Partying in the Backcountry

[Double Bow]

Some people are loud in the woods without alcohol. I don't know how many times I've been on the trail and heard loud children or how many times I've been on a summit and heard someone talking on their cell phone. However, I think that children and phones each serve a purpose and I'm not about to tell people that they shouldn't bring either of these into the woods.

Conversely, I've stayed at cabins, huts, and campsites where people have brought alcohol gotten drunk and did not get lost, get loud, or leave a mess. No harm, no foul.

The problem I see here is NOT that people are partying in the woods. The problem is that some people who do this are not being considerate of others.

To answer the question as to why people would go into the backwoods with alcohol, it's this simple. They are combining two things that they enjoy. If you like eating potato chips you like watching football, why wouldn't you do them at the same time? If you like kicking back a few beers with friends and you like camping in the backwoods, why wouldn't you do them at the same time?

The way I see it, drinking is a problem for some. For some, it's not. For some, not drinking is a problem. Like many others things, it's a lifesyle choice that people are free to make, as long as you're not hurting anyone else. To each his own...

 

[Stan]

Never seen alcohol abused in the backcountry but have witnessed it up close car camping and agree that the line is drawn when it disturbs others, destructs the campsite or endangers the participants.

Perhaps the debate should be over what to carry. Beer is too heavy for me; I get more mileage out of a bottle of wine. Just about anything tastes better outdoors, especially in a beautiful setting that stirred up the adrenelin to get to ... except when it rains, in which case you need to bring tequila, it can make it stop raining ... it also is a cure for global warming.

 

[grouseking]

I think you're mistaking what most (rational) people here mean by "to each their own." I don't think anyone's excusing people trashing the woods (whether drunk or sober), or being loud and obnoxious (whether drunk or sober).

You don't like drinking, some people don't like hiking.

People are using the idiom to ignore what I see as a problem. Thats what Im getting at. I agree with the saying to a point, but in this case, I think many are using it to not look at an issue. Thats all....

grouseking

 

[Pamola]

People are using the idiom to ignore what I see as a problem. Thats what Im getting at. I agree with the saying to a point, but in this case, I think many are using it to not look at an issue. Thats all....

grouseking

Or maybe these people, like me, don't think it's an issue and the idiom is a simple explanation why and avoidance of even more conflict, not deep-seeded denial.

I'll forgo using the idiom.

Whatever floats your boat.
personally, it's a sea of stout.

 

[hikerfast]

With alcohol, I think its quality, not quantity.

 

[blacknblue]

It seems like the general consensus is that if drinkers in the backcountry

1: Don't disturb others with their noise
and
2: Don't litter the place
and
3: Don't endanger themselves by walking off a cliff or into a body of water

then we are all okay with it. Right? Has there been a post yet that disagrees with that? Can we agree to play by these rules? I get the feeling that there is far less disagreement going on than there has been made out to be.

Yes, we all have horror stories of drinkers being obnoxious in the woods (and non-drinkers, too). Yes, we all understand that some people prefer to drink and that they should be allowed.

Does anybody disagree with this???

 

[sapblatt]

[START RANT]
Grouseking - I see your point perfectly - many others do as well. But we have to face the facts - many people enjoy a beverage or two after a hike and many people are alcoholics who need to get lit up no matter what they are doing.

It's a hike - let's get drunk.
It's Friday - let's get drunk.
It's my wedding day - let's get drunk.
It's Tuesday - let's get drunk.

I think the vast majority here do the right thing - in fact I have been in enough hut situations to say most people have a nice outdoors time, enjoy their evening and go to bed early - no harm.

Of course there are the others - these are the ones that ruin outdoor trips for others, wreck family functions, break homes, beat up people and endanger, maim and kill others while driving drunk...it is a part of society - and it a part of every part of society.
[/END RANT]

 

[giggy]

This is really starting to sound like sesame street.

 

[McRat]

I would say that "to each his own" is not an idiom that's obsuring the issue - it's a whole separate issue - some would call it central to the philosophy of most hikers.

As a safety issue, we have many. People hiking solo, hiking in winter, ice-climbing, those voracious bears, and heck - to some just being out hiking at all is considered an unecessary risk.

We balance it with personal responsibility. In the end, each person who chooses to tread the outdoors is responsible for their own safety and their actions. I like it that way.

Because we all share access on public lands, we do maintain a responsibility to be respectful of others who are also enjoying being outdoors, regardless of what that means to them.

Because the world is full of them, the rude, the obnoxious, and the litterbugs are out on the trails too. That is what I find unacceptable. I don't care if they are a group of drinking buddies, or a pack of uncontroled Boy Scouts - it's simply not appropriate to trash the woods, or someone elses experience of them.

I'm not sure I would be any happier running into the groups you've described. If a polite request doesn't solve anything, the choice is to make peace with the situation or walk on. I've done both.

Yeah, it sucks sometimes, but the two-legged animals can do that to ya.

Better luck on your future outings.

 

[dvbl]

It seems like the general consensus is that if drinkers in the backcountry

1: Don't disturb others with their noise
and
2: Don't litter the place
and
3: Don't endanger themselves by walking off a cliff or into a body of water

then we are all okay with it. Right? Has there been a post yet that disagrees with that? Can we agree to play by these rules? I get the feeling that there is far less disagreement going on than there has been made out to be.

Yes, we all have horror stories of drinkers being obnoxious in the woods (and non-drinkers, too). Yes, we all understand that some people prefer to drink and that they should be allowed.

Does anybody disagree with this???

Well said. I'm with you on #1 and #2. But I couldn't care less about #3. Thinning the herd, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[cbcbd]

Well said. I'm with you on #1 and #2. But I couldn't care less about #3. Thinning the herd, as far as I'm concerned.

Agreed - Darwin works in non-mysterious ways.

 

[NH_Mtn_Hiker]

I'm only going to say one thing about sleeping pills because it is a bit off topic.

Bring ear plugs. They completely block out sound if that is what you are looking for. My only real backcounty camping experience I could have used them because a moose wandered by the tent around 11pm, so I couldn't sleep the rest of the night. I was always listnening for other sounds...would have been nice to drown them out for a couple hours.

I wonder how many people take sleeping bills with the rest of their beer??


Back to the thread....

I need to explain my stance on this a little more...maybe it will make more sense to people. I am not a drinker....never have, never will be. The way I see it, if I survived college without getting drunk or even drinking, then I can make it the rest of my life. I take medication that pretty much limits my alcohol consumption to zero anyways, so yet another reason I suppose..... But I am still able to have fun without it....


So that is most likely why I don't understand partying in the woods. In fact truth be told, I see no reason to drink at all anywhere, but again that is my radical viewpoint. I'm definitely not trying to attack other people and how they like to have fun. I am trying to find where a good happy medium would be. As I stated before, I find drinking to be unnecessary in life, but I know that in our culture that is pretty much impossible so I can completely understand why many want to drink. Alcohol is everywhere....on ads, billboards...people just want to have a good time. Ok fine. That is pretty much where I draw the line. Too much fun can turn into obnoxious partying by ignorant humans. And out in the wilds, too much partying can be dangerous, and as I've said in previous posts, its not good for wildlife to be spooked like that.

Also, to comment on the "to each his own" phrase....

I agree partially with it, but saying that kind of shows some ignorance if you look at the big picture because I see drinking as a major problem in our country. Many are ignoring the problem this way...yea I see it as a problem, sorry people. I know I'm an outsider thinking this way and prob radical, but as a non drinker, you see something quite crazy as an outsider looking in, and it never makes sense. And then to go hiking, get into the outdoors, try to be one with nature, and hear a bunch of loud drunks screaming profanities till 2am.....I'll never understand it, and honestly I don't think I want to. And as long as there is the "to each his own" attidude with this, the obsession with alcohol won't go away.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, I am reasonable, despite my radical beliefs. But please, try not to party hard in the wilds. It's dangerous.....

I'm really gonna get it now...


grouseking

Congatulations Grouseking,
It took you 3 posts, but you've finally made your position clear. This thread had nothing to do with partiers or people making noise. It's a thread about Grouseking's intolerance of people who drink...Period.

Throughout history we've seen the effects of intolerance. Intolerance over things like religion, politics, skin color, etc has often lead down a dark, one-way, dead end road.

I'm not much of a drinker myself. As a matter of fact, it wouldn't hurt my feelings any if they brought back Prohibition tomorrow. Alcohol is responsible for many thousands of deaths around the world every year....but over the centuries, intolerance has killed far more. The fact of the matter is, the law gives hikers the right to drink in the back country if they so desire, and I believe in speaking up for people's rights.

You've shown us something else Grouseking. In stating things like, "Preparing for the punches...." and "I'm really gonna get it now...", you've shown us that you intended to start a controversy here, so not only are you intolerant, I think you're intolerantly trolling. (Edited to reword what may have been considered a "personal attack".)

I consider myself a reasonably tolerant individual, perhaps not as tolerant as others here though...

-tolerating the intolerant.

 

[Neil]

Well, I guess that sort of wraps things up.

Cheers!

Remember folks. Don't drink and gather.

 

[BIGEarl]

Hey Grouseking,

Before the thread gets locked - where did you get the sandwich??

I think it was after the Cardigan hike (final picture in Matt's slideshow) , but from where? If I'm correct, you hiked from the State Forest side. Was the feedbag stop that produced this snack in Canaan?

Thanks

 

[gaiagirl]

Hey Grouseking,

Before the thread gets locked -

I for one sincerely hope that is sooner than later. Good god; I'm sorry I spent 10 minutes of my life that I'll never get back reading all that!!

 

[charlos]

c'mon man...at least three people want to know about the sandwich, i see nothing that resembles balls so i consider it a sloppy Joe!

 

[drewski]

trust

never trust a man who doesn't drink

 

[David Metsky]

Folks, this one has passed on from the living. This is a mercy killing. On the way out I'll remind folks yet again: You can disagree with a poster, you cannot insult them. If you have any complaints about a poster, take it up with the moderators, do not post your accusations.

-dave-