Re: [Paddlewise] Maps versus Charts

On Tue, May 13, 2008 at 1:23 PM, Dave Kruger <kdruger_at_pacifier.com> wrote:

>
> I agree the existence of a guidebook concentrates and focuses visitors to
> an area.  That's a bad thing if your favorite spot gets identified as a
> primo site in a new guidebook.


The entire guidebook idea (at least in the Pacific Northwest) had its
genesis in the Seattle area in the mid 1960s with the introduction of a
small pamphlet published by the Mountaineers called "The Signpost". Hikers
either loved it or hated it, depending upon whether their favorite hike
became hippy heaven. There were few rules about hiking or climbing in those
days and many climbing routes were identified in Signpost and favorite
pitches were bolted for "safety". The idea was that if there were bolts then
fewer pitons would be pounded into crevices and subsequently removed; over
and over and over.

REI was a little-known store catering to hikers and climbers. Many of my
friends didn't bother to get memberships until we had gotten over our fear
of "belonging" to something. I never did join the Mountaineers because it
just seemed way too organized to suit my tastes.


> But, the other side of the coin can be a good thing if the guidebook
> author has taken some care in identifying "commonly known" sites and has ...
> ahhhmmm ... "overlooked" others, leaving serendipity to those equipped to
> enjoy it; and, the common sites, for the throngs who might not know or
> appreciate the difference.


No guidebook can identify every good spot but The Signpost certainly managed
to identify enough favorite places that it pissed off a goodly number of the
original cadre of hikers and climbers in the Cascades. I notice now that the
hiking guides concentrate on the more well-known trails. There are still
good, but more difficult, trails to nice places that they don't bother with.

However, there are damn few chances to be the first to climb a particular
pitch nowadays. This is simply a fact of life when you live in a big
metropolitan area.

 Chances are, the throngs can't find the secret spots because the guidebook
> has blinded them to looking.  Philip Jones has done this on the Lower
> Columbia, I know for a fact.  Thanks, Philip!


Well, again, someone new to the area or paddling from Portland or Seattle
will naturally be attracted to the known places. You probably paddled those
areas first 35 years ago because they were simple, the camping spots easy to
recognize, and there was a store with cold beer within walking distance. :)

>
> I do not agree with Craig's implicit thesis that those who live near a
> primo area should feel sorry for those who "have" to live hundreds of miles
> away.


I'm not sure I implied that. You might have inferred it, but it wasn't my
intention. I tried to make the point that no one can live in ALL the primo
paddling places. To at least some extent, unless you doggedly paddle the
same waters year after year, you are going to trespass on someone else's
turf at some point. Trying to find out from the locals where to paddle is
likely to send you down a tidal race so the guidebook for that area is your
main choice. And it most certainly was before the Internet. Now, of course,
people blab about their paddles on West Coast Paddler or Paddlewise
routinely.

>
> Everybody has a sense of ownership about his/her special places, even if
> we do not actually possess a deed or title to them.


It's often misplaced though. A Californian who owns only to the mean high
tide level might think he owns everything that isn't water and try to chase
anyone off who "trespasses" on "his" land at low tide. Or ranchers who fence
across a popular paddling stream (the Palouse in eastern Washington suffers
from this). Or paddlers who discover that the places they thought were open
to all (but kept secret) might now fall under the control of First Nations'
peoples who may not share the interests of the paddlers. Even when you have
a deed, parts of it might not be under your control. And if Wal-Mart wants
it our Supreme Court says that the local government can take it and sell it
to them.

The good thing about guidebooks is that they introduce new people to the
activity and we get water trails, human-powered-only launch areas, better
gear, and political clout.

The bad thing about guidebooks is that they introduce new people to the
activity and we get naive newbies in dangerous places, too many tents on
Cypress Island, crappy gear designed to only appear useful and political
attention.

Nothing is all good, all the time.

>
> The third side of the coin is a failure of an assumption:  that a
> guidebook will always result in way more people.  I believed that when I
> started paddling on the Lower Columbia in 1992.  My paddling partner (The
> Curmudgeon) and I purposely mislead people about where we paddled, and made
> up off the wall names for where we camped (e.g., Dead Wild Pig Island).  It
> is now sixteen years later and the actual number of paddlers using "our"
> River is about double what it was; hardly a population explosion, and an
> increase which has not diminished the quality of my paddling experiences or
> my sense of isolation on the water.  In 1992 we never saw other paddlers; in
> 2008 I see them every fifth or sixth trip.  BFD.


Probably true. Small towns in central Washington state (like Mattewa, as an
example) are often touted as the "fastest growing municipal area in the
country". It's not hard to be fast growing on a percentage basis when the
populations goes from 24 to 48 because three orchards just came into
production and brought in crew. Likewise sea kayaking had so few adherents
30 years ago that a tenfold increase would be barely noticed. But kayaking
still requires some expenditure of effort and at least a little cash even if
you rent. You'd be surprised how many people think that *any* expenditure of
effort - especially if it's accompanied by an expenditure of cash - is
anathema. There may be a lot more paddlers in the Broken Group but I'm
guessing there aren't that many more at Hot Springs Cove.


> I'll put my money where my mouth is for the third side of the coin.  Here
> is the liturgy of my paddling experiences on the Lower Columbia:
> http://www.kayaktrips.net/sea-kayak/cat_dave_kruger.html
>
> Go for it.  Paddle your selves silly!  You still won't see me, I bet!


Well not likely. You'll be in your mutha-ship anchored in a cove with no
place suitable for a campsite within 5 miles. And I'm likely to be in a
similar spot myself. Using a boat as a base immediately opens up a lot of
paddling areas not covered by kayaking guidebooks.

Of course, they *are* covered by the cruising guidebooks. <grin>

>
> PS:  Don't forget the frappachino, Craig! [sly grin]


No chance of that. :)

Craig
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