Whisky Tango Foxtrot, Microsoft

[Hovannes]

I saw this:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tri...ebf4fdb7&ei=14

I try to keep up with what's happening in Yosemite and haven't heard of this directive from the folks up there.
Nor does it make any sense.
How does one distinguish between a ranger made cairn and a visitor made Cairn?
Only a ranger can do that, so rationally only a ranger should remove a cairn.

I've had the fun of being a member of a SAR unit for 18 years that operated up there and when you get into the high granite, even well established trails can sometimes get difficult to follow, so the existence of cairns can definitely help hikers unfamiliar with the area.

I've seen nothing to corroborate this from the NPS media resources
And what about antiquities regulations, if a cairn were constructed by native American pathfinders predating the NPS?
The indigenous history of cairns predates the NPS and I don't doubt that some in the Sierra go back to original native trade routes.
Since cairns are constructed of immediately locally source rock and can be easily toppled, they can certainly not be considered permanent structures IMHO.

What's going on here?

In case you're unfamiliar with what a cairn is:
https://bearfoottheory.com/what-are-rock-cairns/

FWIW there still exist blazes cut by the Cavalry back when they patrolled the park, into trees to mark routes, and on some year-round trails, if you look up a tree trunk about 10-16' you'll see a vintage CA license plate nailed up to show the way for travelers in snow----the reflective metal helps pick up the beam from a flashlight at night. You can find the cavalry blazes thoughout the park but the license plates were removed from designated wilderness areas, IIRC.
In other parts of the country natives would bend saplings into contortions to point the way as they grew into mature trees.

There's a lot of History to overland navigation and none of it requires batteries (unless you're trying to locate CA license plates at night)

[FredS]

Your first link doesn't go to the article you refer to (for me at least), but I presume it's about prohibiting hikers from building cairns or encourages others to knock them down.

I belong to a number of trout fly fishing groups and I sometime post pictures of cairns I make. I've been accused of "destroying the ecosystem". Most often by young punks who have no idea that nature rearranges herself all the time or how it happens. I intentionally build them as balanced assemblies, not piles that will remain for generations. The next high tide, spring run-off, or thunderstorm will scatter my cairns. Plus, it won't hurt my feelings if you come along an hour after me and kick them down if that floats yer boat.

Rhode Island coast


Texas hill country


Wyoming's Tensleep Creek

[jmg]

I don't buy that stacking some rocks is detrimental to the environment. Seems almost silly to me.

[JimVH]

I’m a little slow. What does stacking rocks have to do with Microsoft?

[gaining_age]

Cairner FredS?

[Hovannes]

I’m a little slow. What does stacking rocks have to do with Microsoft?

Microsoft---MSNBC---- ran the content telling visitors to knock down the cairns.

[JimVH]

I’m a little slow. What does stacking rocks have to do with Microsoft?

Microsoft---MSNBC---- ran the content telling visitors to knock down the cairns.

Duh. My bad.

[Biff]

I’m a little slow. What does stacking rocks have to do with Microsoft?

Microsoft---MSNBC---- ran the content telling visitors to knock down the cairns.

Duh. My bad.

No, Microsoft bad.

[sweetandsour]

You might get away with weird stuff in the Texas Hill Country around Austin, and other places, but I don't think I'd want to get caught doing things like that in east Texas.

ANyway, when I see the word cairn I think of sea salt.

[FredS]

I've been accused of "destroying the ecosystem". Most often by young punks who have no idea that nature rearranges herself all the time or how it happens. I intentionally build them as balanced assemblies, not piles that will remain for generations. The next high tide, spring run-off, or thunderstorm will scatter my cairns. Plus, it won't hurt my feelings if you come along an hour after me and kick them down if that floats yer boat.