Wake Up People! We Have To Take Care of Places Like Max Patch...

I hate having to write a blog about this subject. However, what I hate more is people trashing the places, in the outdoors, I love, so let's begin. See the reason I am writing this blog is because of the story I read in the Asheville Citizen-Times (it is a must read) about the ridiculous amount of people camping and trashing the summit of Max Patch.

This picture left me speechless. Photo by Mike Wurman

I know with the COVID-19 Pandemic that since people haven't been traveling that camping has become a popular alternative to many. I have seen it first hand on my visit to Max Patch on the first of June and more so on a visit later in the month to Carvers Gap and the Roans. It was this visit to Roan Mountain that convinced me to avoid camping at extremely popular spots. 

My visit to Max Patch...

...& the Roan Highlands both in June.

I kind of suspended that rule Labor Day Weekend at Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area and I saw a ton of people there, but nothing like what was at Max Patch. One reason for that is the area of Max Patch is much smaller than the Roans or Mt. Rogers so people can't spread out. But that excuse what I saw in that story about the numbers there.

Labor Day crowds at Mt. Rogers.

Still, that isn't the worst part it is the trashing of the place, that is even more egregious! I can't say I am surprised, I have hauled out my share of other peoples trash and have ranted on many occasions about that. But this is on a whole number level. Let me just say this and I am quite clear on the subject of Leave No Trace. If you can't haul out your trash properly dispose of your shit or carry out your gear then DON'T COME THE F**K OUT...PERIOD!

Some of the trash I have crossed this year.

Oh, and for that nutter in the article saying she saw no trash and the photo was doctored...just shut the f**k up. Whether it's climate change or the COVID crisis I have had it with material reality-denying cultists and nutters! So, what can be done? I think for Max Patch it might be time to close the summit to camping. We also need to fund the US Forest Service better so someone can enforce the laws that are there because taking money out of people's pockets might be the only way to get their attention. Because I love Max Patch and we need to take care of this and all of the other special places.