A word to the wise for old folks with old gear. Passage of time is not kind to leather and plastics or particularly glue used to fasten soles on boots. Beware of old hiking boots or old style crampons with embrittled leather straps likely to snap under stresses of hiking after spending years in closets, attics, or basements. Speak of the devil - I just erected some tents stored in less than ideal conditions and found elastic shock cord had totally lost elasticity. I'm thinking of replacing shock cord, but plastic materials of tent and rain fly appear to have lost whatever strength they once had. I suspect it is time to just take the tent out to the curb. Spend some of that retirement money on purchasing new. Tendons anyone???
Spend some of that retirement money on purchasing new. Tendons anyone???
I agree it sure sounds like poor planning. That trail is almost impossible to lose until the point where it crosses the top of the cascade. From there its a bit confusing as it crosses a couple of boulder fields that were not well marked when I did it a 3 or 4 years ago.
I sure would not assume anything about family dynamics. Older folks sometimes do not want to be reminded of their relative level of ability, the dad could have have been dragging his daughter up the mountain.
This is when one of man's greatest inventions steps in.View attachment 6695
The trail is on the Great Gulf Wilderness. The only blazes would be those left over from pre wilderness days.
I would be hard pressed to think that someone who depends on wholly electronic means using online resources would pause to read and understand a warning sign, they are routinely ignored. IMHO high usage is going to lead to occasional rescues. The rational is that accidents will always happen to someone else.
Is there any warning or info provided to hikers from away regarding the idiosyncrasies of our “wilderness” areas?
For example: You are entering a designated Wilderness area. Trails are unmaintained, poorly marked and difficult to follow.
Seems like a good idea. Or am I from the ranks of the Nanny State?
There is signage at the point where a trail crosses the boundary into a Wilderness. I found this on Dailey's site,
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zYyAFOLMb...8Fwyo8yI/s1600/The+Beasts+of+the+East+096.JPG
There is similar signage on the majority of trails entering Wilderness areas. I really am not aware of any that are not. I think the smaller lower signs are not as prevalent.
I am not aware of any specific public warnings that a trail is transitioning from a trail that is theoretically marked to USFS trail standards to the lower standards used in a Wilderness area.
OK. The sign in your post gives no indication that the nature of the trail the hiker is currently on is about to change and quite possibly become difficult to follow. That's my point.
In addition to listing the things you cannot do in the wilderness zone, it seems almost negligent not to mention the potential changing nature of trail condition and marking.
After all, we do it for above tree-line access points.
(The irony of the GG "wilderness" is when you pop over the headwall you are 200 yards from the summit building!)
OK. The sign in your post gives no indication that the nature of the trail the hiker is currently on is about to change and quite possibly become difficult to follow. That's my point.
In addition to listing the things you cannot do in the wilderness zone, it seems almost negligent not to mention the potential changing nature of trail condition and marking.
After all, we do it for above tree-line access points.
(The irony of the GG "wilderness" is when you pop over the headwall you are 200 yards from the summit building!)
The sign says "Expect primitive conditions in this area with few signs and rough trails that may be difficult to follow." Isn't that more or less what you said should be on such a sign? They passed no less than 3 iterations of that information before stepping foot into the Wilderness.
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