• halferect
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    1 day ago

    On the beach I don’t know but depending on the area those can be trail markers and you should probably not knock them down especially in deep back country and instead pick up trash you find, otherwise people are gonna tie plastic or carve into trees to mark way points. Also at least in the united states some native Americans rock pile as part of their culture, I’m sure other places do too, as a jew I know I stack rocks on Graves so the rocks you knock over might be something important but I guess you are the main character so you do you

    • weariedfae@sh.itjust.works
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      1 day ago

      Not OP. Former NPS employee. Cairns are NOT used to mark trails in national parks. Stacking cairns in a national park is considered vandalism and you should not be doing it the same way you should not be scratching your name into goddamn rocks.

      The practice of stacking cairns is so out of control I do not recommend you ever follow one on state or other lands. It is a good way to get lost following some influencer’s a.e.s.t.h.e.t.i.c pile.

      The only acceptable location for a cairn is a high energy beach environment so that the sea can wipe it away in a couple of hours.

      National parks are intended to be enjoyed as close to natural as possible. Leave. No. Trace.

      • halferect
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        21 hours ago

        As someone who goes deep into national Forrest they are absolutely used as a trail markers, you may not like it but it’s a fact of life and better than putting a wooden sign up. And we are talking deep country not well beaten paths that are day hikes

        • rabber@lemmy.ca
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          18 hours ago

          Obviously I don’t kick down actual cairns.

          I’ve done more summits than likely anyone else in this thread and there are hardly ever any functionally useful cairns though. Most are just vandalism. Same with painting rocks, or carving your name into a tree, etc etc.

      • Crikeste@lemm.ee
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        20 hours ago

        If you’re SO concerned about nature, shouldn’t you be practicing what you preach by never setting foot in nature?

        Go destroy the trails so nature can prosper, right?

        • rabber@lemmy.ca
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          18 hours ago

          No, encouraging people to enjoy nature properly results in more protected nature.

          There are so many hilariously bad takes in this thread but I guess it makes sense with the demographic here.

    • rabber@lemmy.ca
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      1 day ago

      I think hanging a huge flag on a mountain you don’t own is more main character syndrome