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The Sawtooths are getting loved to death and it's a real problem
Three years ago I hiked the Alice-Toxaway loop in Idaho and saw maybe three other groups. Went back last month and counted over twenty tents at Twin Lakes alone. The trail braiding off the main path is getting bad, especially near the creek crossings. I heard a ranger say they're thinking about a permit system for next summer. Has anyone else seen a spot they used to have to themselves get totally overrun?
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noahhall3d ago
Twenty tents at Twin Lakes sounds like a success story to me. More people getting outside is a good thing, and maybe those new hikers will learn to love the place enough to fight for its funding. A permit system just makes nature feel like another exclusive club for people with flexible schedules.
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wren_walker623d ago
My buddy went to Twin Lakes last summer and said the trash left behind was heartbreaking. More people can mean more damage if they don't know how to care for the land. That's the real risk when places get loved to death without any limits.
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