Jungle Rules in the Backcountry?

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sbosecker
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Jungle Rules in the Backcountry?

Post by sbosecker »

I just returned from a 4-night backpack in the North Fork area (Bowman Lake - Brown Pass - Brown Pass - Bowman Lake). Day 3 consisted of day hikes to Hole in the Wall & Lake Francis from Brown Pass campsite. It was a great trip with weather cooperating until the morning we hiked out. We got a bit of rain from about 5 am to 7 am on Day 5 but this didn't impact our hike out.

However...
The lack of adult supervision (Rangers) in the backcountry seems to be having a negative impact. I don't know if the Rangers are being pulled from the backcountry to enforce the Corridor Hall Pass plan (we saw 3 Rangers acting as crap screens outside the west gate on the afternoon of Sept 1); COVID related manpower shortages or search & rescue for the missing hiker.

Regardless, on Day 3 as we day-hiked to Hole in the Wall, we ran into a group of about 6 guys that - based upon reports we got later in the day - had pulled an "Occupy Hole-In-The-Wall Campsite". Reports from backpackers that that had been at Hole in the Wall on the evening of Sept 3 indicated that there were too many people at the campsite and that the group of 6 guys couldn't seem to come up with a permit. They didn't leave though.

On Day 4 (Sept 5), when we arrived at Bowman Lake at about noon, there was a young couple at the meal prep area. I engaged in the usual small talk regarding their itinerary. When asked, the young man was unable to tell me the name of their next campsite. When I mentioned it should be on their permit he replied with a bleep-you smile, "We don't have a permit. - Everybody's asking us that."

They left and I was smiling a bit because I suspected they might be a bit surprised by the climb to Brown Pass from Bowman Lake. Just after dark that night, as I lay in my tent, I heard a bit of noise that I thought was a couple that had paddled into the site getting firewood for the fire ring. The next morning I discovered the permitless young couple had returned and the noise was them pounding tent stakes. I think Brown Pass campsite was full and they were run out by the guys that were there. That couple hiked out in front of us so I wasn't able to point them out to any authority figure upon reaching the trailhead.

The point of all this is that without enforcement of permits in the Backcountry, it's going to be anarchy out there. There is no longer a requirement to display your permit on your tent so that means the folks that follow the rules get to try to figure out who's not supposed to be there by interrogation... wonderful. I’m sure that social media is lit up with guys & gals explaining how to trick-bleep the system by giving examples of how they backpacked in Glacier without the expense or inconvenience of going through the aggravation of getting a permit.

I reported all of the above to a Ranger in the Frontcountry Bowman Lake campsite after we hiked out. I suppose I should also send the same information to Glacier's superintendent although it's not clear if that's Pete Webster or Jeff Mow. Maybe that's part of the problem too.

Anyone else have similar stories from this year?

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Re: Jungle Rules in the Backcountry?

Post by orin »

You might have a more receptive audience if you reported your experience to the Backcountry Office. But I think you are right that without enforcement there are bound to be scoflaws. I'm not sure the lack of "adult supervision" is any worse than it has been. And I'm not sure things are getting much worse. I have been reading here about incidents regularly over the years. In all of the years I have been backpacking in Glacier I can count on one hand the times I have encountered a ranger in the backcountry. The last time was 3 or 4 years ago on the last day of a Belly River trip on Memorial Day weekend. I was a couple of miles from the trailhead at Chief Mountain and being chased by an approaching storm when I passed a ranger heading into the ranger station. She wanted to see my permit which by that time was buried deep in my pack. As the rain began to pelt us I had to remove the pack cover and get everything wet. Any havoc I might have caused was already done. So I think some of the little enforcement that does exist is not very effective.

On a six day trip into the Belly River this year I ran into no rangers and didn't notice any problems. But I often backpack in late spring before the worst crowds hit. When a camp is not full I might not even know that some campers don't have a permit. I spent one night at Glenn's head by myself.
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Re: Jungle Rules in the Backcountry?

Post by paul »

I do think the backcountry rules have been less followed as the park becomes more crowded and permits harder to get. I'm not sure the enforcement has changed much. Although I have not backpacked in Glacier in 3 years so this might have changed since. I have encountered Rangers on the trail and they usually ask me for permit so I tie the permit to the outside of my pack to make it easier.

Encountering a ranger on the trail is hit or miss. I probably see one at least every other trip that I've been on. However I go there during peak season.

As far as rules are concerned. I have only seen a couple of groups trying to poach a site and never saw people who didn't at least have some permit.
We are in the mountains and the mountains are in us. - John Muir
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