A friend suggested we "go for a hike". Augh! I'm so rusty. What are we thinking?....a couple of mid-60's ladies who don't even walk around in our own neighborhoods much. Oh, well....let's do it before we really do get too old. So, up the Eagle Creek trail yesterday (she had never been). "As far as the Punchbowl", I told her. That should be pretty easy and pretty. I remember camping there years ago on my way to Wahtum Lake before no camping there was a rule and I was a spring chick.
Oh. My. Gosh.
Dogs. By the hundreds. I know, I know, "man's best friend" and all, but really? On a trail that is barely 2 feet wide with sheer cliff drop off on one side in places and you bring your Pit Bull with the lead let out 5 feet? Give me a break!
I stopped prior to passing one young lady and asked her politely but firmly to "pull in your lead, please". As she pulled in the heavy chainlink she was using for a leash, Mr. Pit immediately lunged at us and gave the famous ferocious loud snarl and growl that meant "my jaws are going into your thigh and staying there". I again asked her to pull him back and she said accusingly, "you flinched". Oh, boy. How could you reason with someone like that?
Many nice people hiking...families and all. Young folks going for a swim. But, far too many dog owners leaving poop bags all along the trail and letting dogs navigate the trail unleashed. By counting, it was close to 50% pit bulls. Only one or two dog owners knew enough to pull in the leads when passing other people on the trail.
Dogs, dogs, dogs
Dogs, dogs, dogs
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- Beautiful day, but beware the unrestrained dog coming around the corner
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retired jerry
- Posts: 14424
- Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Re: Dogs, dogs, dogs
yeah, that trail is difficult for even well behaved humans to pass on
Re: Dogs, dogs, dogs
Huh...I was out there a few weeks ago and I only saw a few dogs. But yeah, generally I think if it's not a good trail for kids (which that is not, in spite of how many people bring theirs anyway) it's probably not a good trail for dogs, either.
Re: Dogs, dogs, dogs
WTF is the matter with people?! If you're not going to carry it out, just kick it off the trail and let nature take its course. What do these fucked-in-the-head dog owners think is going to happen to their bagged waste? Do they think the poop fairy comes by every night to gather those trailside bags? I'm dead serious, I don't understand the reasoning here. What exactly are people thinking? I mean, I understand selfishness and all that, but this is something different, and it totally puzzles me.butterfly wrote:...poop bags all along the trail ...
Re: Dogs, dogs, dogs
A guy nearly pushed me off the edge once. I probably would have died. I'm sure he didn't mean to. If I ever hike that asinine over-rated tourist trap again, I'm not letting go of the cable, no matter how socially awkward it gets.retired jerry wrote:yeah, that trail is difficult for even well behaved humans to pass on
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retired jerry
- Posts: 14424
- Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Re: Dogs, dogs, dogs
funny there are so few accidents with so many people
I do it occasionally in un-busy times, like in the winter when it's icy
I do it occasionally in un-busy times, like in the winter when it's icy
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arundodonax
- Posts: 1043
- Joined: August 12th, 2010, 8:02 pm
Re: Dogs, dogs, dogs
Nowadays, Eagle Creek is best visited Tuesday through Thursday mornings at 6 am.
Re: Dogs, dogs, dogs
Chip Down wrote:A guy nearly pushed me off the edge once. I probably would have died. I'm sure he didn't mean to. If I ever hike that asinine over-rated tourist trap again, I'm not letting go of the cable, no matter how socially awkward it gets.retired jerry wrote:yeah, that trail is difficult for even well behaved humans to pass on
Re: Dogs, dogs, dogs
Chip Down wrote:WTF is the matter with people?! If you're not going to carry it out, just kick it off the trail and let nature take its course. What do these fucked-in-the-head dog owners think is going to happen to their bagged waste? Do they think the poop fairy comes by every night to gather those trailside bags? I'm dead serious, I don't understand the reasoning here. What exactly are people thinking? I mean, I understand selfishness and all that, but this is something different, and it totally puzzles me.butterfly wrote:...poop bags all along the trail ...
I imagine some plan to pick up the poop bag "on the way back down", but still, who wants poop bags strewn along the trail like some kind of outdoor decor? Just visual trash.
Re: Dogs, dogs, dogs
It's not that bad past Punchbowl, lots of people seem to stop there...when I was there a few weeks ago I saw only a few people past there, and practically none past Tunnel Falls, and it was a beautiful sunny day. I was also the only person camped at 7.5 Mile. It was during the week, though.arundodonax wrote:Nowadays, Eagle Creek is best visited Tuesday through Thursday mornings at 6 am.