Trail etiquette... A friendly reminder.

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BMAN

BMAN

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So I wrote up this long political statement about proper trail etiquette and such that I was going to post here, hoping to rouse some reactions from our members that are heading out more frequently and hitting trails, but... I deleted it. Cause it simply wasn't me or my style. It was shallow and transparent so I'm gonna say this like I would out at a trailhead somewhere.

DON'T BE AN a****** OUT THERE! Be polite and treat the trail like it's your home. Don't throw your trash on the ground. If I catch you doing it, expect a smack up against the head. If you catch someone doing it, I expect ya to do the same. Nothing will wake ya up like an empty Budlight can bouncing off your forehead. Watch out for other users out there. People on quads and bikes, although sometimes annoying, are enthusiasts too. They have just as much right to be on the trails as you do. Lend a hand! If you see someone who seems to be in an adverse situation, stop and ask if you can help them out. You never know when it'll be you.

Basically what I'm trying to say is... DO WHAT'S RIGHT!
 
and stay off the cryptobiotic crusties...
 
In the 8 days on the trail in Utah I picked up less trash than one trail day here, can't believe how clean it is there. The people that wheel, visit there get it, unlike some of the pigs that pass as "outdoors men" here.:o :mad: :frown:

A lot of people devote a bunch of time working with the agencies, BLM, FS, etc to keep our trails open, leaving trash (yours or not) in the back country is like spitting in their face. Trash is one of the top "hot buttons" that will get trails closed. It's a very old, simple concept, pack out ALL trash, if you can't follow that simple rule please stay on the blacktop.:mad:
 
I'm going to bet that 98% of the people who leave trash behind don't give a flip if trails get closed and they certainly don't give a flip what we think, don't frequent forums where people care and generally think people like us are funny.

Sorry, but I think thats the sad truth of it.

Jake (trailbus) and I picked up more than 5 grocery bags full of trash (mostly beer cans) on our 1/2 day run. That was on saturday, I guarantee if I roll out there to the same spot this weekend, there will be at least that much s*** again. Sad, but a few jackass' can make more ofa mess in one weekend than 50 of us can clean up in a month of sundays.

I'm hot and tired right now and covered in dust, therefore I don't feel very cheery as of this writing.
 
One of the points for us is, not just pack out your own crap but, as Alvin mentioned, pick up the other crap you see on the trail. I carry spare lawn bags in my truck for packing out trash. On our runs I have hauled everything from truck parts, to beer cans, to broken ATV riders.

And carry some means of recovering spills - the leaky green 60 in Moab left a slime trail up and down Porc Rim that was embarassing - the people who would close the trails to our use also look to that type of pollution as an excuse to ban vehicles from our trails.

Carl
 
It's truly disgusting the outright pollution of our trails, everyone needs to pick up trash and not leave anything behind. Pack it in pack it out:flipoff2: I'm ready to thump some heads @ this point..what do they think their mothers are going to pick up after them, I think flocking not unless their mother is TrAiLbUs1 I bet they wouldn't want that someone might get beat on!!! I've picked up trash from Italian trap over to chiva and had the back of my FJC filled to the brim w/ trash... bud light..natty ice...energy drinks, shotgun shells, camper shells typical whiteous trashious metheadious material!!! A couple weeks later and you could barely tell that we had, but it looked good for that time period and felt good to take care of a fabulous trail..too bad everyone doesn't pick up 1 bag of trash when romping because then there would be no trash.....so everyone when you're out and about it is our responsibility to clean the trails or else we will lose our love.... 4 wheeling!!!! Trail cleanup run time!!!!!
 
Trail Cleanup

Trail cleanup is going to be on the agenda for the memorial day weekend camping trip I am planning. we usually go somewhere up in the pines, but even off the beaten path places can be just as mistreated as local trails with easy city access. Me and the boy went to Potatoe Lake up outa strawberry on the rim last year and even WAY off the road where we camped we brought home two large hefty garden sized trashbags of cans and bottles.
 
I agree

FJ40LVR said:
Trail cleanup is going to be on the agenda for the memorial day weekend camping trip I am planning. we usually go somewhere up in the pines, but even off the beaten path places can be just as mistreated as local trails with easy city access. Me and the boy went to Potatoe Lake up outa strawberry on the rim last year and even WAY off the road where we camped we brought home two large hefty garden sized trashbags of cans and bottles.
Click to expand...


X9
Everyone should help. Dont blame just fix.
 
Backpackers did a really good job getting the word out 'pack it in, pack it out' It's all over everything.

Just a thought, maybe we need a 'campaign' A creative graphics to be posted on all 4x4 boards, sites, etc... Signs and litature for shops, dealer showrooms (particularly MC dealers), finaly, get cooroperation to post some signs in popular OHV places

I mean, if I can pack garbage out with me on a 50 mile hike, you'd think one would be able to pack thier crap out with them in the back of thier vehicles!
 
phoenixrider said:
Backpackers did a really good job getting the word out 'pack it in, pack it out' It's all over everything.

Just a thought, maybe we need a 'campaign' A creative graphics to be posted on all 4x4 boards, sites, etc... Signs and litature for shops, dealer showrooms (particularly MC dealers), finaly, get cooroperation to post some signs in popular OHV places

I mean, if I can pack garbage out with me on a 50 mile hike, you'd think one would be able to pack thier crap out with them in the back of thier vehicles!
Click to expand...

Yup, whenever I backpack, anything that doesn't go up in smoke with the evening campfire or is completely biodegradable (ie fruit peelings or human waste) goes out with the guy who carried it in.

I've been thinking of making a large wood sign that can be posted at the Chiva falls trailhead. This area see's a lot of traffic and gets trashed. I plan on talking to trailbus and GeoRoss and we'll see what we can come up with. Maybe for about $100 and a few volunteer hours, a number of signs could be posted around the Reddington pass area preaching the "pack it in, Pack it out" motto. This area contains a number of popular Tucson trails.
 
Pack it in - Pack it out

Here ya go!
trash.gif
 
phoenixrider said:
Here ya go!
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Howdy! I love it!! That pretty much says it. Sometimes I just want to invent a camera with a GPS imprint so I could document the A**holes that leave all their junk. John
 
MaddBaggins said:
Yup, whenever I backpack, anything that doesn't go up in smoke with the evening campfire or is completely biodegradable (ie fruit peelings or human waste) goes out with the guy who carried it in.

I've been thinking of making a large wood sign that can be posted at the Chiva falls trailhead. This area see's a lot of traffic and gets trashed. I plan on talking to trailbus and GeoRoss and we'll see what we can come up with. Maybe for about $100 and a few volunteer hours, a number of signs could be posted around the Reddington pass area preaching the "pack it in, Pack it out" motto. This area contains a number of popular Tucson trails.
Click to expand...

I'll help if need be!!!! there are not enough signs out there or they have been blown away!!!! It should say something like, if you are caught littering your head will be blown off :lol: watch out for the cruiser dudes they will whooop your arse!!!!!
 
On a trail, isn't that just going to be littered with shotgun pellet holes?
 
MaddBaggins said:
Yup, whenever I backpack, anything that doesn't go up in smoke with the evening campfire or is completely biodegradable (ie fruit peelings or human waste) goes out with the guy who carried it in.
Click to expand...

On the note of human waste, many areas are requiring it to be packed out too. Seriously. Areas of the Rubicon have been affected due to the large quantities of #2 that have been left behind. There are also signs going up in Moab about the requirements. There was legislation going around for State lands here in Arizona too, but I don't know what came of it. Here's a link with some of the information mentioned, there is more out there too.
http://www.delalbright.com/Rubicon/sanitation.htm#Anchor-Whe-45703
 
Yeah, brought on by the greenies. If people could learn to dig a hole....

Now, if the greenies could be so active about the tons of garbage and human waste along our borders....
 
IMHO the ones who litter are too stupid and self-centered to pay attention to anything so nice as "Pack it in-Pack it out! Maybe something more like: Your kids want to use this place in 20 years you idiot! I'm gonna get your DNA off your stinky beer can and come and slash your tires! Most of the litterbugs I see are stupid enough to believe it too.
 
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