"shortcuts" on Skyline

[zippetydude]

Hey Alan, I found a picture of someone I know!

http://www.oxyathletics.com/sports/mxc/index

Let Eric know I'm rooting for him!

z

[cynthia23]

Excuse me, Ze? Did you actually write "you're losing your mind" just because I think shortcuts erode the terrain? That's unacceptably rude and personal--perhaps even crazy. Disagreement is fine; personal attacks, not. You owe me an apology.

I'll say it again: in the six years I've been trudging up and down Skyline, parts of the hillside have grown visibly damaged, and I am alarmed by how much erosion I am seeing. The mountain is a biosystem and there are other living creatures up there who depend on it. Every shortcut compresses soil, kills off the vegetation and the insects and animals who live in it or feed off it. The soil itself contains living organisms and erosion washes them away. This environment is fragile and it's wrong to damage it for trivial reasons--i.e. an athletic competition with self or others. As i said in a previous post, the mountain is not just a giant stairmaster with plants on it.

Zippety, re: the face-time meeting: yes. Guest's idea of using Whitewater Preserve is sounding like the best place: I have a call in to them to see if that would be okay. I'll be posting about it soon ...

[halhiker]

Boy this forum sure is getting testy. I thought Fight On was gone. But I guess he lives on in spirit.

One thing I love about this board is the diversity of strong opinions, passions, backgrounds and experiences. The other thing I love is that people here love the same mountain I do.

For me, when I do something I have to consider whether it shows proper respect for the mountain and the others that use it. If I feel it does, then I'm OK with it. If not, I try to find another way. It's a simple way and keeps me out of trouble most of the time. I call it the "Don't fuck it up" philosophy. You can use it if you like.

You're welcome.

[zippetydude]

Good point, hal. I do find that it's easier to appreciate other people in person than it is online.

If you remember, you and I had a disagreement about the treatment of poor, innocent ducks.

I happen to leave them alone...You happen to murder them.

If I recall correctly, FIGHT ON wrote many pages on the subject (I knew I liked that guy!), none of which did you read. The conflict was somewhat ephemeral, however, because it seemed rather irrelevant when we met in person, and we got along just fine. Such is the imperfect nature of the internet.

z

[Zé]

generally, accusing people of immorality is withheld for more substantial issues. Also, accusing people of purposely ruining the terrain is out of line.


Anyways, it seems this issue of apparent mountain apocalypse is sending some people into a frenzy. Wilderness apocalypse?

clearly, the combination of overuse and no actual trail aren't the best.

if only there was a way to limit the number of people with access...

[Florian]

if only there was a way to limit the number of people with access...

I'm almost starting to think having the tribe take over the trail, and limit access, might not be such a bad idea. I'm not joking.

°Florian

[AlanK]

Hey Alan, I found a picture of someone I know!

http://www.oxyathletics.com/sports/mxc/index

Let Eric know I'm rooting for him!

Looks familiar somehow.

I will let him know he has backers from the Tram Run.

[bluerail]

......I'm actually too new to Skyline to be in this conversation. I'm not even sure I was ever shown the correct trail.

[AlanK]

......I'm actually too new to Skyline to be in this conversation. I'm not even sure I was ever shown the correct trail.

Now I know you're pulling our collective leg. If you said you lost the trail while walking down the middle of I-10, I might believe you, but Skyline is too well-developed for that.

Now, I'm sure you know the correct trail around the DWA property!

[KathyW]

Millions of shortcut trails and Christmas decorations on trees - oh dear god. I'm not always so sure what the "real" trail is either. Maybe the person who marked the trail with spray paint markers was just trying to protect the area by marking the "real" trail; so hikers wouldn't hike on the shortcuts. Soon the snow will fall and we can make our own trails.