20 replies to this topic

[DavidGraves]

I sometimes look at one of the FWC Facebook pages and am glad to see a burgeoning discussion about whether or not to post specific address or GPS points from ones' travels....

 

Human behavior is not unlike herd animals....we all want to be together !

 

I am glad that some have realized this can lead to resource abuse and a negative experience for those who Wander The West.

 

David Graves

[craig333]

No. It really depends on the area. If I visit the racetrack in DV its not like its not already well known and visited. I think if it is an area you don't want too many people in then you do a report like the Ski3pins do. No gps coordinates, no step by step instructions on how to get there. If you can figure it out from the trip report then you're probably not the kind to abuse the area anyway.

 

I think its certainly okay to say I visited Marble Canyon. Its well known anyway. GPS coordinates of the petroglyphs I found in the area? Absolutely not.

[Bigfoot Dave]

Trip reports are one of the best reasons to visit WTW. Living in northern Minnesota I would never have guessed there were areas out West that I've read about in WTW. I learn something every day and I visit every day.

Thank you WTW, Bigfoot Dave

[Smokecreek1]

Yep-that's the way to do it! Seems to me that over the years we have had that discussion several times on whether to post locations of so called  "special "  places or not!   During my career as a federal land manager I had to deal with the problem of just  how "much " to  publicly identify  or not certain resources or places.   These resources belong to all of us-the public and we need their support-yet these same resources need to be protected somehow from being destroyed or over loved to death by that same public!   Laws, education, physical protection measures and active law enforcement  can not  protect these resources from those determined to destroy use  or take them.  I guess how much we identify them in the first  place comes down to just how much "abuse " those special things and places  can take

 

When you throw in that these places and things are sometimes located with other types of resources that we may also want to "utilize" , those land management decisions become ever harder. That's why we always say here , go to those local federal land management meetings, take part, make comments and add you 2 cents in, after all they are your public lands and we could them without your support! I should add here that trip reports are one of the reasons we use and like this site because many of us will never be able to visit these places. They are also ,especially useful to identify possible places to visit or not.

 

Smoke

Edited by Smokecreek1, 15 March 2021 - 07:47 PM.

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

I see no problems with trip reports.

A lot of us have never been to some of the places shown to us through the reports.

 

Now posting the GPS coordinates is a no-no especially sensitive areas.

 

Fellow WTW members please continue to post your trips as you please.

 

I have used information gleaned from them to get info about places I want to visit.

 

Thank you to all who have posted over the years.

 

Frank

[AWG_Pics]

My personal ethic dovetails with Craig and Smoke's, as well as Ski3pin & others. GPS or map descriptions of many places on the beaten path are not significant. However, everytime I find something unique or likely to be disturbed by too much human interest, I neglect to give specific location information. I have been to Marble Canyon a few times, even photographed the 'flying saucer' petroglyphs twice on different trips - Along with hundreds of other people. There are other petroglyphs, ruins and delicate natural ecosystems that I do not post any geolocation information about, or if it is very unique, I may occasionally post misleading geolocation information.

 

I believe a trip report is mostly about celebrating a way of life and warning others of hazards along the way. I do not understand why, for example, anyone would want to go to a feature like 'The Wave' or Zabriski Point, along with dozens to hundreds of others to do, see and photograph the same thing over and over. But the more people that are at those high use areas, the fewer there are in the barely known back of beyond areas.

 

Besides, I do love to see the interesting remote places like-minded people have been and what they did there.

Edited by AWG_Pics, 15 March 2021 - 10:06 PM.

[PaulT]

A good example of the danger of publishing Lat/Lon is what happened recently to the area where that obelisk had been placed in Utah.

The destruction and trash from so many curious but ignorant or undisciplined visitors within a very short time after publication of the location is instructive.

 

The trip reports and links to travel blogs are some the best reasons for visiting WTW regularly.

 

Use caution and wisdom in what you reveal on this immortal global traffic increaser.

 

Paul

[billharr]

I love reading trip reports. Ski3pins are the best. As far as locations, if you don't want to share don't share. We have too many people and they are buying 4 wheel drive vehicles. If you found the special site the multitudes will find it also. I would hope those on WTW are packing in and packing put. If you need the location of a place PM the member posting it, tell then you will treat their special place with respect. I am old enough to remember when visiting many areas was an accomplishment. Now some of those areas are paved and you can drive a class A motorhome to them. Other areas have been made wilderness and are off limits to everyone not walking or on a horse. Good of bad depends on your viewpoint. The areas you can visit in a 4WC style vehicle are becoming harder to find. This and getting older are both reasons I sold my FWC and went to a Class B. I will continue to wander the west, just not as far off the road. 

 

I will continue to post links to my trip blog. If travel posts are stopped I would spend much less time on WTW. 

[Ronin]

I enjoy reading trip reports and have visited some places because of them. Sometimes I wish that there was more specific information on locations but at the same time I'm glad that there isn't. It's better to make each adventure your own rather than try to follow someone else's path. 

[craig333]

I remember the Ski3pins posting pics of a what was likely a sacred Indian site somewhere in the Owens Valley. I think I may know the general vicinity but I won't look for it. Seeing the pics was good enough for a special area like that that really doesn't need a lot of traffic even from the most well meaning respectful folk.