Respect

text from tracy this morning:"I failed in my attempt 2 educate clueless but prob typical person who couldn't stop her dogs fm running up 2 mine n that ppl on these trails should expect 2 encounter loose dogs n 2 just deal w it."

nice, well meaning person who just can't control her dogs. i had a chat with some women on the trail who were also very nice, and whose dogs were well behaved, but they didn't understand why people who don't want to deal with dogs don't just use other trails. There is currently only one trail system closed to dogs, and that is Polecat. So those people don't have lots of other options right now. Our best hope to keep access is to be respectful and remember that not everyone wants to meet our dogs.

people who are afraid of dogs, or who have dogs that need to stay on leash for any variety of reasons- no recall, dog aggressive, etc. have just as much of a right to use the foothills as anyone else. we all need to respect each other and work together to make it a pleasant experience for everyone. and that means that if a dog doesn't come when it is called the owner should keep it leashed or do more obedience work.

not like the old days when you could be the only person on a trail and it didn't seem to be such a big deal.

one of the fcac committee members told me last week that her friends still run into 8 of 9 dogs off leash in the on leash area. i have run into really belligerent dog owners with off leash dogs on the on leash trails. come on people- the rule is the dogs should be on a leash. if your dog needs to be off leash, walk 50 more feet to the off leash trail. why is this so difficult?

Having off leash trails accessible is a privelege and we need to recognize that and start treating it as such.



anyway- beautiful morning on corrals- the lupine are still blooming, so if you haven't been up yet, check it out.


look at the deer print right in the middle of the tire tracks, dog prints & running shoes. there was also deer poop on the trail.

it was really busy, and every single person i met was pleasant. all of the dog owners were very polite about holding dogs back until it was established that it was OK to have a meet & greet.

mt bikers thanked me for getting the dogs off the trail, stopped to talk to me about them. one of the reasons i like the upper trails- people seem to make more of an effort.
















happy memorial day to all!

poop chronicles

although i really don't want to be the poop chronicler, there were a few this morning that sort of amazed me, so here they are.

i don't even need to say anything about the first 2, but the third one- how do you not notice that your dog is perched on a sagebrush defecating? unless your dog is nowhere near you- but this one was certainly right by the trail.



on a more attractive note, the bachelor buttons are starting to pop out, and it was a lovely morning. 3 groups of dogless runners, 2 others with dogs- one off leash in the off leash area and one on leash in the on leash areas, 2 walkers with dogs and 3 mountain bikers. it's getting busier in the mornings. and will continue to as it gets warmer. everyone was very nice & polite and seemed happy to be out.

have a great day!

impact

it was a beautiful morning. i wanted to check out scott's trail to see what was deemed dog worthy, but can't get up there til may 15 when the gate is opened, so we parked at the upper hull's lot instead. to get there from this lot would be about a 2 mile on leash hike on primarily single track trail.

we met mostly bikers, and everyone was very nice and thanked us for getting the dogs off the trail, compliments on how well behaved they were being. not one biker gave us right of way on the trail, as is the correct etiquette. no big, because i find it easier to get off & let them pass. my husband, who mountain bikes, mentioned it. i was just happy that everyone was pleasant.

this is how the parking lot looked when we came out close to noon. i don't see how there can be this much activity without impact. every single user changes something. i think that part of the reason dog owners get so upset is that we feel singled out as the source of most problems.





















my husband, the mountain bike rider, pointed out the trail braiding here clearly caused by bike. i have a hard time comprehending how my dogs running a random loop (this pic was not taken on a ridge to rivers trail, it was out on blm land off of the highway) causes more impact. it would seem to take many feet traveling the same trail to create a path. i understand there is wildlife concern, but they are not chasing, hunting or digging- they are just running.

regardless, all of us- hikers with and without dogs, people with strollers and kids who go off trail to check stuff out, people on bikes, people on horses, sheep and cattle moving through- change something. it makes more sense to me for us to work together to find the right balance.

today's pack out included 2 beer bottles, 3 beer cans (pretty old & rusty) and our poop. this trail is cleaner- except for the sheep & deer tidbits we were continually calling the dogs off of. need to get the packs on the dogs so they can help haul out trash.

one last thing- polecat trail does not allow dogs. i wonder if that is presented as an alternative to people who don't want to deal with dogs when they hike or bike? Probably lots of folks who would like to know about that option.

corrals

beautiful morning. picked up some poop by the parking lot. i never can figure out how it is that people come out for exercise, but don't walk back to the trash can from this close and just be done with it. again, all right near the trail.












here's the ziplock at the end of our hike- 3 bags from us, a coke can, and misc poop picked up from really close to the parking lot. i will say this is better than i have seen it up there, but still not great.


cows are out. these guys are behind the gate that leads to hard guy. i saw a few more scattered on the hills off of corrals trail. we leashed up to go by just in case, but it appears that neither of my pups, both of whose breeds have been used for herding, have much interest in cattle. thank goodness!


trail braiding question. not sure how many dogs it would take to walk this path over how long a period of time to make the secondary trail. not the way my dogs usually travel- they will go off the trail to smell something, maybe run a loop, but the only time they trot right next the trail is when there is already a path like this there.









lots of stuff blooming and getting ready to. can't remember what this first one is called. the lupine are getting ready to explode- the hillside should be covered later this week. saw some larkspur farther back, and this white blooming shrub which may or may not be syringa. didn't seem quite fragrant enough.

met karen & robin with their 3 dogs. they called them back because one is noisy & scares people (sounds like echo)- much appreciated. the dogs were all very good.

saw 3 mt bikers riding with 2 dogs, and quite a few other groups. everyone was nice & polite and good about sharing the trail. except for the woman who just had to fly by the 3 mt bikers on the hill by hard guy- cutting off me & the dogs from coming up hill & startling the other riders.

sheep

there are lots of sheep right off the trails where crestline & lower hulls meet. good idea to leash the dogs in this area. we ran into some women whose dogs had been chased off by the border collies. we went through, but very slowly so as not to frighten the sheep. not sure if this area is blm or private property. best to reduce conflicts either way, to keep open access.




this poop bag was behind a tuft of grass on crestline. people who leave bags to pick up later usually put them out on the trail so as not to miss them. i always wonder why anyone would go through the trouble of bagging, then hide (as it appears here) or fling (which i have also seen). we packed it out.

nice morning, polite mountain bikers, polite dog people, dogs on leash in on leash areas. it was working the way it should.

thanks to the folks who are out talking to people & raising awareness.