Granary Springs-Worst Camp Experience. Ever.

[Scott P]

OK, so there's been a lot of talks/debates about noisy campers and what time it may or may not have been when certain events happened (I didn't take any sides).

I thought I'd share last week's experience though. This may seem far fetched, but rest assured there is nothing exaggerated here and anyone else who was camping there could confirm this.

A group of seven of us decided to meet at Granary Springs for some canyoneering. This included, me, my two kids, bogley member rms4545, Bogley member Lofty (Anya) and two 14ers.com members.

The two 14er members arrived first. There was no one else around and they found a nice parking place for camp.

A while later, two dirtbikers came along and set up camp close by.

After that a convoy of 5th wheels, under the guise of Camp EZ pulled in with all kinds of ATV's and a few horses.

Another couple that was canyoneering showed up as well.

No problem; when the rest of us showed up we set up camp; I really don't mind company.

We noticed quickly that something was awry with the convoy of RV's.

The two kids on ATV's were riding all over the place off trail (all they did for the two days we were there was ride all over). They were riding off trail and making all kinds of new tracks in the WSA. They were riding though our camp. I don't mean near or camp, or pretty close to our camp, but through it including running over our stuff. They nearly ran over my digital thermometer which was next to the tent (while we were standing there) and later came through and knocked over our table with the ATV. They ran over a lighter, but nothing was really damaged other than the smashed lighter and getting sand in some of our foodstuffs and dishes.

That night they had generators going and placed them as far as they could away from their camp, but towards everyone else's camps. They also idled diesel trucks in the night.

The next night was no better and it was apparent that the group was still doing the same thing. We thought of moving after dinner.

The two dirt bikers mentioned were not in the same group as the RV's. In fact they were really kind and really nice guys to be around, so this is not a situation of two different user groups not getting along. The dirt bikers invited us to their campfire and offered us some leftover dinner. I shared some information on Black Dragon Canyon with them and the sunset Pass Route. We had a good time talking with them. They were also very bothered by the RV group. The dirk bikers were also staying on all the designated routes. We really enjoyed their company.

At around 10:00 someone showed up with a much louder generator and we decided that if they were going to run it all night we were going to leave, even though it was late.

Anya and I went over and asked nicely if they were going to run the generator all night (we though they wouldn't because it was so loud), but they were extremely hostile and basically told us to leave the area and to F-off. We said that we were just asking so we could move somewhere else if necessary.

We decided to move the tents and sleeping bags (the 14ers.com members had a camper and didn't want to move it) and left at 10:30, while deciding to leave everything else (table and all) and come retrieve it in the morning.

We came back in the morning to pack up our stuff. Someone left a bunch of kid's juice boxes around (hmm, I wonder who that was?) and I cleaned up some of their trash. The camper and dirt bikers said the previous night was pretty bad with the loud generators and idling diesel trucks, though the dirt bikers had ear plugs.

I then walked down the wash to photograph all the off road damage so I could report it to the BLM. I hear a gunshot and hear a kid's voice "hey don't go over there, you are going to get shot". Only he was talking to his brother who was near me and not me.

None of the above is an exaggeration and anyone else who was there, whether the other canyoneering group, the dirt bikers, and our group will tell the same story.

Anyway, here are the license plates of the group. Here they are:

464 URS (Utah)
436 6CR (Utah)
973 CDF (Oregon)
A57 3LK (Utah)
Y29 9HA (Utah)

Here is some of the off road damage that they were doing in the WSA. Other than the actual road pictured near the sign, all of these tracks are brand new tracks made last weekend. PS, I did report to the BLM and they were headed out there Monday afternoon. I hope the people got caught.

[peakbaggers]

Scott, you handled it well. Glad you reported it and got plates and photos. I've been in similar situations in Colorado mtns. Makes me angry just to read about it.

[Byron]

I grew up in a camping family...when I was as young as 8 years old, back in '71, we would go into the sticks to hike and have campfires.

I remember a lot of this kind of thing...complete disregard for the very places these people would come to visit. Folks would leave ALL their garbage at the campsite, shoot up anything in sight, chop down trees, cans, bottles and plastic in the firepit. It was like this every year for a long time.

Then the whole "Give a hoot, don't pollute" thing fired up. It took a while, but I began to notice that by 1985, or thereabouts, people started to clean up their act. For the last 20 years, it's quite rare that I run into a thrashed site. Yeah, there are some ATV tracks here and there, and a few bottles and cans, but nothing like it used to be.

Looks like you ran into a throwback of the Neanderthal era. I'm sure that in those peoples minds, there's nothing special about that area at all...it may as well be a gravel pit just outside the city. These are people that have no appreciation of the outdoors, it's all about the electricity and the machines.

I like RVs, I like guns, I even like ATVs...they're fun. But I would never in a million years behave that way nor tolerate any of my companions doing so. I've always considered that there are two types of people in the world...givers and takers. It has also occurred to me that the takers are generally rude assholes.

With that said, I firmly believe that MOST people are kind and considerate. But man, the meatheads sure do make a mess.

[Bluff-Canyoneer]

Too bad you were not packin'



Seriously though, it would be hard not to get way worked up and cause a more serious scene.

The parents kind of remind me of a situation I experienced in a restaurant one time. Two women came in with a group of small kids, and seated them next to me, then walked to the far side and found a table for themselves. Clearly they thought their kids were so obnoxious they didn't want their meal to be ruined by screaming kids. To hell with the rest of us.

[accadacca]

That sucks man. Nothing pisses me off worse than inconsiderate a-holes like that. Boils my blood.

[rockgremlin]

A few good legal ways to get even with types like this are the following:

An extremely loud stereo system blaring Michael Maclean at 4:00 a.m (Amy Grant and/or mo-tab works well too). The idea is that all-night party animals despise early morning wakeup calls.

All else fails call the sheriff's department to report vandalism and public intoxication.

[Mojave Silence]

A few good legal ways to get even with types like this are the following:

An extremely loud stereo system blaring Michael Maclean at 4:00 a.m (Amy Grant and/or mo-tab works well too). The idea is that all-night party animals despise early morning wakeup calls.

All else fails call the sheriff's department to report vandalism and public intoxication.

This action makes you no better than those that were up late making noise. It may feel righteous to "get back at them" but accomplishes little other than annoying everyone (including people having nothing to do with the previous nights noise). I gave up years ago on easily accessible camping areas, better to just find a more remote location.

[rockgremlin]

This action makes you no better than those that were up late making noise. It may feel righteous to "get back at them" but accomplishes little other than annoying everyone (including people having nothing to do with the previous nights noise). I gave up years ago on easily accessible camping areas, better to just find a more remote location.

Me and Kurt Russell disagree. Vigilante justice is the best policy.

[TommyBoy]

I kind of agree with mojave, unless you and the offending party are the only ones there and then I say go for it.

[Scott P]

A few good legal ways to get even with types like this are the following

Yeah, but keep in mind that they had all kinds of rfiles and we were out numbered.

Plus there were four groups there. If our group started doing stuff, we would be disturbing others that had nothing to do with the abuses (i.e. the motorcyclists and the canyoneering couple) which were the same groups that were nice to everyone.

I gave up years ago on easily accessible camping areas, better to just find a more remote location.

A few years ago, Robbers Roost was considered a remote location.

[Glenn]

Looks like you ran into a throwback of the Neanderthal era.

Hey, don't be giving Neanderthal's a bad name. Archaeological evidence suggests they were far more compassionate to others (i.e., burial sites) and damn good artists.

As hard as it must have been to hold your tongue and not retaliate, you did the right thing. Hope they're caught in the act.

[accadacca]

I'd prefer blasting heavy metal. Intimidate them...

[Sandstone Addiction]

It would be nice if someone could run the plate numbers, I sure would like to know who they belong to...

Is there a legal way to find out?

[rockgremlin]

It would be nice if someone could run the plate numbers, I sure would like to know who they belong to...

Is there a legal way to find out?

YES.

As long as registration is current you can access that info through various websites for a small fee. Check it out:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...2221854AAxO4TI

http://www.publicdata.com/

[oldno7]

Yeah, but keep in mind that they had all kinds of guns and we were out numbered.
.

How many guns did you see?

[rockgremlin]

How many guns did you see?

He's got a point there.

(pun intended)

[hank moon]

How many guns did you see?

[Scott P]

How many guns did you see?

I didn't ask, and I'm not sure, but I probably saw around six, but only a few that I saw being used (Sunday morning; one dad and the two kids). Technically, I guess I should have said rifles instead of guns. The others were only strapped to ATVs/vehicles.

I don't have a problem with people taking guns/rifles to those kinds of places though, as long as they are respectful.