The Brothers Wilderness Abuse

[dmTabke]

Myself and two friends did a day hike last weekend up into the Brothers Wilderness in the Olympics. It was upsetting to find three large groups camped at "climbers camp," and the extremely over-flagged and cairned trail. When there are three seperate groups of perhaps ten people tromping a very obvious trench into the soft hill from which there is no way to deviate (Devil's Club, cliffs...), are huge pieces of survey tape really necessary every 20'? I think not. Take also into consideration it is a burn area up a single drainage for a short distance. It isn't complicated terrain with thick brush limiting visibility or mobility.

 

Furthermore, wilderness regulations state that groups of 12 or more are prohibited. The groups there, as I understood, were two of Mountaineers', and one university group. Since their groups technically were separate, I suppose it could be argued they weren't violating the group size regulation, but the impact left behind would say otherwise. Maybe the groups could have communicated amongst themselves, and stronger climbers could have occupied the extremely developed campsites at Lena Lake (with outhouse). This would have required starting a couple hours earlier for their summit bid, but that would be a small price to pay for the lessened impact.

 

Also, while resting near the deserted camps before a steep climb into the upper basin, my group noticed some unfamiliar scat. Sure enough, ten minutes later up the trail, I came across a large mountain lion. I accidentally snuck up on it and was no more than 8' away as I came over a bank of the creek, but it vanished like a cloud of smoke when it noticed me. Amazing! I assume it was poking around the climber's tents while they were away. For everyone's benefit, consider ways to lessen your impact.

[Drederek]

the extremely over-flagged and cairned trail.

I've ran into this on the E ridge of Mt Wa, one time I ended up with a softball sized wad of flagging. IT'S A RIDGE! fOLLOW THE RIDGE! Thanx for the excuse to vent

[tazz]

I ran into this on Baring a week ago. You can tell at least 4 groups with different color tape marked the trail every 50' or so. The funniest thing is they all flag the SAME SPOT! . There is a cattle path the whole friggen way! Even in snow This is a strait forward route that should need NO to very minimal flagging!

[catbirdseat]

Apparently they were all big fans of Hansel and Gretel.

[dmTabke]

Some of the tape actually got me lost! I retaliated by placing a few strategic pieces leading into the middle of a huge plot of trail side Devil's Club.