Oregonian broadcasting popular trails

[jessbee]

Since the pandemic, I've been challenged to find new areas to explore in order to avoid crowds and I've found it incredibly easy, even within 30 minutes from Bend.

Well, yes, I understand your point. But the Bend-Redmond-Prineville area is considerably less populated than the Portland metropolitan area, where it can take you more than 30 minutes just to get beyond the metro area urban growth boundary, let alone reach public lands open to recreation.

Lest we forget, the entirety of Central Oregon Wilderness Areas will be under a limited entry permit system this year, purportedly because of overcrowding, so...yeah we get your people over here too.

[retired jerry]

yeah, limited entry system in central oregon

I've been fuming about that this whole thread

some people like the social experience of going to a place with a lot of other people

I can get into that vibe sometimes

if people want that experience its a good thing

[drm]

Lots of people commenting about how we just have to get used to the lack of solitude and crowds and that alternatives are available, and I have often commented on that too. Let's just remember that these areas are home to plenty of critters who don't have the option. Some of those critters may like having us visitors since we leave behind lots of edibles, and sometimes they take it from our camps. But most of our edibles are not very edible to them.

[retired jerry]

it's better for plants and animals to concentrate the humans in a few locations?

I think we don't do good enough at studying plants and animals, across the entire country and beyond. Are populations stable? What habitat to they need to be sustainable? How can we manage human's use of habitat for sustenance of the plants and animals?

I think development of land next to the wilderness has more of an impact. And forest "harvesting".

There are ways to "harvest" timber in a way that impacts plants and animals less. If the trees are cut down, brush grows back which can actually be better for deer. Douglas Fir needs clear cuts to come back. So, clear cut strips or small areas in a rotation so it allows the trees to grow back, makes good animal habitat,... Include private land.

There is a program for grizzly bears. In order for them to be long term sustainable, you need a large area - Yellowstone, northern Idaho, BC. And you need corridors between them. There are some highways and valleys with ranches, but it's possible to still allow Grizzly bears to traverse.

Putting overpasses over highways is good to avoid cars killing so many wild animals.

Instead, it seems like Forest Service managers just use preserving plants and animals as a rhetorical argument for closing forests to humans.

[retired jerry]

because they don't want to manage the human use

for one thing, they don't have the funds, I'm not totally critical of the FS people. And humans are really obnoxious sometimes, vandalizing things just for "the fun of it"

The National Park people brag about rising numbers of visits. Their objective is to get more people to visit the National Parks.

Now you got me going again Dean and Jessbee, thanks a lot

[Aimless]

Lots of people commenting about how we just have to get used to the lack of solitude and crowds and that alternatives are available, and I have often commented on that too. Let's just remember that these areas are home to plenty of critters who don't have the option.

As with the Voluntary Human Extinction Movement, the difficulty with these sorts of observations is that so few hikers who complain about crowding decide that the solution is to stop hiking themselves, so as to thin the crowds for everyone else, including the animals. Generally they identify all the other hikers as being the ones who ought not be there.

[retired jerry]

If I knew which activities I was doing was impacting plants and animals it would be good

Like camping at Green Lakes with a bunch of other people all summer?

Hiking up Eagle Creek in the busy season?

Hiking up some alternate trail that isn't crowded?

If I disturb a deer and it goes to a different place and it ends the summer season healthy I don't mind that

If deer are constantly getting disturbed by humans and their health suffers then we should do something about that

[dirtman]

BUT...

My partner and I wandered around in the forest trying to follow the Mineral Jane Trail (long story short- it's poorly marked and there are numerous unbridged creek crossings), and after a short ski on that, we turned up the road ascending Barlow Butte. After leaving the crowds at White River, we covered about 7 miles, roundtrip, and saw a grand total of two other humans. A busy, sunny, fresh snow, Covid Saturday.

Sounds like you went up the Barlow Ridge road 3560 as there is no road going up Barlow Butte (only a trail). The easiest way to 3560 from White River is to just ski 1.3 miles west along hwy 35 on the bank created by the snow plow. But if you can park at Barlow Pass snow park, there is a shorter trail to road 3560.

[Charley]

Sounds like you went up the Barlow Ridge road 3560 as there is no road going up Barlow Butte (only a trail). The easiest way to 3560 from White River is to just ski 1.3 miles west along hwy 35 on the bank created by the snow plow. But if you can park at Barlow Pass snow park, there is a shorter trail to road 3560.

Yes, I goofed. Barlow Ridge it is!

[Kay Burton]

BUT...

My partner and I wandered around in the forest trying to follow the Mineral Jane Trail (long story short- it's poorly marked and there are numerous unbridged creek crossings), and after a short ski on that, we turned up the road ascending Barlow Butte. After leaving the crowds at White River, we covered about 7 miles, roundtrip, and saw a grand total of two other humans. A busy, sunny, fresh snow, Covid Saturday.

Sounds like you went up the Barlow Ridge road 3560 as there is no road going up Barlow Butte (only a trail). The easiest way to 3560 from White River is to just ski 1.3 miles west along hwy 35 on the bank created by the snow plow. But if you can park at Barlow Pass snow park, there is a shorter trail to road 3560.

Thanks for the recommendations. And then I have not gone anywhere in the winter. Somehow I don't want to get stuck in the snow. Here, after all, snowfall is not promised, and you can unexpectedly get into the center of a snowstorm.