Graffiti along the Appalachian Trail deemed a massive problem - WSLS 10

[BlackCloud]

The self-centered, the self-ordained, and the otherwise self-obsessed. It's not YouTube it's Instagram & SnapChat.

I knock down all piles of rocks except where cairns are needed above tree line.

[Jonnycat]

I knock down all piles of rocks except where cairns are needed above tree line.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way.

[petedelisio]

I recall one utuber get angry when he reached one huge rock garden that was knocked over. He was passed and said the knocking over was vandalism.

[One Half]

I recall one utuber get angry when he reached one huge rock garden that was knocked over. He was passed and said the knocking over was vandalism.

Do you mean a cairn? Unless it's a cairn to mark trail where there is no other option I would consider cairn building or "rock stacking" the "graffiti." Fortunately rocks can easily be moved (depending on size) to "restore the area." When above tree line cairns are sometimes necessary to mark the path and protect fragile plants but I would not add to them. I might "rebuild" them if I could easily tell which rocks were dislocated but otherwise I would get info to the trail association that maintains that section.

[Odd Man Out]

Do you mean a cairn? Unless it's a cairn to mark trail where there is no other option I would consider cairn building or "rock stacking" the "graffiti." Fortunately rocks can easily be moved (depending on size) to "restore the area." When above tree line cairns are sometimes necessary to mark the path and protect fragile plants but I would not add to them. I might "rebuild" them if I could easily tell which rocks were dislocated but otherwise I would get info to the trail association that maintains that section.

Yes, the rock stacking argument is as old as the rocks. There is such an obvious difference between a legitimate trail marking cairn and rock stacking graffiti that people who knock over legitimate cairns and those who object to my knocking over rock stacking graffiti are both F*&#$%! A$$ H%$#@ as far as I'm concerned, and I don't care what they think. I did a bit of rock un-stacking St Mary's Rocks in SNP last time I was there. The worst I've seen is at Yosemite NP (Base of the Falls Trail) and Pictured Rocks NL (Au Sable Beach, I think).

[petedelisio]

Do you mean a cairn? Unless it's a cairn to mark trail where there is no other option I would consider cairn building or "rock stacking" the "graffiti." Fortunately rocks can easily be moved (depending on size) to "restore the area." When above tree line cairns are sometimes necessary to mark the path and protect fragile plants but I would not add to them. I might "rebuild" them if I could easily tell which rocks were dislocated but otherwise I would get info to the trail association that maintains that section.

No I meant rock garden.
Rocks just piled with little reason all over the place in a small area is a rock garden.
Sorry I wasn't more clear in stating they were not cairns/trail markers/deep wilderness food cache markers etc.

[petedelisio]

Do you mean a cairn? Unless it's a cairn to mark trail where there is no other option I would consider cairn building or "rock stacking" the "graffiti." Fortunately rocks can easily be moved (depending on size) to "restore the area." When above tree line cairns are sometimes necessary to mark the path and protect fragile plants but I would not add to them. I might "rebuild" them if I could easily tell which rocks were dislocated but otherwise I would get info to the trail association that maintains that section.

It was a large rock garden in the woods. It's not hard to distinguish them apart.
Probably the same area previously mentioned.