Sad but true

Today's American youth have little interest in natural wonders like Yosemite.

Toledo Blade article:

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080526/COLUMNIST44/805260310/-1/NEWS32

Personally I was lucky, my parents modified a 69 Ford van to sleep six, with bathroom, sink, stove, and we went all over the west twice a month or more. Haven't stopped going out since.

Actually it's a failure of our elders to connect with our youth.

What is the solution? Technology. Facebook, Myspace, etc.

Young people connect via technology, not interpersonally. So if you want them to go hiking more, you have to connect to them with technology.

They like finding out about hiking events on YouTube, Facebook, Myspace, Meetup, etc. They also like to document their hikes using technology. Unlike older folks who espouse technology while on the trail.

The Sierra Club hasn't figured this out yet which is why very few young people go on their hikes. Yet you'll see a lot of young people hiking together, only they organized through Meetup, etc. and oftentimes only a day or two earlier.

That is another difference between the generations. The Sierra Club lives in a world where hikes are planned weeks or months in advance. Young people live in a world where hikes are planned often hours or days before they begin.

So fear not. It is only a change in paradigm. Young people are creating a whole new generation of hikers driven by technology.

Our only concern is that they appreciate what we've fought to preserve and to make sure they keep fighting to preserve it. Hopefully, some brave elders will take the initiative to reach out to their younger counterparts and show them the way. Is the Sierra Club listening? That is our challenge.

Volunteer with Inner City Outings! You can become a leader or just volunteer to help out with the trips. I just became an Inner City Outings leader in Chicago

http://www.sierraclub.org/ico/

How about scouts? That's what I used to be in when I was a kid.

Or is it different now?

Vince's linked article is sobering, for sure ...

I would agree with the comments .. scouting ... I.C.O. by the Sierra Club is promising.

My hunch is it rests largely on the influence by parents; relatives; mentors, etc.

Well, it's the only approach I can think of with our 2 grandsons ... immerse them into learning and experiencing the wonders of nature ... hope it sows seeds of fascination with them ...

But, yeah it's true ... back when we were kids (the 50's) .. never had things like video games ... much of any good tv ... gadgets and whatever ...

(Just returned from a 1-week b'pack up to and well beyond Rancheria Falls. ... will post a linked photo album soon).

Anvanho

I find the best experience is to read as much as possible about the place you're going before you go there. That way you don't have to carry anything with earbuds to figure out what's in front of you, and besides, places that need extra explanation in national parks and monuments usually have a display posted. Or can kids not read anymore?

I'll trade the foul-mouthed mp3s for sounds of waterfalls and birds in the trees, or even the lack of any sounds (the best kind of sound) any day.