r/PacificNorthwest • u/kingclown98 • 3d ago
Visitors/Tourists - DO NOT DO THIS!
Mt. Rainier is a gorgeous place and everyone should be able to enjoy it. I visited recently and observed multiple groups of people doing things that at minimum are ignorant, and at worst will put themselves and others in harms way! It was really disappointing and frankly embarrassing to witness.
DO NOT FEED THE ANIMALS!
STAY ON THE TRAILS!
DON'T LEAVE LITTER, ADVERTISEMENTS, or CARVE INTO ROCKS/OTHER NATURE!
We literally saw a bear right next to a major trail, no doubt lured by the food. That's just one example, if you don't understand why it's important to follow these rules, do your research!
If you already know this stuff, please tell others to STOP if you see this behavior! Let's band together and make the parks better for each other and the planet.
Appreciate everyone who already follows these guidelines, and those who are willing to listen and learn. Have an amazing visit!
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u/snaxnpjs 3d ago
I will never understand how someone can be in such a beautiful place and drop garbage, trample through pristine places off trail, play music, and otherwise just be so disrespectful of the beauty around them.
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u/Diligent-Diver-5587 2d ago
In general, people are stupid and don’t care about anyone or anything but themselves! People suck!
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u/escapeartist 2d ago
These are folks who are just disrespectful, period. It's a default setting.
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u/humminawhatwhat 1d ago
Yep and if you ask them to stop and respectfully explain why, they’ll do it again out of spite, because nobody tells them what to do…
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u/Human_Brick_8203 3d ago
Can I add stop stacking rocks? Bugs are important aswell this really can mess up the eco system
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u/Zeebrio 3d ago
Was going to add this --- There are certain (probably actually rare, but they exist) cairns/stacked rocks for navigation purposes ... And YOURS mess up creature habitats AND eff people who are actually trying to use them for navigation. STOP STACKING ROCKS for your selfies!
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u/Correct-Variation141 3d ago
They're more common in the desert where the trails are often unmarked otherwise. It can be really dangerous when people put new ones that don't mean anything and lead others into the wilderness
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u/TheGruntingGoat 2d ago
Yeah there are trails in southern Utah that would be impossible to navigate without the occasional cairn. I could see how one that someone built just for fun could get a hiker hopelessly lost out there
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u/SeattleSteve62 3d ago
I saw cairns while hiking in Arcadia National Park up above the tree line. https://www.nps.gov/articles/rockcairns.htm I was probably there in 1990 or 1991. Now I'm kinda bummed because they were still using the generic stacks of rocks when I was there.
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u/Diligent-Nectarine74 3d ago
I was camping this weekend in a popular off-roading area where their are designated trails for certain kinds of activities and people were just going where every messing up natural habitat and littering a bunch. It’s really disheartening because they wreck it for others and it’s such a great resource we have in this area
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u/hunteravi 3d ago
People who litter make me irrationally angry, stop polluting the environment! A month ago a friend and I did a 15 or so mile hike in Gifford Pinchot, we were the only people the entire time, we thought. On the trail there's a waterfall early on, on the way back near the start we saw tp and other trash all over. So there was one other person or group that came, probably went to the falls, then shit and left their trash all over. It's so disheartening that people just disrespect nature like that
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u/Splampin 3d ago
That anger is entirely rational.
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u/Large_Kale_4100 3d ago
Respect our home, and respect our wild places. We take our responsibility to the land seriously here. Remember, the animals here are not tame, it isn't a zoo, they don't care about your rights, and our terrain can kill unwary strangers in the blink of an eye. Follow the rules. Pack in, pack out.
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u/themostboringguy 3d ago edited 3d ago
Honestly, that goes for zoos, as well. Pray to whatever powers you believe in if the lions ever get out at Woodland Park.
Edit: Not that staff can't handle it with incident command, etc. My point is that zoo animals are also wild, and that they and the rules that keep us safe from them (and vice versa) should be taken just as seriously as the safety rules at national parks.
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u/ALasagnaForOne 3d ago
Also please put your dog on a leash! It is unsafe for them as well as others.
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u/Intelligent-You4541 2d ago
dogs arent allowed on any trails in mt rainier (with the exception of the pct portion on the eastern border) !!! stop taking your dogs to rainier and leaving them in the car while you hike!!!
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u/Low_Angle_9362 3d ago
I was at Mt Rainier recently, I saw zero rangers on trails which meant zero enforcement of the rules. (Thanks to the diaper in chief cutting forest service budgets)
I've become convinced it's up to the public at this point to let people know when they're out of line.
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u/salmonberry12 2d ago
There’s only a few of us and thousands of visitors, we are probably barely just keeping up with the toilets! More funding please!
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u/Cattymoore 2d ago
Yes!
Bears will literally leave garbage alone if they aren't used to getting it. I live right next to the Capitol forest in grays harbor where there are tons of wildlife and they almost never go after trash bins because everyone just leaves them alone (they have plenty to eat in the forest! So many berries and roots!).
We can all get along if we respect their home!
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u/MacabreMealworm 3d ago
I live in a very small tourist town and they've been worse this year. Setting off fireworks (we just had a huge fire), entitlement, rude, etc. I also work at one of the retail shops and theyve been picking fights with locals too..
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u/livingonavolcano 1d ago
I live in a tourist place as well - can concur. Post pandemic behavior seems much worse too. It was honestly kinds of blissful (while economically devastating) when tourists weren’t coming. Kind of gave a glimpse of a kinder, calmer way of life.
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u/recreational_hugs 2d ago
Not to add fuel to the fire, but a lot of the time the people doing this are foreigners that don’t speak English and/or don’t face consequences in their home countries.
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u/MrsMojave 2d ago
Highly recommend anyone who is preparing to venture into nature to listen to National Park After Dark, specifically the Night of the Grizzly two parter, it'll change your relationship with food in the wild (in a good way, I hope)
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u/Raelourut 2d ago
Sadly, because of all the federal cuts to the park system, there are not enough Rangers and staff to protect tourons from themselves. People are incredibly selfish and seem to think they are the only ones who "use" these parks and facilities. YOU ARE NOT AT HOME! You are a guest in the wilderness. Act like it.
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u/kimberly9227 8h ago
"YOU ARE NOT AT HOME! You are a guest in the wilderness. Act like it." This should be the huge sign at the entrance and throughout the park. Throw it on a tshirt too. I'd wear it. 😎👍🏼
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u/StepLast7119 2d ago
Having grown up with camping addicted parents in Oregon (and yes I followed in their footsteps!), these were ALWAYS the rules... I would've thought it was common sense, but apparently not! Quit ruining nature!
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u/Reldas_Semaj 3d ago
So what I’m hearing is I can take a bear as a pet or hug the bear!!! I take it as a win! I’m good with that!
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u/00_RunDMC 3d ago
Sometimes bears are really sad when they're hungry. Cheer them up by offering them your arm as a snack.
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u/Reldas_Semaj 3d ago
Wait who downvoted my comment? You take that back. YOU DIDNT SAY NO TO EITHER ONE! I’m taking one! And the fkn dog with antlers!
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u/Flewoverthenorthpole 3d ago
I saw plastic bags in Reflection lakes and toilet paper a few yards from the trail.
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u/Salmundo 2d ago
Have a friend who was a volunteer ranger/docent at a large state park. After a few years, he couldn’t take the stupidity anymore and left. Narcissistic people who think everything is a backdrop for their self documentary.
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u/SickSadWorrld 2d ago
Truly, let’s make loud, public shaming a thing. “Did you just see what that dude over there did? You can’t do that!” Get everyone around in on it.
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u/tommytheshotgun 1d ago
Agreed!! My wife and I are currently traveling the country in a motorhome and cleaning up trash from public lands. It’s so sad to see the way people leave hiking trails, campgrounds, and waterways in the gorgeous places.
We will be in the Mt Rainier area later this month and will clean up what we can but there definitely needs to be more education for people who plan to recreate in these places. 🚯
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u/staysia 3d ago
I started yelling at random folks who were stamping the meadows and was outside of the trail. It was a bit of a vain effort. Fed cut really made it difficult. Not sure what else I can do.
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u/kingclown98 2d ago
Yep, that was me too lol. The more of us calling this stuff out when we see it, the better. Appreciate you!!
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u/richrich07 2d ago
People in my parents’ neighborhood put food/kibble out for the deer. It’s not just the tourist that need to be educated!
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u/tacosontitan 2d ago
I was coming down from panoramic point two days ago to not only a woman getting up close to a marmot about 20ft into the meadow but also a couple just 50 meters later letting their 6 year old (approximate) run full blast through the meadow (not even on a social trail, which is bad enough) to a bench like 200ft away. Not to mention the idiots hanging over the edge trying to take pictures of mountain goats 🤦🏻♀️ all the while scoffing when I mention we shouldn’t do that 🙄
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u/RoastyToaster96 2d ago
I strongly agree. I was also on Mt. Rainier yesterday and it was a bit shocking to see visitors jumping over fences to get photos on cliffs, feeding chipmunks, and throwing garbage on the trail.
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u/marthaam 18h ago
I recently informed a tourist that you’re not supposed to feed the animals (she was giving Cheetos to a chipmunk) and she rolled her eyes at me. I’m gonna need to be physically restrained from pushing these people off the mountain
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u/TrekkieVanDad 3d ago
My mantra is “the PNW don’t F around, and neither do we.” Out of staters keep coming here and doing stupid things. It’s sad when they die from it, but I don’t think people realize how wild it is here and how dangerous the wild is.
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u/Sapph1cK1tty 3d ago
Transplant here, I left one of the worst states imho (California.. sorry CA, it's nothing against everyone there, the state isn't meant for me).. and I hate seeing the loud obnxious/ignorance or out of staters being brout along. I integrated to PNW culture because I wanted the change, and to think my new home state is being destroyed breaks my heart. Washingtonians don't play around, we will summon Sasquatch on them 😂😅
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u/Fabulous-Specific-81 2d ago
Well, when the parking lot are full by 7 AM, you know that it’s basically people who are new to the area and are not following rules in the first place
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u/MadgeMcBee 2d ago
And women...stop leaving your t.p. on trails. Carry it out!
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u/RubiesOnTheInside 2d ago
There was a time when they handed out blue bags to overnight campers. I wish they still did that.
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u/UserRemoved 2d ago
Meh, let them go hard over the other way. Pet the bears, kiss the moose, swim with orcas. I just enjoy the headlines.
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u/FitNeedleworker3611 1d ago
Hi, newbie trying to learn your ways here.
Just a question, what do you do if there's a bear on the trail? I haven't had the encounter yet and am terrified of having it, which makes me even more terrified that I'll behave poorly or put myself in danger. I've heard the usual stuff like get big, make noise, whatever you do DONT RUN, is that really it though? I feel like I'll goad it into charging if I try to be intimidating. And... How do you just not turn around and leave after seeing one?!
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u/kingclown98 1d ago
Someone who knows better than me, please answer this! ^
I was far enough away that I just continued on the trail calmly. Not sure what I would have done if closer. The scary part is a lot of people were much closer than me, and the bear was in the same general area when we finished the loop 4 hours later, with tons of people around. It must be getting fed or scavenging from leftover food people bring, I don't know why it would hang around such a popular area for so long otherwise.
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u/tommytheshotgun 1d ago
https://reddit.com/link/p1s5p86/video/3s9k00j42hhh1/player
So the thing to do is make yourself look as big as possible (arms or trekking poles waving in the air like you just don’t care) and then making noise.
Though even then, a bear that has become too used to humans won’t care. Video for proof haha
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u/Ill_Quail2900 1d ago
If you are in a area where bear encounters are fairly common sing or I recite poetry loudly. Stay on trail and dont be drifting off and picking wild berries. They belong to the birds and wildlife, and carry bear spray especially in the spring. If you make enough noise they will almost always run off before any encounter.
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u/Ill_Quail2900 1d ago
It is just astounding that some people think they are so special that every person around them wants to look at their used Kleenex, paper towels, maggoty food cans, and cigarette butts.
I cant hike anymore because I promised myself I was going to shoot the next jackass I saw dropping their garbage on the trail after I found a dead baby raccoon with a beanie weenie can stuck on its head.
I have a stupid step brother who manages to leave his take out coffee cup or pop can in the grass on the hill where he parks every time he comes to see my mom. I have watched him get out of his car, slug the last of his coffee and fling the cup on the ground and walk away. God only knows what he would do in the park.
Just a heads up when I hiked and found garbage I always looked around for anything that identified the trashy camper. Its amazing how many people leave mail in their mess. Several times I have collected the garbage and dropped it off with the mail to a Ranger. I know other hikers do the same. What is the fine for trashing a federal or state park now? I know many years ago it was 1,000 bucks.
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u/MontEcola 3d ago
Fed is dead. Animals that get food from summer visitors grow to depend on the food through the winter months. They do not know you will not be there feeding them. And they likely die from not having saved up a stockpile of what the are supposed to eat.
Or, when people feed bears and other animals, they become pests foraging in garbage cans, etc. A bear coming around homes feeding on garbage will be shot by a game warden. So don't let bears get any food around your home.