, his
also had a slashed front tire.

On my way out of town, I stopped at the Visitor's Center, and questioned
the rangers at the desk. Two of the three I talked with hadn't heard
the report, but the fourth was able to confirm the hiker's story.
So far, the Inyo Register and the Sierra Wave haven't reported on it.

Eckert

Yep, I was one of the lucky winners there with two smashed windows. Mine were both side windows so at least I could get home without wearing goggles. Nothing stolen from inside the car. Sherriff was there investigating but wasn't hopeful about catching these aholes.

I don't understand why people feel motivated to do things like that - the consequences for the car owners, complete strangers to the vandals. And, it doesn't make for good press for the town of Big Pine in general. 20 cars. I left my car in Big Pine for the White Mtn Open House in August, and I admit that I was worried about vandalism. I hope the police find out who did it and somehow find a way for the vandal to make restitution.

Replacement for BIG DOG Sherpas?

Ken

Thanks for the info regarding vandalism. I was thinking about going up there and now I will re-think things.

While we are on the subject, I was just wondering if any other parking lots in the Sierras have had a lot of trouble with vandalism over the years from humans (thus excluding bears and marmots)

The Old Fashioned Way is known as vigilantism. This is the 4th outdoor board on which I've seen this suggestion advanced. If you have never seen or read The Ox Bow Incident, let me cast it in a form relevant here.

I go out on a hike for several days and return to my vehicle only to find that I left the keys in the trunk. After circling it a couple of times to see if I can break in easily, I weigh my options and decide to break a window to gain access. Meanwhile, due to prior break-ins of which I knew nothing, several pissed-off hikers have staked out the area. They jump me and hang me from a nearby tree. Later, one of them looks in my wallet and determines that it really was my car.

Oops!

I for one would appreciate being questioned by a 'passerby' if I were breaking my own car window. And, so long as I was not out there solo, I would question someone breaking a window. I don't view it as "vigilantism," rather, as being a good neighbor (or brother or sister or citizen or countryman).

Alon

With Big Pine being only a short distance from Bishop, I'll bet some bored do-nothing teenagers from Bishop found their way up there and "had some fun."

These broken window sprees happen occasionally all over the country.

I would bet if they would wait a few weeks to allow the perps to boast to a few friends about their stunt, and then post a $1000 reward, they just might find the guys.

I was obviously not talking about people asking questions. I have no problem with that. I was talking about taking the law into one's own hands. One of the suggestions I saw on two other boards was to hide near a parking area and shoot people who broke into cars. After some discussion, it was still clear that this was a serious suggestion. I was not sure what "the old fashioned way" meant here, but "shoot first and ask questions later" is one concept that is often associated with that phrase. "Excuse me sir, is that your car?" is not.

I don't think taking the law into one's own hands is the answer. But I do support punishing those caught and convicted by a jury of their peers with DEATH. Or let me take them on a hike. .................................DUG

A fate worse than death???

When I spoke with the sherriff he indicated there had been similar problems up at the South Lake trailhead. I have a home in Big Pine and you could leave your house unlocked and go away for weeks without loss.

There has been some local Owens Valley unrest over proposed wilderness bills that have pitted one side against another in town hall meetings. This level of anger demonstrated was way beyond the "high school kids pranks" in my opinion. Couldn't help but wonder if this was someone associating hikers with a cause they couldn't personally tolerate.

Can you point us to specifics?

I think the issue of the homes on the Whitney Portal Road, comes to mind.

Specifics has more to do with Barbara Boxer's wilderness legislation where some are for it and others view it as a threat to their freedom.

http://boxer.senate.gov/features/wilderness/index.cfm

I'll read it later.

Also, the town meetings disintegrated into hateful name calling, throwing curses at the 'environmentalists', interruptions of their presentations, etc. It got really ugly (if not pathetically juvenile) here in Bishop.

The next time something like this happens, my advice to the first person on the scene is to PRESERVE EVIDENCE.

By that, I mean, LOOK at the ground. Do you see all those footprints all around the cars with the smashed windows? Wander on down to where the road leads into the parking area (by walking through the brush). Do you see the tire tracks leading in and back out?

Those footprints and tire tracks literally could be used as evidence in locating and prosecuting the culprits. An old technique, but one that is still used and admissible in court. I took a class from one of the formost trackers in the world (former San Bernardino County Sheriff officer), and he has literally tracked suspects for miles right back to their home.

Now, that may not be likely, but the tracks and shoe prints could still be matched up to a suspect at a later date as part of a search warrant.

Hoping there won't be a next time, but just a thought.

ClamberAbout,
The sherriff and I talked a bit and since I oversee a Police Academy we yaked a bit about evidence. Each case was in a paved area so they could not trace tire prints. From what we observed I would say one was driving while another reached out the window with a bat or crowbar and bashed the windows.

Moosetracks (Laura) really defined the tension over this issue. Never know if that is what led to this but was just something that crossed my mind.

So all is not well in paradise, it would seem...