Tourists making a mess of national Parks

[JoshandBaron]

My personal view:

1) Not trash. It's a purposeful object marking a summit.
2) It's a small object.
3) You're unlikely to stumble upon it unless you are peakbagging, and the canister is usually welcome by peakbaggers.

I know it opens up a can of worms like "is it ok to have 5 million geocaches then?", but my response would be there's bigger fish to fry at the moment. As far as Wilderness(TM) summits, very mixed feelings, though I certainly wouldn't be hurt if they were taken away.

The question was prompted by what greeted me at The Captain this weekend.

 

[TCD]

Interesting set of artifacts! Looks like a well built canister. Of course I can understand the link to "Captain" Morgan, but I'm puzzled by the Turkish flag. Also cannot quite tell from the photo what the dark object is, that looks sort of like an eggplant...

 

[JoshandBaron]

Interesting set of artifacts! Looks like a well built canister. Of course I can understand the link to "Captain" Morgan, but I'm puzzled by the Turkish flag. Also cannot quite tell from the photo what the dark object is, that looks sort of like an eggplant...

The Turkish flag is a memorial for an avid hiker who died a couple years ago. Not sure he ever made it up there himself but it is a new addition since my last trip there in 2017. The dark thing is an eye patch. The canister contained several more. There are no less than 4 Captain Morgan bottles containing either water or watered down rum with an email address on all of them. He keeps bringing more up there but not removing any. I did not pack any of the trash out.

 

[TCD]

Interesting. Sounds like some kind of obsession. The community should work out an agreement as to what should and should be up there. My guess is the "more and more plastic bottles" are probably not what most people want to see. Thanks for the info!

 

[Salty]

The Turkish flag is a memorial for an avid hiker who died a couple years ago. Not sure he ever made it up there himself but it is a new addition since my last trip there in 2017. The dark thing is an eye patch. The canister contained several more. There are no less than 4 Captain Morgan bottles containing either water or watered down rum with an email address on all of them. He keeps bringing more up there but not removing any. I did not pack any of the trash out.

Urf, yeah, that's a little too busy for my tastes. I thought the single bottle of Captain was amusing when I was there. Four is whacked out.

TCD, those canisters are common on the 3k's around NH (probably Maine and VT as well), designed to alleviate a lot of problems commonly found in other methods. They've held up very well through the years near as I can tell.

 

[sierra]

I never experienced canisters until, I went out west. I don't bushwhack so and in NH you don't see them on the standard peaks. Personally, I'm ambivalent about them. I signed the first few I found, then found it to be a pointless practice. I can see how a community of people would enjoy seeing their friends names. I know when I was doing the 14ers, there was an issue with someone taking the canisters. He thought they didn't belong and was taking it upon himself to remove them. I don't think that's fair at all. I do think that canisters should not be added too with paraphernalia, I get the sentiment, but its no different then memorials left on summits. Nobody else knows the context of them, so basically they are just an intrusion.

 

[ChrisB]

There are no less than 4 Captain Morgan bottles containing either water or watered down rum with an email address on all of them. He keeps bringing more up there but not removing any. I did not pack any of the trash out.

What kind of nut does to the Captain four times? That's my question...
cb

 

[ChrisB]

How do you folks reconcile summit cannisters?

Good question.

Originally I think they provided proof that you actually found the summit of whatever bushwhack you were attempting in the course of earning an award or patch.

In the modern era of GPS tracks, heat maps and spot, canisters have become an outdated artifact a simpler time.

Other than marking an ill-defined summit (Scaur Ridge, West Kennebago) not sure what purpose they serve. I guess a small sign would suffice.
cb

 

[JoshandBaron]

What kind of nut does to the Captain four times? That's my question...
cb

I was reading through the register and saw my entry from the last time I was up there in which I stated I would never do the Captain again. Nevertheless, I found myself up there for a second time and will probably return in the future. It's a nice way to kill an hour while camping at Carrigain Pond.

 

[ChrisB]

I was reading through the register and saw my entry from the last time I was up there in which I stated I would never do the Captain again. Nevertheless, I found myself up there for a second time and will probably return in the future. It's a nice way to kill an hour while camping at Carrigain Pond.

You reminded me that one benefit that canisters provide is fun reading and a rough history of a peak's ascents throughout the seasons.

"This is the worst bushwhack I have ever done and I'll never do it again" type entries written in the heat of battle always amuse!
cb

 

[Daniel Eagan]

You reminded me that one benefit that canisters provide is fun reading and a rough history of a peak's ascents throughout the seasons.

"This is the worst bushwhack I have ever done and I'll never do it again" type entries written in the heat of battle always amuse!
cb

I wrote one of those on the Peak Above the Nubble a few years ago, but I'm determined to get there again, the right way this time.