Fluorescent Orange Dots...too much for one person

[cynthia23]

OC Hiker, appreciate your points. What you may not realize is that there's a long history to the trail going back many years. The trail used to be quite clear--faint, but clear. Up to 6k, route-finding was not the problem.

Then, unfortunately, starting about six years ago, with a huge increase in usage by people primarily concerned with PR's, the trail began to be degraded by a number of shortcuts. These now have a maze-like quality. Even so, they merely delay or briefly confuse people. It really isn't possible to get lost, per se. All the shortcuts and of course the original trail do lead in the same direction--up. After 6k I admit route-finding is more important as it's possible to get misled into the wrong chute and get stuck there. Still, even so, rescues on Skyline aren't really due to people getting 'lost'; the rescues are always about lack of conditioning or heat exhaustion, which then get compounded or confounded by the person getting delayed or confused by the shortcuts. Screerider's analysis above is spot on.

No one owns, runs, or manages Skyline. It's not under any jurisdiction. It's on a patchwork of private, tribal, and state lands, and does not officially exist. It's very much a communal 'property'. That's why someone coming in and singlehandedly spraypainting trailmarkers (and mostly on the erosion producing shortcuts) is very much out of line and has generated so much (well-deserved) fury. Since Skyline is a SHARED free resource, it's crucial that actions taken on it are always taken in CONSENSUS with all the other users. That's the responsibility that comes with this community resource.

I don't agree with those who think this person was 'well-intentioned". The person who did this (assuming he is not a schizophrenic or mentally ill) is arrogant, entitled, and completely self-absorbed. He obviously has an unwarranted high self-esteem and a sense of ownership. He thinks the trail didn't exist before he set foot on it and will disappear into the ether once he's done with it. His actions were utterly selfish.

[Perry]

It's probably gonna take big boulders to make the shortcuts go away, big enough that it takes 2 people to carry them and place them.

[cynthia23]

Sadly, and quite honestly, I think the only 'boulders' big enough to make the shortcuts go away are some form of takeover, and then management and enforcement, by a state or federal agency.

[Screerider]

Went up to around 4,000' today. Didn't see many orange dots before the first rescue box, a fair number after that. I was a bit more disturbed by little all the pieces of tissue. None the same, the dots were irritating. Hard to rub off. Looks like marker paint. Hopefully it fades quickly. Perhaps some rock dust and concrete glue. unfortunately by the time I walk up that far, cleaning rocks is not my desire.
A lot of new white dots down below. There were 7 dots in this picture.



Where marks were painted over, they were painted over again along with several new ones nearby.

Looking back down on the trail, I didn't see many of the dots. They were on the front of the rocks. They were painted on the way up. I.O.W. They lead you up, but not down. How safe is that?
Regardless, when efforts were made to cover them up, they came back with a vengeance. The graffiti has also increased, some right on top of the dots.
Found someones cache around 4,000'. An old tent, a cheap battery powered lantern, and a small machete. I decided there wasn't any need for a machete up there so it came down with me. If anybody wants to claim ownership, it's in the trash.

[Hikin_Jim]

Found someones cache around 4,000'. An old tent, a cheap battery powered lantern, and a small machete.

The machete is mine. I use it to cut people's heads off when I catch them spray painting frickin' dots on Skyline.

HJ

[hawkbill666]

I like puppies.

[bluerail]

i hope none of these people ever do ( that was stupid to mention that name)
in the dark

btw, $25 in stripper if anyone sees me on the trail tomorrow and wants to contribute..ill gladly accept the help.

[Hikin_Jim]

btw, $25 in stripper if anyone sees me on the trail tomorrow and wants to contribute..ill gladly accept the help.

Sorry, Blue, my wife made me give up strippers when we got married.

HJ

[towbradley]

25.00 ones..... ?

[bluerail]

Ed, it was very nice meeting you on the trail and getting to visit yesterday, hope to run into you again sometime soon.

I went through 2 bottles of stripper yesterday, i quit counting at 110 dots and dont know how many lines and other stuff like arrows etc.

the Motsenblockers worked really well i thought though each dot took 1-3 mins of scubbing.

I did miss some areas, where i went one way and the dots another, (shady slope arrow?) and then some i just plain missed including the 2M before Coffmans. Soooo if anyone is going up this week and feels like carrying some stripper and a stiff nylon brush worked well. Just please mention it on this thread so i dont needlessly carry the stuff up next trip.