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Deleted member 18333
Guest
No sense in going on a weekend camping trip if you aren't pulling doubles.
Nameless Range
Well-known member
I can't speak to Colorado, but a similar situation is developing in Montana.
Insane amounts of people out and about. I would bet the amount of folks camping has doubled or tripled compared to previous years. Numerous campgrounds have been full all summer, even on weekdays. I am seeing folks camped at trailheads frequently.
A camper I saw up the South Boulder in the Tobacco Roots in May, was up there 3 months later.
If this increased pressure is to persist, I think two things we are all going to have to figure out is:
1) An investment in infrastructure on public lands. More campgrounds, camping spots, toilets, etc. How many campgrounds survive on volunteer camp hosts that are members of an increasingly shrinking generation and will there be people to fill their shoes?
2) An investment in increased law enforcement on public land. I really believe we need to have a orders of magnitude more LEOs on the landscape. From more people doing stupid chit, to people having conflict with one another, just camping with my family this summer there is an air of lawlessness on the landscape.
Insane amounts of people out and about. I would bet the amount of folks camping has doubled or tripled compared to previous years. Numerous campgrounds have been full all summer, even on weekdays. I am seeing folks camped at trailheads frequently.
A camper I saw up the South Boulder in the Tobacco Roots in May, was up there 3 months later.
If this increased pressure is to persist, I think two things we are all going to have to figure out is:
1) An investment in infrastructure on public lands. More campgrounds, camping spots, toilets, etc. How many campgrounds survive on volunteer camp hosts that are members of an increasingly shrinking generation and will there be people to fill their shoes?
2) An investment in increased law enforcement on public land. I really believe we need to have a orders of magnitude more LEOs on the landscape. From more people doing stupid chit, to people having conflict with one another, just camping with my family this summer there is an air of lawlessness on the landscape.
Wilderness_56587
Active member
- Joined
- Nov 20, 2018
- Messages
- 119
I think the increase is everywhere this summer, the local boat dealership in central MN is selling 40+ boats a month, then all the side by sides to, they can't even keep stock. They predict a large amount of the people will loose them in a couple years. People got there stimulus money and went crazy this year.
wyoelkfan15
Well-known member
This is nothing new. Hit the Snowiest up on opening general deer/elk and you'll see far more Greenbackistanis than animals.
rideold
Well-known member
Guess there isn't anyplace you can be from that someone doesn't like 
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rwc101
Guest
Oh, I know. They usually seem like 1/3 of the license plates though. I don't go up there opening week for that very reason.
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Deleted member 18333
Guest
I've never heard anyone complain about Hawaiians.Guess there isn't anyplace you can be from that someone doesn't like
Gerald Martin
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2009
- Messages
- 8,689
Walking around everywhere flashing hang loose signs, plucking their ukulele, saying aloha to everyone they meet. Almost as bad as the Rhode Islanders.
i mean i'm a regular in the snowies and saratoga, since i was child, so i've always been adding to the crowds
my old job was every other friday off, my new job requries some weekend work every now and then which results in a bonus 4 day weekend about once a month. on any given friday i bet one quarter to nearly one third of the working corporate population doesn't have work
but i've been to wyoming a few times this summer, and it's just as bad as colorado. spent a long weekend in the san juans the other weekend. green license plates were, without joking, almost a minority.
there are always bad apples in the woods no matter the time of year, so statistically we're seeing more of them with trash and disrespect of rules. i'm just holding out hope that this summers insanity is at least producing a few more advocates of public lands and wild places
my old job was every other friday off, my new job requries some weekend work every now and then which results in a bonus 4 day weekend about once a month. on any given friday i bet one quarter to nearly one third of the working corporate population doesn't have work
but i've been to wyoming a few times this summer, and it's just as bad as colorado. spent a long weekend in the san juans the other weekend. green license plates were, without joking, almost a minority.
there are always bad apples in the woods no matter the time of year, so statistically we're seeing more of them with trash and disrespect of rules. i'm just holding out hope that this summers insanity is at least producing a few more advocates of public lands and wild places
Hunting Wife
Well-known member
It was hard to find even dispersed camping spots last week when we were out in western MT. Roads were lined with parked cars, trailheads were packed. It was a little crazy.
Over at the office this week, we were talking to some of the North Dakota Game and Fish guys. They said fishing licenses are up 35% (!!!) this year, and they’re seeing much increased interest across the state from non-resident waterfowl hunters. I know we’ve been getting way more calls from waterfowl hunters this year, most of them usually hunt Canada, and none of them have hunted ND before. I think hunting season is going to be a zoo.
Over at the office this week, we were talking to some of the North Dakota Game and Fish guys. They said fishing licenses are up 35% (!!!) this year, and they’re seeing much increased interest across the state from non-resident waterfowl hunters. I know we’ve been getting way more calls from waterfowl hunters this year, most of them usually hunt Canada, and none of them have hunted ND before. I think hunting season is going to be a zoo.
wyoelkfan15
Well-known member
My favorite experience was driving up behind two chuckleheads with Denver plates at about 4 am. They were crawling along, both hanging out the windows with bugle tubes trying to locate bulls from their moving vehicle. I laughed to myself thinking about them as I packed my first archery elk out six hours later.
Bigjay73
Well-known member
I suppose this thread is payback for all the bitching us Coloradans do about the friggin Texans
MTLabrador
Well-known member
Even backpacking in the Beartooths last weekend I was amazed at the amount of people. The trailhead was overflowing with vehicles and we ran into people constantly on the trail in what is usually a fairly quiet spot. I’m hoping for early snow this fall as well.
chuckchili
Well-known member
As a person from Colorado, I will share that I work 4-10’s and do indeed have Fridays off. You will however never see a mountain bike or kayak strapped to my truck- the best I can do is a beaten up 1970’s Coleman canoe. Because of the folks on this board, I really try to be on my best behavior when I’m in Wyoming. 
I have a friend in Grand Junction in the power sports industry, the amount of side by sides sold this summer is about 700/month which is more than double what they normally see in Junction. Seems everyone wants to get outside one way or another
It's the same back east in Indiana. Stopped at a local boat ramp last weekend people were parked along the road and the pit toilets were almost overflowing.
TheJason
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2024
- Messages
- 18,589
Look at current trends in sales and pricing of things like travel trailers, kayaks, paddle boards, mountain bikes, etc. Outdoor recreation is through the roof, and I don't see that trend reversing unless the economy really shits the bed. In terms of public land value, this is great. Hopefully people take a greater role in advocacy for such. It does, in my mind further my notion that our current model of one use group solely funding wildlife conservation is an entirely dated model that needs re-evaluated.
Irrelevant
Well-known member
But we need more advocates right? I mean all that means we're heading in the right direction! I can't wait until I get to put for a special draw camping permit! Woo hooo!
STOP HAVING KIDS!
STOP HAVING KIDS!
BigHornRam
Well-known member
I think there will be a lot of screaming deals on boats, travel trailers, side by sides, ect in 2 to 3 years when the people buying them this summer on credit, stop making payments because they are broke. This insanity is not going to end well.
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rwc101
Guest
Or, and hear me out, OTC human tags. Population control and all.
