... I am intrigued by your decision to provide such a wealth of photographic and written descriptions of your trips, without providing any exact details as to the actual locations. ... perhaps your way is best.
In the current topic of JMT overcrowding, our Gazelle writes in a similar vein:
And Maverick has as his byline:... way to many people! All you need is to go off it a 1/4 mile or so and you will probably have a lake all to yourself...many examples but will not mention as I want them and others to stay that way...also why I have posted less trip reports, or not named where the picture is at.
I too am beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable giving out detailed route information to remote backcountry spots, as I have been doing on the HST forum site. Should we be worried about an influx of crowds into the backcountry next? For instance, on my recent trip into Bear Basin, I found three other parties camped in there, and met more heading in as I hiked out. That's three more groups than we usually find in a week in Bear Basin. One group of young guys heading in asked me about the passes, and I offered some route advice. But they were in a hurry, and said they already had printouts describing every backcountry pass in the area. So what with those pass descriptions, the Secor and Roper books, I guess the cat's at least half out of the bag.I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.
With Hobbes' dire, and likely accurate prediction of future population growth, I am once again considering our response. He speaks of "accepting and adapting," and maybe part of "adapting" to the coming masses should be that we offer less detailed route descriptions, at least for the backcountry areas? I can see how this could at least minimize the expansion of people into the more remote Sierra. As has been mentioned in recent posts, the consolidation of land use is a worthy management goal, i.e., the concentration of most hikers on the JMT-PCT, and other established routes.
There are many other ways to inspire new mountaineers with great trip reports in windknot's style, and with photography, and fishing stories; and to aid them with advice on safety, gear selection, Sierra ecology, and route advice for established trails.
It's a difficult issue. Rightstar makes the good point that more folks equals more advocates for the Parks, which is a definite good. We've always liked the feeling of helping new generations to enjoy the mountains, so withholding detailed route information doesn't feel altogether right. But right now I am leaning that way, under the impression that Maverick and others may be on the right track, that over-informing new mountaineers- at least with regard to remote area routes, "takes away from the whole adventure spirit of the trip."