Totally disgusted ----- (Woodland Park, Salida: school, camper, live in)

[proveick]

My wife and I camped north of Woodland Park last Fri and Sat. We were on FR 300 which is Rampart Range Road. What a freaking mess!!!! Broken glass everywhere, school desk, stereo torn out of a camper thrown into the woods. What are these people thinking?? Even found the remains of a meth lab up there. We were appalled. Hundreds of shot gun shells everywhere. We live in Salida and are moving to the Springs area. I hope its not that bad in the Lost Creek Wilderness Area.

[MMichelle]

Wow. I hope you filed a report with the police!

[Bideshi]

It's saddening to see such things in a place of rare natural beauty. There have always been inconsiderate people who expect others to clean up their mess, or don't care if it gets cleaned up at all. I joke with some of my fellow workers who smoke that I'm going to take a "passive smoking break". "I just go out and stare into the distance for 15 minutes, wad up a chewing gum wrapper, and toss it on the ground". No one has appreciated the humor yet, but it's a tough crowd.
I remember how we were, way back in the middle of the last century, when a gas station "restroom" was clean, soap and towels supplied, and a sign was posted that said to notify the attendant if things were not in order. Today they look like a public toilet in a third world train station. Too many in our society expect to do however they wish, and have "suckers" do the dirty work like cleaning up their mess, enforcing the laws, and defending the country. All we can do, really, is to create as much order and beauty possible in our own immediate environment, where we have some small measure of control and influence.
I share your disgust and disappointment.

[lalahartma]

It's very common for the Rampart Range/Mt Herman Road. However, if you can get off the main road and onto the smaller and dead-end jeep trails, it is usually much better. However, I haven't checked out the area this year.

Edit: there are no motorized vehicles in the Wilderness areas, so that eliminates the majority of partiers and other @ssholes.

[treedonkey]

That's so LAME. It gets especially bad this time of year, during hunting season. Somehow, in my experience, whenever gunfire is allowed, piles of litter will soon collect. It's especially bad when it's an area that you can drive to and shoot your guns without having to walk more than 100 feet away from your giant truck.

[Shuffler]

Never been to Rampart, but I hear on most weekends & holidays it draws a large 'Whiskey Tango' element who enjoy shooting things, blowing stuff up, riding 4-wheelers off-trail, and generally making a mess with no regard for the environment or other users. Wherever motorized use is allowed, you will find plenty of scofflaws...even in non-motorized areas.

When's the last time anybody came across a group of horseback riders, hikers, or mtn bikers shooting guns, getting wasted, tearing up the land, and littering?

Too many people up and down the Front Range these days...I predict it's only going to get worse.

[proveick]

I agree, out here in the San Isabel forest its amazing how many people are now out here now. Empty places in the blm just a few years ago are now filled with 5th wheels, generators, gazebos etc. every weekend. I think people need to take a mandatory course when they get their habitat stamp. (if they even get one) RP

[todd00]

Originally Posted by proveick

I agree, out here in the San Isabel forest its amazing how many people are now out here now. Empty places in the blm just a few years ago are now filled with 5th wheels, generators, gazebos etc. every weekend. I think people need to take a mandatory course when they get their habitat stamp. (if they even get one) RP

nice idea.. but cant teach the terminally stupid and inconsiderate.

[Umbria]

I use to laugh at my Norwegian grandmother, a woman of few words. Whenever she saw this kind of behavior, be it public restrooms, their own property, whatever, she would say "pigs" in her quiet cute accent. So now, I do the same thing (without the accent and not so quietly) - Pigs!!

[Bulldawg82]

Originally Posted by MN2CO

I use to laugh at my Norwegian grandmother, a woman of few words. Whenever she saw this kind of behavior, be it public restrooms, their own property, whatever, she would say "pigs" in her quiet cute accent. So now, I do the same thing (without the accent and not so quietly) - Pigs!!

I do the same, but I say it in Spanish (puerco).