Ice Lakes Trashed

[MonikaC]

From the Denver Post. Apparently people have been leaving human waste & trash in this fragile environment. As a result, permits are being considered. This is why we can't have nice things........

 

[AlanLichty]

Sadly this is not isolated to Ice Lakes. I have read several articles outlining a similar patterns of environmental abuse in Washington and Oregon. This is part of why so many recreation areas have been closed off for now. A lot of the people heading into the great outdoors are not the usual crowds that frequent the outdoor recreation areas and are showing next to zero respect for the environment or anyone else as they leave trash and human waste. Not a good time to be a forest or parks employee.

 

[JimFox]

Social Media I think is the root of this, as people are so focused on getting likes or follows and so almost any place that is beautiful is getting swarms of people who don't seem to know even basic backcountry etiquette. So yeah, Ice Lake Basin along with lot's of places as Alan has mentioned are currently being ruined by selfish humans who barely respect others, let alone nature.

I am surprised Blue Lakes in Colorado doesn't have a permit system also. I would think the # of visitors there are pretty similar to Ice Lake.

I would like to see something that is like a Permit system but doesn't control the # of people going there. It would simply be a class that has to be attended to teach Backcountry etiquette, and you get a Backcountry Permit that then allows you to go into the backcountry. Perhaps by teaching people and forcing them to learn, more people will then better take care of the outdoors.

 

[MonikaC]

Social Media I think is the root of this, as people are so focused on getting likes or follows and so almost any place that is beautiful is getting swarms of people who don't seem to know even basic backcountry etiquette. So yeah, Ice Lake Basin along with lot's of places as Alan has mentioned are currently being ruined by selfish humans who barely respect others, let alone nature.

I am surprised Blue Lakes in Colorado doesn't have a permit system also. I would think the # of visitors there are pretty similar to Ice Lake.

I would like to see something that is like a Permit system but doesn't control the # of people going there. It would simply be a class that has to be attended to teach Backcountry etiquette, and you get a Backcountry Permit that then allows you to go into the backcountry. Perhaps by teaching people and forcing them to learn, more people will then better take care of the outdoors.

You mean like what you have to attend to go into Fiery Furnace in Arches?

 

[Kyle Jones]

Or Bear School in Katmai.