'Tagging' up Redington

[Kevin Rooney]

Couchsachraga angered me beyond belief when I saw it. Redington is one of the few 4k peaks in ME I have yet to get, and I'm bent already.

Really? Would have never guessed ...

Ever consider anger management classes?

Be sure to let all your buds know that there's an opportunity to relive the 'Carnage that was Couch' all over again.

None of this should surprise me. Much of the world is trying to kill each other because some spell Supreme Being "G-o-d" and others "A-l-l-a-h". Stripping bark off a tree or applying paint must certainly be worth losing an arm over, if not the occasional beheading.

 

[elhefe007a]

Really? Would have never guessed ...

Not that I was trying to be vaugue - but thanks for the sarcasm. Obviously you like to preach one way, and act another.

Ever consider anger management classes?

Sigh.

Be sure to let all your buds know that there's an opportunity to relive the 'Carnage that was Couch' all over again.

Sigh, again.

None of this should surprise me. Much of the world is trying to kill each other because some spell Supreme Being "G-o-d" and others "A-l-l-a-h". Stripping bark off a tree or applying paint must certainly be worth losing an arm over, if not the occasional beheading.

Gotcha. I must be an "evil do-er".

 

[Snowflea]

This whole thing is very, very weird.

I'm hoping that "Chuck" is merely new to hiking, totally clueless about hiker/mountain/trail etiquette, and actually thought he was helping other hikers out.

OR...

He's a head case. I do not mean to publicly shame him, but come on: WHO WOULD DO SUCH A THING??!!

 

[forestgnome]

Much of the world is trying to kill each other because some spell Supreme Being "G-o-d" and others "A-l-l-a-h". .

You must be kidding. This is VFTT, not DU. Why did you go there?!!!!

The OP reported on a heinous act of disrespect in the forest, then subsequent posters expressed their feelings about the act. You have criticised those who are offended by the act, but no word about the perpetrator or the act.

 

[Peakbagr]

Seems like someone is hell-bent-for leather to share the bad day they're having. We'll keep a short leash on this one.

 

[SteveHiker]

Isn't there a trailhead nearby where "Chuck" might have signed in with his last name, addy and phone number?

There aren't any places where you sign in for any of the 4k peaks in Maine, except in Baxter. Unless he left his name in the canister, if it's still there.

Is that a common thing to do in the Adirondacks? (signing in, I mean)

 

[Doc McPeak]

It was nice to meet you and I see you were able to steer clear from any black bears and bow hunters on the way down to CVR. How was the bushwacking through there anyway?

Excellent! Since it is a great route that might be of interest to others I'll post a detailed report when I get a chance. It was definitely one of the highlights amongst many for this trip.

As for the blazing, it is amazing to see how quickly these threads get punchy. I didn't like it, but I sure wasn't going to let it ruin my day. The route from the road beneath Redington in the R-C col is as defined as the route was over to Abraham. The pink was just an eyesore on such a nice winding route through beautiful woods, but didn't do anything for route finding. I figured DFC probably blazed his way up to Crocker so to satisfy my desire for some pure route finding and balsam surfing I veered away from the ribbons and whacked some fifty or hundred feet away on the leeward side of the ridge. No real signs of man until I hit the little bump just west of the summit. I loved every second of it (aside from nearly getting my eardrum punctured). The woods are just as nice around Redington and there are about another 359 points of the compass to approach her from.

It's a drag, but nothing worth getting your jibblys twisted in a knot over.

 

[Doc McPeak]

There aren't any places where you sign in for any of the 4k peaks in Maine, except in Baxter. Unless he left his name in the canister, if it's still there.

Is that a common thing to do in the Adirondacks? (signing in, I mean)

He didn't write an entry in the cannister. There are a few MATC trip slip boxes here and there (like on the way to Abraham) but no registers at trailheads. And yes, every NYSDEC trailhead has a register for safety and stat purposes. Not everybody signs in, and the people like this guy usually never do.

 

[mavs00]

None of this should surprise me. Much of the world is trying to kill each other because some spell Supreme Being "G-o-d" and others "A-l-l-a-h". Stripping bark off a tree or applying paint must certainly be worth losing an arm over, if not the occasional beheading.

If your referring to the Couchsachraga incident with your "Stripping bark off a tree" comment, then your obviously as clueless as your post makes you sound. The offenses there were way beyond a little ugly paint on some trees, as they rose to CRIMINAL levels. Blazing is ugly, but it's not destructive like CHOPPING into the meat of trees (which is illegal in MANY areas, such as the Santanoni Range).

Most sane people can agree that painting blazes is an eyesore and should be discouraged by responsible hikers, which is exactly whats happening in this thread. You're lumping both offenses together like they are both equal and neither is any big deal, which is silly. It's a little of a of stretch to paint the two offenses with one broad brush, don't you think.

Throwing in the God, Allah and beheading stuff borders on irrational and basically disqualifies the merits of anything else in your post for me.

 

[albee]

I just wanted to add a couple things. First... I was out there between Maine 4 and 27 (and up to the Bigelows as well!) from Wednesday thru Saturday, so I must have run into you at some point, TDawg. I was solo with a red hat on, and I think you guys were camping out behind Spaulding Shelter while I was hanging out with a bunch of thru-hikers. Nice to see you in person. Hope your buddy's blisters weren't too bad!

Second, I was up on Redington the same day that "Chuck" was there. I didn't see him (I was there around 2:30 PM), but I will admit that I followed his blazes to the summit, which included a pointless and annoying push through dense spruce near the summit when the regular herdpath was going in the perfect direction. (I just wanted to see where he was going and tried to figure out why he veered into the woods. Verdict: no clue - absolutely pointless extra bushwhacking)

It took me a couple of minutes to find the cannister on the summit, and I guessed that he just couldn't find it so he signed his name on a rock in the middle of the clearcut up there. I would guess that it was probably a prank to protest the windfarm/annoy the landowners, but I was quite annoyed with that kind of juvenile behavior. Ugly blazes, even things such as arrows drawn on rocks in the middle of the obvious herdpath.

I didn't report anything about the incident to authorities, but I was looking for the guy so that I could scream at him while I was up there. I don't think he came in from the AT side.

FYI - since they clear-cut a swath on the summit, there are actually quite a few unique views from the summit now. I also didn't see a single Private Property sign on the way. Someone else has left behind orange survey tape along the entire bushwhack route and I considered removing it due to LNT principles, but decided that it is probably safer for other people since it is there. With assistance from the tape, I made the summit of Redington from S. Crocker in 55 minutes, and made it back to S. Crocker in 43 mins. Not too bad for over a mile of bushwhacking!

 

[Kevin Rooney]

If your referring to the Couchsachraga incident with your "Stripping bark off a tree" comment, then your obviously as clueless as your post makes you sound. The offenses there were way beyond a little ugly paint on some trees, as they rose to CRIMINAL levels. Blazing is ugly, but it's not destructive like CHOPPING into the meat of trees (which is illegal in MANY areas, such as the Santanoni Range).

Most sane people can agree that painting blazes is an eyesore and should be discouraged by responsible hikers, which is exactly whats happening in this thread. You're lumping both offenses together like they are both equal and neither is any big deal, which is silly. It's a little of a of stretch to paint the two offenses with one broad brush, don't you think.

Throwing in the God, Allah and beheading stuff borders on irrational and basically disqualifies the merits of anything else in your post for me.

With all due respect, Mavs, blazing is still a common practice in some parts of the country. Do I think it was appropriate on Couchie? No, as it's not accepted practice in the Adirondacks. But IMHO it's not the high crime and misdemeanor that you and several others made (in some cases repeatedly) in the Couchie thread.

It's totally inappropriate to post anyone's name and address on the public bulletin board no matter what the alleged offense. That's NEVER OK, and is even more reprehensible when it's done by those who hide in the shadows on anonymity. If you or anyone else on VFTT is going to publicly berate or shame someone, then at least have the courage the courage to stand up and identify yourself and provide your real name.

I stand by my previous remarks. There are others who believe as I do that public floggings have no place on VFTT.

I'm not having a bad day. I'm just standing up for what I believe in, and as always, my real name is available to anyone.

 

[forestgnome]

With all due respect, Mavs, blazing is still a common practice in some parts of the country. Do I think it was appropriate on Couchie? No, as it's not accepted practice in the Adirondacks. But IMHO it's not the high crime and misdemeanor that you and several others made (in some cases repeatedly) in the Couchie thread.

It's totally inappropriate to post anyone's name and address on the public bulletin board no matter what the alleged offense. That's NEVER OK, and is even more reprehensible when it's done by those who hide in the shadows on anonymity. If you or anyone else on VFTT is going to publicly berate or shame someone, then at least have the courage the courage to stand up and identify yourself and provide your real name.

I stand by my previous remarks. There are others who believe as I do that public floggings have no place on VFTT.

I'm not having a bad day. I'm just standing up for what I believe in, and as always, my real name is available to anyone.

"Chuck" is as anonymous as "forestnome" or "peakbgr" or "mavs00". You're upset about public floggings of the anonymous chuck, which "have no place on VFTT" (God, allah and beheadings have a place?), but you're not upset that chuck committed vandalism of epic proportion in the forest.

I welcome chuck to exchange real names with me, then I can report him. It is sad that a VFTT poster has little feeling for such heinous vandalism in the forest.

 

[elhefe007a]

But IMHO it's not the high crime and misdemeanor that you and several others made (in some cases repeatedly) in the Couchie thread.

The DEC, and the law disagree with you. Vandalism is a crime.

If you or anyone else on VFTT is going to publicly berate or shame someone, then at least have the courage the courage to stand up and identify yourself and provide your real name.

It's an Internet forum. People use "handles". That said - my information is available to anyone who asks. This isn't about "Who has enough courage to post their name on a hiking forum" , it's about "the morons with spray paint and machette's who vandalize the forests, need to be stopped".

I stand by my previous remarks. There are others who believe as I do that public floggings have no place on VFTT.

But War, Religion and beheading discussions do of course.


How Couchsachraga can be dismissed so easily is beyond me.

 

[DougPaul]

There are others who believe as I do that public floggings have no place on VFTT.

Count me as one other who believes the lynch mob mentality is inappropriate on this BBS.

Doug

 

[--M.]

Since I'm SURE my $0.02 are needed (wink):

First, it totally blows me away that there are people who think it's okay to vandalize others' hiking areas -- or private property. What happened on Couchsachraga was a crime and an offense against nature and the other members of the sandbox. What happened here is, albeit a lesser one, also offensive. "Chuck" and Eric-Whoever-from-Couchie should be taught how to behave in public, and the state should be involved.

On the other hand, "the state" should not include breaking into the jailhouse to string them up proper. Seeing a forum devolve to the point where it requires adult supervision in the form of administrator lockdown is also a head-shaker for me. While it's fascinating to watch a mob form and see what makes a lynching tick, in the end, it's a reverse form of vandalism. "Chuck" and "Eric" had their way with the public, and now the public has its way with the individuals.

"Chuck" needs a dope-slap. He needs to learn what proper behavior is. Taking an uneducated crap just off-trail is very different from driving golf-balls off the summit, and malicious destruction should be answered with more than just "education." But we shouldn't forget our Constitution in the process.

To the degree that posters are reminding us not to lose our own civility in the process, I agree with them.

--Mike.

 

[REK]

In the first four post to this thread we have the suggestion that this individual be shot, hanged and beaten and that our federal govenment should adopt policies of third world brutality. I don't think Kevin Rooney is the bad guy here. No one has made any effort to cite a specific Maine staute that has been violated despite the repeated mention of a crime. Hot pink blazes are just wrong on a number of levels and the idividual responsible is certainly inconsiderate. Love Canal and Gilson Road are indeed a crime against nature, but this is not. There are much worse things in this world than this.
Bob

 

[--M.]

I agree that there's a lot worse, which I was thinking when reading all the Couchie posts.

However, it is, in fact,a crime against nature; it's just not a major felony.

In a hundred years' time, no one will know. But in the next decade, the trees on Couchsachraga, and the visitors to both places will be impacted.

There needs to be perspective on this. On that, we seem to agree.

With that, I'll see ya later (and go to Wachusett).

--M.

 

[TDawg]

I just wanted to add a couple things. First... I was out there between Maine 4 and 27 (and up to the Bigelows as well!) from Wednesday thru Saturday, so I must have run into you at some point, TDawg. I was solo with a red hat on, and I think you guys were camping out behind Spaulding Shelter while I was hanging out with a bunch of thru-hikers. Nice to see you in person. Hope your buddy's blisters weren't too bad!

Second, I was up on Redington the same day that "Chuck" was there. I didn't see him (I was there around 2:30 PM), but I will admit that I followed his blazes to the summit, which included a pointless and annoying push through dense spruce near the summit when the regular herdpath was going in the perfect direction. (I just wanted to see where he was going and tried to figure out why he veered into the woods. Verdict: no clue - absolutely pointless extra bushwhacking)

Yea that was us behind Spaulding shelter. My sister's boyfriend's little brother had the blisters. They were pretty brutal, he got them the first day going over Saddleback, Horn, etc. to Poplar Ridge and hiked with them like a champ for 3 more days. Nice to run into you as well, I think we had a quick word or two.

I also followed his pointless bushwack for the same reason, just to see where it went and why he took a turn off the herd path. It was fun but very pointless.

 

[Paradox]

In the first four post to this thread we have the suggestion that this individual be shot, hanged and beaten and that our federal govenment should adopt policies of third world brutality. I don't think Kevin Rooney is the bad guy here. No one has made any effort to cite a specific Maine staute that has been violated despite the repeated mention of a crime. Hot pink blazes are just wrong on a number of levels and the idividual responsible is certainly inconsiderate. Love Canal and Gilson Road are indeed a crime against nature, but this is not. There are much worse things in this world than this.
Bob

Amen to that!

 

[skiguy]

In the first four post to this thread we have the suggestion that this individual be shot, hanged and beaten and that our federal govenment should adopt policies of third world brutality. I don't think Kevin Rooney is the bad guy here. No one has made any effort to cite a specific Maine staute that has been violated despite the repeated mention of a crime. Hot pink blazes are just wrong on a number of levels and the idividual responsible is certainly inconsiderate. Love Canal and Gilson Road are indeed a crime against nature, but this is not. There are much worse things in this world than this.
Bob

A Matter of Perspective and Interpretation

One of the things that I really like about this board is that there are many passionate people here; passionate about the woods and the many good things that come from it.
I could create a long list of those good things but I think most of you already know what that list would contain. When using Public Forums such as this I find much of the time that people’s perspective and interpretation of another’s post can be taken differently by the individual reading or commenting on them. We are all entitled to our own opinions. Interpreting some of the words said in this thread from the perspective of their raw face value in IMO is blowing it a bit out of proportion. I think we all share a common passion concerning the issue at hand in this thread. The hiking community to a certain degree is a self governing community. Much good can come from Public Forums like this when an issue that this thread is discussing arises. To nit pick each others words are only defeating the potential good that could come from discussing this issue in the first place. Passion has a way of bringing emotional energy to the surface. The key is to focus that energy towards the appropriate source where it can be productive.