@Shawno1972

"Tuck and Robin Lakes stink of human feces,"my hiking partner Karen said in 2018. "I will never go back." Leave No Trace includes packing out your poop. That's what Karen and I do.

"Soil erosion, damaged vegetation, altered hydrology, widening of trails, and increased muddiness are just a few of the ways overuse of trails has impacted the environment.

"In fragile environments like the Alpine Zone, a lack of education and an increase in foot traffic has all but destroyed parts of this delicate infrastructure found only in small portions of our mountains. According to Lester Kenway, president of the Maine Appalachian Trail Club, “the Katahdin Butterfly, once prolific on the mountain, is now listed as endangered,” potentially due to the boost in hiker traffic.

"Head to the White Mountains on any Saturday from Memorial Day to Columbus Day and you will be hard pressed to find a parking space, forget a sense of solitude. Parking at Lafayette Place Campground is almost nonexistent, and the number of rescues due to ill-informed and unprepared day hikers continues to increase."

"[thetrek.co]

@LiterateHiker Valid concerns. As long as it's not just hiker chauvinism.

@Shawno1972

What do you mean by "hiker chauvinism"?

@LiterateHiker Those folks who feel they are more entitled to enjoy the beauty of a nature hike because they believe their causes / actions / methods to be superior to, let's say, "common folk."

For example.

@Shawno1972

The idea that hikers feel superior to other people is frankly, paranoid and crazy. I have been hiking since age 21. Have met many hikers.

As a group, hikers care about the environment and respect others, except jerks who litter and despoil the environment.

@LiterateHiker And I grew up directly adjacent to the Pacific Crest Trail 2000 at the Cascade Locks, Oregon trailhead, near where it meets trail 400. I have run into hundreds of chauvinistic hikers. They are incredibly easy to identify: they practically announce themselves.

This statement just rubbed me the wrong way: "We were disappointed to see 15-20 hikers."

How dare they show up on your trail.

P.S. I'm teasing you. Mostly.

@twill

Northern Larch are one of only two conifers in North America that drop their needles in the Fall. "Golden Week" is in October when Northern Larch are fully gold.

Northern Larch grow in Eastern Washington (not Western WA) at around 4,000 to 8,000 elevation. They prefer a north-facing exposure.

Washington State is called the Evergreen State. I miss the glorious fall colors of Michigan. In Washington, deciduous trees are quite rare. Haven't noticed if they are behind.