High Sierra Topix

Darn shame!!! http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/14/us/califo ... rk-closed/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

maverick wrote:Darn shame!!! http://www.cnn.com/2013/04/14/us/califo ... rk-closed/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There's no end to the number of jackasses. We were in Zion two weeks ago, and had just finished a hike up to Angel's Landing:



We decided to take the shuttle up the end of the canyon (Temple of Sinawava) and cool our jets. We're setting there by the edge of the Virgin river when a small herd of deer decide to come down for a drink on the other side. Ahhh, nature at its finest, no?

Wrong. Out of nowhere, some idiot teenager charges across the river, stumbling/slipping/falling on the rocks, but manages to rustle the deer and they take off. But wait, it gets better: once on the other side, he decides to trample through the undergrowth on the other side, further chasing & scattering the deer. WTF?

All the time his parents/friends (couldn't really determine) were either laughing or applauding. About the only good thing about the episode is between the rocks and thorny bracken, he was pretty scratched up, so who knows if any lessons were learned?

Actually, my son had a some good takeaway moments as well. He was pretty stoked about doing Angel's Landing, in addition to a big part of the Bright Angel a few days later in the Grand Cyn. So he's experiencing firsthand the difference between those who take the effort to achieve certain things vs others who may not have a proper regard for these kinds of environments.

So, I can't resist telling a story about audio "vandalism" and a brilliant response to it.

Many years ago in midsummer, some friends/colleagues and I had just finished making some plant measurements off Tioga road a little east of the pass and had driven up to the pass and hiked a few hundred yards north and above the road to watch the sunset and eat some dinner. It was quiet and stunningly beautiful. We were entranced. Just at dusk, a carload of teenagers arrived below us from the east side, and they got out and started shouting obscenities, presumably to hear the echo. Yuck! My friend—a man of many talents—quietly said, "maybe I'll give them a little yodel," and proceeded to let out this outrageously loud classic western yodel! It echoed from the mountains for what seemed like several minutes. Shocked into total silence (though I thought I might have heard a soft "holy sh*t!"), the kids got back into their car and crept off down the road.

Nicely done.

This story saddens me but unfortunately it does not come as a surprise. I see litter and tagging all over the place in socal trails. There is something about the younger culture here that is not exactly the most respectful towards nature.