What electronics don't belong in Wilderness areas?

[albee]

Thank you to all for participating in this poll. There is a reason that I put "This is a silly question" as the first option - because this is a silly poll.

I have found it interesting that there do appear to be some purists out there that don't want to see electronics brought into the wilderness. There is nothing wrong with that opinion. I, myself, voted for the last option - There should be no regulations on what electronics we bring into the wilderness. If everyone uses their personal equipment responsibly in order to allow others to enjoy their own wilderness experience, then no regulations should ever be needed.

 

[dvbl]

...Should people allow to wear perfume...?

yes, yes, a thousand times yes. Ciara, please.

 

[jbrown]

I can see it now, some guy is hiking and listening to tunes, and another person passes him and says "There's a bear around the corner!". Not hearing the warning, he proceeds, and ... ??

Not too long ago on my way down Algonquin, I was greeting most people with at least a "Hello" and usually receiving at least the same in response. One guy came plowing up the trail and I gave him a cheerful "How's it goin'," and received in response...nothing. So I followed up with an "Alright...good talk." Then I noticed little white wires running from his ears to his pocket, laughed at myself, then kept going.

As long as the electronics aren't messing with anyone else's wilderness experience...who cares?

 

[skiguy]

I voted for No regulations. Interestingly maybe even just five years ago I would have voted differently. I personallly had a problem with Cell phones when they first arrived in the Back Country but I think that people's comments in this thread about tolerance and responsibilty hit home. I think the general hiking populance has gone along way here although the journey is not done. Certainly I think most here would agree that the use of electronic devices can be situationally dependent and IMO Wilderness areas would qualify for the highest degree of responsibilty of the user. Tolerance in a wilderness situation might be a bit different though than Memorial Day weekend in Tuck's.

 

[RoySwkr]

I voted for No regulations. Interestingly maybe even just five years ago I would have voted differently. I personallly had a problem with Cell phones when they first arrived in the Back Country but I think that people's comments in this thread about tolerance and responsibilty hit home.

A few years ago I asked which brands of cell phone had the best coverage for emergency situations and all of the replies related to coverage areas. A few months later someone asked which brand was best for calling home from huts and many replies were highly negative about doing this.

I assume that the poster was a very considerate person and would slip away to make their calls in private. Probably they would turn the ringer off and maybe turn the phone off. But traditionally when you went to a hut you were leaving the rest of the world behind to solve its own problems, while if it became generally known that cell phones work at huts then there might be a general expectation that everybody would call home, take incoming calls, handle family and business issues, etc.

Some might see this as an advantage and some a disadvantage, hence the "cone of silence" question as to whether Wilderness visitors should remain undisturbed.

 

[escapee]

I don't object to someone bringing a cell phone, as long as it is not turned on except to attempt to call for help in an emergency. Chances are it won't get a signal anyway. If you're waiting for the phone to ring, do it at your desk, not in my place of worship and spiritual regeneration.

I don't understand why someone would want to hike with music piped into his ears, but as long as I can't hear it, I don't think I have a valid objection.

Unfortunately, I think we do need regulations on what can be brought into the wilderness if we want to preserve that character and that experience. There are less restrictive designations, such as wild forest, where more technology and noise is allowed.

 

[forestgnome]

If it's in New Hampshire, then standard American liberty should apply. No toys should be prohibited by government, but that assumes that people respect each other and, therefore, no need for prohibition.

These toys generally don't make noise to bother others. As long as the toy doesn't bother others, no prohibition needed. They definately clash with my idea of hiking/camping, but to each their own. I like the music of the forest.

Happy Trails

 

[Pete_Hickey]

Somewhat inverted question, I think. First of all, you can't really prevent somoone from bringing those things in. OK, maybe something big like a boom-box, but there isn't much you can do about the others....

Cell phones, however... there should be nothing to promote their coverage... such as putting towers at the edge of the wilderness to ensure wilderness coverage.

For years people went into wilderness areas without cell phones, and now people seem to expect them to work, and even consider them essential first aid gear.

Personally, I'd LOVE to see areas which are GPS-free, but that won't ever be reality.

 

[marty]

they may want to avoid the (to some people) obligatory "hey we're on the summit" calls

I was on Lafayette yesterday and a number of people were making the "hey, we're on the summit" call. I find that quite annoying, but don't think they should prohibit cell phones entirely, due to their value in emergencies. My preference is to have regulations put in place to specify emergency use of cell phones only.

Marty

 

[bikehikeskifish]

I was on Lafayette yesterday and a number of people were making the "hey, we're on the summit" call. I find that quite annoying, but don't think they should prohibit cell phones entirely, due to their value in emergencies. My preference is to have regulations put in place to specify emergency use of cell phones only.

Marty

I've made a few "Hey I'm on the summit" calls. Not to brag, necessarily, but to share the experience with my kids, and to let my wife know I'm OK, while I do have a signal, and what time I expect to be done, etc. I've only done so while hiking solo. I'm not obnoxious about it.

What's wrong with that?

The core of the issue is personal responsibility and respect for others. The lack of either results in a plethora of inane laws, rules, and regulations. In the end, there is only one rule: Do onto others...

Live free or die,
Tim

 

[Bobby]

I was with Marty on Lafayette and also saw the cell phone users. Most of us are in the mountains to get away from the "world" for a few hours. I have also made calls on a hike, but I try to find an out of the way place, keep my voice down and keep the call short. I don't think we can govern usage, but we can be somewhat considerate of others around us.

 

[David Metsky]

I don't think we can govern usage, but we can be somewhat considerate of others around us.

Well said, that's about all that we can do. Education and consideration.

 

[TCD]

There have been several related topics lately.

I voted (just now) for no regs on what can be brought in. Consideration is the key. It's not what you're carrying, but the output side (what you do with it) that matters. I could carry low tech items, and use them to make the wilderness unpleasant for others. How about a stadium horn and a can of orange spray paint? On the other hand, I could carry the most sophisticated electronics, even something big and heavy, and as long as I stayed away from you, kept quiet, and didn't leave a mark on any trees when I bumped into them, you'd never know.

A side point:

The BSP cell phone info in this thread is another example of regs written by officials more interested in beating their chests than actually doing anything worthwhile. The rangers, who are on the ground doing the work, can see that. Politician: "We banned (this or that)!" Moneyed Lobbyist: "Oh, isn't that great! Now it's a real wilderness." Whereas hiring some more rangers to educate folks, and actually reduce noisy or messy activities, is less showy, and costs money, so that doesn't get done. I have no plans to visit BSP (a little too far away), but the information was enlightening.

TCD

 

[Raymond]

Back in 1996, my son and I saw a Baxter State Park ranger wearing Walkman-like earphones.

A couple years before that, a former co-worker told me that his hiking partner used a cell phone from the Knife Edge to call an auto repair shop in Millinocket.

I remember when that ‘‘last phone’’ at the North Woods store was a big deal.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

I know a fellow who's a highly respected member of the outdoor community who is also a huge gadget freak. If it runs on AAA batteries, he's probably carrying it. He told me he did the AT while carrying, among other things, a phone, a computer and a TV! They were pretty small versions, and I suspect part of his motivation is to jolt those of us with perceptions about what constitutes appropriate/inappopriate gear. To each his own -

 

[adirobdack46r]

I voted no regulations, as long as people keep it in check and are courteous of others. If it has no effect on the environment and you carry out what you carry in then who cares as long as you're not bothering others with it. And of course a broad regulation could never be made to keep all electronics out of the wildnerness because that would also include cameras as the majority of the world has gone digital.

 

[dr_wu002]

l electronics out of the wildnerness because that would also include cameras as the majority of the world has gone digital.

This is funny -- nobody really mentioned cameras. Actually, I've observed that some folks are just about as annoyed by people photographing on a summit as they are people yakking on their cellphones.

Why doesn't BSP ban digital cameras (or all cameras for that matter) if they ban most other electronics?

-Dr. Wu

 

[cbcbd]

-Met an AT thru-hiker who carried a cell-phone with him and called his wife every night to let her know he was ok and to check on her.

-I've seen plenty of day hikers making "Calling you from the summit" calls.

Which one would be more annoying to you?

IMO, if you let your enjoyment of a moment or experience be influenced by other's actions then you better stop yourself, take a deep breath, take a new perspective, and start over again.

You don't have control over most things, only the way you react to them.

"Let it be"

 

[Peakbagr]

Consideration is the key. It's not what you're carrying, but the output side (what you do with it) that matters. I could carry low tech items, and use them to make the wilderness unpleasant for others.

Bring in whatever you like, but let those of us who are there to excape 24/7 contact with instant communication enjoy the solitude.

On a trip to Giant a couple of years ago there was a small family group we kept leapfrogging. One of their party was very fast and spent the hike calling back on a cell to exclaim over every viewspot, toad, tree, or flower. The rest of the party kept calling him back to acknowledge. The yelping continued on the summit as they called all their friends in in a volume audible in the subway. Each summit party withdrew to the far ends of the top to escape. An extreme example where no one wanted to further ruin their day by risking an argument with the cell users.
Had no one been around on the hike up, or they retreated to quietly use their phones out of earshot, few would have cared.

 

[Tim Seaver]

Cameras. Digital ones.

Like blazes on trees, they "affect" my Wilderness experience, and therefore need to be banned.

Only manual film cameras should be allowed, loaded with grainy black and white film, that I must develop myself.

Because I am a wilderness purist.