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Arrival of the Robotic Law Enforcement Ranger

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rroland
my first off trail experience
September 26, 2011 10:21AM
Yup I did it. Hiked in to Young's solo Thurs. Friday off trail to Roosevelt Lake. A good suggestion (thanks Chick-on). Basically hike North 1.5 mi. Even with clear landmarks I am glad I had the compass. Skirting tree-falls, sketchy boulders I got dis-oriented a couple of times, I checked the compass and got back in the right direction. Didn't see: bears, snakes or lions. Did see: deer, 16 mosquitos, chipmunks. Also saw one fire-ring some REI pretties built and left w/o extiguishing correctly, I shoveled dirt all over it but was afraid to dissemble 'cause the coals were still warm. Any way I am stoked I did it!



proof



Roosevelt Lake...see how easy it would be to just walk up to start up Conness?

Picsaweb album
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wherever
Re: my first off trail experience
September 26, 2011 10:49AM
Congratulation! Be careful, though. It's addictive.
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NacciNW
Re: my first off trail experience
September 26, 2011 05:06PM
We did the same thing a few years ago. Are the marmots still there? We had to keep one hand on the bear canisters when opened or those pesky critters would just reach right in!

And the walk to the saddle and hike on up was on our agenda as well. (The saddle was far enough and high enough for me.)

Any fish?
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rroland
Re: my first off trail experience
September 27, 2011 09:02AM
Quote
NacciNW
We did the same thing a few years ago. Are the marmots still there? We had to keep one hand on the bear canisters when opened or those pesky critters would just reach right in!

And the walk to the saddle and hike on up was on our agenda as well. (The saddle was far enough and high enough for me.)

Any fish?

Nope didn't see any vermin, did see some fish, they are too smart, the waters so clear they saw me too...so I ate freeze dried food



Backpackers Pantry Louisana Rice & Beans, ala cassarole (with melted cheese)
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avatar Re: my first off trail experience
September 26, 2011 05:47PM
The funny thing about hiking off trail is that once you get good at it, you discover all sorts of new trails. Especially in an area as well-travelled as YNP. There are hundreds of miles of well-beaten paths not marked on any map. Use trails, abandoned trails, old roads, climbers paths, fisherman's routes - you name it. You often know you've calculated the most efficient route from point A to point B when you find it has been travelled before.
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avatar Re: my first off trail experience
September 26, 2011 05:57PM
It also opens up loop hikes by combining off-trail routes w/ trail routes. My first real off-trail (I'd earlier been to Edson...0.25 miles from trail) was near Piute Pass, from Desolation Lake over the ridge to Moon Lake, closing a loop. There wasn't a use trail beyond Desolation so I tried to avoid other people's tracks so I wouldn't help create one.
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avatar Re: my first off trail experience
September 27, 2011 10:09AM
Congrabulashuns. Berry Kewl.

(your picasa link contained no additional faux toes)

I may be mistaken, but I seem to recall that there are no fires allowed at Youngs
so... that's pretty sad about the fire ring thing.


Chick-on is looking at you!
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avatar Re: my first off trail experience
September 27, 2011 11:11AM
You're not mistaken, even the lower lake's above 9600'.
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avatar Re: my first off trail experience
September 27, 2011 01:49PM
I was thinking there was a sign that said no fires too.


Chick-on is looking at you!
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rroland
Re: my first off trail experience
September 27, 2011 02:23PM
Quote
chick-on
I was thinking there was a sign that said no fires too.




There is one at the TH.
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avatar Re: my first off trail experience
September 27, 2011 08:17PM
And this one:



Kinda clear, no?


Chick-on is looking at you!
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NacciNW
Re: my first off trail experience
September 28, 2011 07:14AM
We demolished a fire ring at the 3rd Young Lake about 5 feet from the water's edge. "What were they thinkin'?"

Those rice & beans look delicious!
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avatar Re: my first off trail experience
September 28, 2011 08:10AM
Quote
NacciNW
We demolished a fire ring at the 3rd Young Lake about 5 feet from the water's edge. "What were they thinkin'?"

Good move. When you get rid of the stones the best thing to do if possible is to toss them into some manzanita. That makes them unusable for the next jerk.


Old Dude
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avatar Re: my first off trail experience
September 28, 2011 07:08PM
Maybe the park service should have planes with infrared sensors that can spot illegal campfires from the air. And when one is spotted the pilot will radio in the location so a backcountry rangers can go in a cite and then escort the backpackers out of the wilderness. That could help eliminate this problem of illegal campfires.
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avatar Re: my first off trail experience
September 28, 2011 07:33PM
Quote
plawrence
Maybe the park service should have planes with infrared sensors that can spot illegal campfires from the air. And when one is spotted the pilot will radio in the location so a backcountry rangers can go in a cite and then escort the backpackers out of the wilderness. That could help eliminate this problem of illegal campfires.


Relegating the satellite network to backup status?
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avatar Re: my first off trail experience
September 28, 2011 07:43PM
Quote
szalkowski
Quote
plawrence

Maybe the park service should have planes with infrared sensors that can spot illegal campfires from the air. And when one is spotted the pilot will radio in the location so a backcountry rangers can go in a cite and then escort the backpackers out of the wilderness. That could help eliminate this problem of illegal campfires.

Relegating the satellite network to backup status?

If the Park Service could have access to realtime satellite information the would provide the same information that would be of course better! No need to have airplanes airborne flying over the wilderness. smiling smiley
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avatar Re: my first off trail experience
September 28, 2011 08:34PM
Would that come out to about eight bazillion dollars per illegal fire?


Old Dude
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avatar Re: my first off trail experience
September 28, 2011 09:00PM
Quote
mrcondron
Would that come out to about eight bazillion dollars per illegal fire?
Can they make it up in volume?
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avatar Re: my first off trail experience
September 28, 2011 09:35PM
If there's already a satellite capable of doing this up in orbit, then the incremental cost of obtaining the information from the satellite shouldn't be that exorbitant. But I'm not sure if there is a satellite in orbit capable of providing the Park Service with this information in real time vs. 12 or 24 hours after the fact, hence my suggestion of equipping an airplane with the necessary equipment to spot illegal campfires from the air.

Better enforcement of this campfire ban is essential for protecting Yosemite's fragile alpine environment.
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avatar Re: my first off trail experience
September 28, 2011 10:11PM
They need to just educate the peeps getting the permits.
How many times have I gotten a permit?
Nearly every time:
"I don't have fires, period"
which is followed by
"Well, if it's cold you can have one"
or
"Well, you are allowed to have one"
or
"You can have a campfire, that's cool"

In other words... they aren't helping the cause by what they are taught to say
when getting a permit.

Flying a plane overnight to spot fires... uh... uh... I really don't want any
more planes overhead. And it would cost a bundle as OD said.
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avatar Re: my first off trail experience
September 28, 2011 11:13PM
Quote
bill-e-g

They need to just educate the peeps getting the permits.
How many times have I gotten a permit?
Nearly every time:
"I don't have fires, period"
which is followed by
"Well, if it's cold you can have one"
or
"Well, you are allowed to have one"
or
"You can have a campfire, that's cool"

In other words... they aren't helping the cause by what they are taught to say
when getting a permit.

Interesting, the rangers never mentioned to you about the restrictions of where you can have a campfire? Never mentioned that campfires are not allowed above 9,600 feet?

Quote

Flying a plane overnight to spot fires... uh... uh... I really don't want any
more planes overhead. And it would cost a bundle as OD said.

The Park Service doesn't seem to have a problem of flying airplanes and helicopters for various other reasons on a somewhat constant basis. (At least that has been my observation while visiting Yosemite.) So why not utilize aircraft to help spot illegal campfires? Unless having campfires above 9,600' and in other restricted areas really isn't a big deal in regards to damaging the surrounding environment.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/29/2011 01:15AM by plawrence.
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avatar Re: my first off trail experience
September 29, 2011 06:55AM
Quote
plawrence
Interesting, the rangers never mentioned to you about the restrictions of where you can have a campfire? Never mentioned that campfires are not allowed above 9,600 feet?

Of course they mention that.


Chick-on is looking at you!
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avatar Re: my first off trail experience
September 29, 2011 09:46AM
Quote
chick-on
Quote
plawrence
Interesting, the rangers never mentioned to you about the restrictions of where you can have a campfire? Never mentioned that campfires are not allowed above 9,600 feet?

Of course they mention that.

That's what I figured. So the rangers are informing and educating the peeps about the restrictions, but some people (too many people in my opinion) choose to ignore these restrictions and build a campfire anyway. Hence, the need for better and more frequent enforcement of the campfire ban. Otherwise, these fragile wilderness areas will become further damaged.

Just destroying illegal fire rings when one comes across them is almost like closing the barn door after the horses have fled. The damage to the area already has been done. These people need to be caught and prosecuted for the damage they inflict to the area when they build illegal campfires.

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rroland
Re: my first off trail experience
September 29, 2011 09:53AM


My dream TH permit signed by my dream Trip Leader (looks like chicken prints...right?)...and as you see it clearly says no fires above 9.600 feet!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/29/2011 09:56AM by rroland.
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avatar Re: my first off trail experience
September 29, 2011 10:19AM
Turn it over. I bet it explicitly says "No Fires Are Allowed At Young Lakes".
(it def. says that if you get Nelson Lake)
And your Picasa link still no worky. Maybe permissions are wrong?


Chick-on is looking at you!
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rroland
Re: my first off trail experience
September 29, 2011 10:35AM
yeah you're right it does say that on the other side..it also says 'Bears are active in this area', for real?

picsaweb thingy
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avatar Re: my first off trail experience
September 29, 2011 10:42AM
Kewl. Bears def. active in the area. Always keep an eye out for dookie... and riped up logs.
They can make the trek up from Glen Aulin in no time... although the problem bears might not
even bother since they prob. get plenty of treats down there.

Any chance you took a picture of the "beach" of Roosevelt?


Chick-on is looking at you!
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rroland
Re: my first off trail experience
September 29, 2011 10:59AM

prolly not what you're lookin for...i first saw this pond up there and thought 'bassy'...not, like 2 ft deep hahaha
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avatar Re: my first off trail experience
September 29, 2011 12:03PM
Quote
chick-on
Any chance you took a picture of the "beach" of Roosevelt?


September, 2009:

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avatar Re: my first off trail experience
September 29, 2011 06:46PM
Tanks. Was wondering if he checked it out.
I've only been there once... and I got unlucky and there were a bit too many peeps there for my liking.
(there's a person fishing on the beach in this photo)
(ended up hiking all over to find a nice spot with some seclusion SE of the lake)



For anyone keeping track... I've probably beaten the "well... there are actually quite a few lakes with beaches" to death...
but you can add Edith to the list.... And a very sweet sandy bar can be found in Poopenaut Valley.


Chick-on is looking at you!
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avatar Re: my first off trail experience
September 29, 2011 04:06PM
Quote
chick-on
Bears def. active in the area.

I get a picture of bears in a gym with yoga mats.
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avatar Re: my first off trail experience
September 29, 2011 04:25PM
Quote
eeek
Quote
chick-on
Bears def. active in the area.

I get a picture of bears in a gym with yoga mats.

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buster
Re: my first off trail experience
September 30, 2011 10:00AM
Quote
bill-e-g
They need to just educate the peeps getting the permits.
How many times have I gotten a permit?
Nearly every time:
"I don't have fires, period"
which is followed by
"Well, if it's cold you can have one"
or
"Well, you are allowed to have one"
or
"You can have a campfire, that's cool"

In other words... they aren't helping the cause by what they are taught to say
when getting a permit.

Flying a plane overnight to spot fires... uh... uh... I really don't want any
more planes overhead. And it would cost a bundle as OD said.

I assume as having a campfire is legal they may not be allowed to discourage it very much. Also, it is their job to educate people of the rules, so if someone says they are not going to have a fire and they subsequently don't say anything about the fire regulations, they have not fully completed their job and a visitor can claim they weren't informed of the rules.
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avatar Re: my first off trail experience
September 30, 2011 10:24AM
Quote
buster
Quote
bill-e-g
They need to just educate the peeps getting the permits.
How many times have I gotten a permit?
Nearly every time:
"I don't have fires, period"
which is followed by
"Well, if it's cold you can have one"
or
"Well, you are allowed to have one"
or
"You can have a campfire, that's cool"

In other words... they aren't helping the cause by what they are taught to say
when getting a permit.

Flying a plane overnight to spot fires... uh... uh... I really don't want any
more planes overhead. And it would cost a bundle as OD said.

I assume as having a campfire is legal they may not be allowed to discourage it very much. Also, it is their job to educate people of the rules, so if someone says they are not going to have a fire and they subsequently don't say anything about the fire regulations, they have not fully completed their job and a visitor can claim they weren't informed of the rules.


That doesn't wash.
The person that signs the Wilderness Permit is acknowledges the rules/regulations contained on it and is responsible for compliance by his/her entire group:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,47002,47155#msg-47155
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avatar Re: my first off trail experience
September 30, 2011 03:23PM
They may not be allowed to discourage it much.
But they don't have to endorse it. That was pretty much my point.

In many locations when getting a permit outside the park (and you are entering it)
they make you sign a separate paper and/or have a separate sheet of regs.
By signing you agree to those rules regardless of whether someone spoke to you or not.
Of course this doesn't seem to matter to many.


Chick-on is looking at you!
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avatar Arrival of the Robotic Law Enforcement Ranger
September 29, 2011 04:38AM
Quote
plawrence
... And when one is spotted the pilot will radio in the location so a backcountry rangers can go in a cite and then escort the backpackers out of the wilderness. That could help eliminate this problem of illegal campfires.



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avatar Re: Arrival of the Robotic Law Enforcement Ranger
September 29, 2011 11:18AM
Quote
szalkowski
Quote
plawrence
... And when one is spotted the pilot will radio in the location so a backcountry rangers can go in a cite and then escort the backpackers out of the wilderness. That could help eliminate this problem of illegal campfires.




You mean that wasn't a mosquito I heard?Mosquito biting
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