Cairns

[Shawn]

Cairns are stacks of rock usually built for artistic purposes or trail navigation.

In most cases, it's for artistic purposes and this causes controversy among the outdoor community over Leave No Trace.

What is your opinion on cairns?

 

[neidholdt]

Another form of graffiti or vandalism. They are used sometimes on desert hikes as trail markers

 

[Shawn]

Another form of graffiti or vandalism. They are used in sine desert hikes as trail markers

I totally agree with them for trail markers.

But for anything else, yeah, it's grafitti, basically.

We dismantle those. I'll leave the bottom rock since something is probably living under there.

A lot of people throw a fit about dismantling them. I guess they don't like nature being as wild as it can be. We humans already do enough to make it modern.

 

[neidholdt]

What’s dangerous though is when they are used as trail markers and people take down or even worse move. I am very wary when I find them as trail markers

 

[Shawn]

What’s dangerous though is when they are used as trail markers and people take down or even worse move. I am very wary when I find them as trail markers

I would agree with that.

We've actually left them alone on really backcountry wilderness trails like is Little Lusk Creek area because there were no blazes. But at Little Grand Canyon and Rim Rock? Nope, they're nothing but junk there.

Some people get really angry about my stance on them.

I mean I don't belittle anyone about it. I just don't support it.