The Rock Cairn Dilemma (knock the rocks?)
To knock the rocks or to NOT knock the rocks, is that now the question of our age for us backpacking and wilderness travelers? Apparently so.
Not so long ago the National Park Service, surprise surprise, did something rather foolish and set off a mini blow-up in the backpacking and wilderness travel scene. The long and the sort of it was that a video was posted of an NPS Volunteer kicking over a rock cairn and encouraging others to do the same.
Obviously something not smart to do without some context. At least it should be obvious to most people who’ve spent time backpacking and traveling around the backcountry on the roads less traveled. No one should ever do such a thing, as it could have serious consequences, but the raving and frothing at the mouth new-age hippies are apparently are lacking some clarity on that matter.
What is a rock cairn do you ask?
“A rock cairn is a human-made pile or stack of stones. Cairns have been used throughout history and in many cultures for a variety of purposes, including as trail markers, landmarks, memorials, or burial sites. In hiking and outdoor activities, cairns are commonly used to mark trails and guide hikers along their paths, especially in areas where the trail might be difficult to follow. They are typically made by stacking flat stones on top of each other in a balanced formation.”
Lest you still be unsure what they are …
These man-made rock piles are familiar sights, and sometimes welcome sights to many backpackers and others who find themselves winding their way through unfamiliar terrain, especially in landscapes where a typical trail might be hard to follow.
They are life savings, literally that in some cases.
Who cares?
Well apparently the 15k plus people who left comments on this video posted by Yosemite National Park on their Facebook page.
I mean, as someone who’s traveled a lot in the backcountry and been saved ALOT of trouble by well-placed rock cairns, It’s almost incompressible that even the new age hippies who worship the earth would, especially the NPS at popular park like Yosemite, without any warnings or caveats, would propose such a thing!
We’ve all heard of Leave No Trace. It’s not rocket science. Rock cairns have also been around for thousands of years and in use in the landscape of national parks for 100 years! We also know that the enviornment is dying because of rock cairns you ninnies!
Are there probably a handful of areas in the entire United States that have been overrun by weekend warriors making rock cairns? Sure, I bet you could find a few. Put up some signs and send in the professionals to clean it up.
Having park staff just decide to encourage everyday people in the wilderness to kick over rock cairns when they find them is dumb and dangerous. Yet, this is where we find ourselves. Working and recreating in a world where some people have become so blinded to the obvious that they literally cannot see the forest for the trees.
Instead of having Park staff focus on real problems like …
- human waste and littering of cans, plastic, wrappers, etc …
- keeping chemicals from polluting …
- ensuring the safety of humans and wildlife …
- stopping the willful destruction of plants and wildlife …
They are walking around kicking over rock cairns. Yeah.
As someone who’s spent my entire life in the outdoors across this country and backpacking through many parks and trails in remote and popular areas … it’s plain what causes MOST ALL the problems and destruction of our public lands.
- Weekend warriors who LITTER actual trash.
- People who have no regard for the landscape and animals (they think it’s fun to destroy things).
Park staff should work to educate and catch people who cause almost all of the problems. 80/20 rule, 80% of the problems are caused by 20% of the people. The ones who throw soda cans off the side of the trail. The ones who cut down a perfectly good tree in a mountain meadow and build a fire right there. The ones blasting music and partying in the backcountry.
That’s the stuff that destroys the parks in more ways than one.
Not the 99% of people who have traveled the backcountry for years on end, carefully placing rock cairns to protect and keep people on the right path!
Next time you come to a rock cairn … don’t kick it over. That’s stupid. If you find an area that’s clearly been abused and overrun, contact the Park Staff and tell THEM to do their job.
