Why no summit registers on La Sal peaks?

[Candace66]

I just spent some time out in the La Sal mountains of eastern Utah. I climbed a number of peaks, including prominent ones such as Mt. Waas and Manns Peak. But I found no summit registers on those or any of the peaks I climbed.

Previously, I found registers on peaks such as Tokewanna in the Uintas and Box Elder Peak. So it's not as if the concept is unknown in Utah! But why aren't there any in the La Sals? Anyone know the reason, or have a theory?

(Note I'm out in the boonies a lot and offline, but I'll check in on this as I can!)

[Scott P]

It could be the Forest Service District.

Interestingly and perplexity, the Forest Service actually places and maintains summit registers on some of the Uinta Mountain peaks, for example. In the Sawatch Range in Colorado though, the policy is to remove all registers.

Different districts have different policies.

I'm not sure if that is the reason, but it is possible.

[Iceaxe]

My vote is that all summit registers be removed.

Tap'n on my Galaxy G3

[Candace66]

... In the Sawatch Range in Colorado though, the policy is to remove all registers.

Hmm, wonder when they started that? Guess I should do some research. I should be climbing some 13ers out there (I've been up all the Sawatch 14ers at least once), so I can see what the situation on the ground is!

I'm aware some see the registers as a sign of human encroachment or presence. But that seems a silly reason to remove them from peaks that have formally constructed and maintained trails to their summits, are the subject of numerous guidebooks, and are climbed by thousands of people every year (i.e., the Sawatch 14ers). Or maybe there's a more specific reason to remove them? Personally, if the weather permits lingering on the summit, I enjoy looking through them. But more so on rarely-visited summits, where the register may go back decades. JMHO!

[Doc Foster]

Personally, if the weather permits lingering on the summit, I enjoy looking through them. But more so on rarely-visited summits, where the register may go back decades. JMHO!

I also enjoy perusing summit registers on summits that see very few visitors.

[Udink]

I looked for the summit register on Mt. Waas in June, along with a geocache that was supposed to have been hidden among the rocks at the summit "shelter," but couldn't find either. Also, sometime this year a summit register and a geocache that I'd hidden at the top of the San Rafael Reef near the Ernie benchmark (on BLM land) have come up missing. In addition, the benchmark and reference markers there had been covered by rocks and some old junk from the original survey (wire and lumber) were removed. It could be that somebody wants to remove any evidence of human presence.

[Candace66]

Well, they would have a lot of work to do to remove all signs of human presence from Waas! Such as disassembling the various stone shelters, smoothing out what appear to be tent platforms, removing the BM's and reference marks...oh, and then there's those trails on the two ridges! (shrug)

I was on Mt. Sneffels, the San Juan 14er, on Monday, and there was no register or canister...