went swimming at tonto narrows this weekend ! for those who are unfamiliar with it, it's a excellent swimming hole just south of payson. it's a really great place but there's more litter there than any other outdoor spot i can think of. looks like bank one ballpark after a d'backs game. also at the narrows, a group of 8-10 teenagers who were having fun and chucking their beer cans in the creek. i felt like an old fart, but i went over and politely asked them to knock it off and pick up their trash. so i'm wondering, what would my fellow azhikers do in this situation? if you saw people trashing your favorite spots, would you go about your business or would you say something? : have a good one!
We were at Tonto narrows this weekend also as our finish to the Hell'sgate/Tonto weekend.
That place was disgusting. We knew we were near the end of the trip when we started seeing all the trash. We all commented on it. It was very sad. At least they (the kids) cant make it up the canyon, because the 13 miles above that was pristine and unspoiled.
Perhaps we could go up there and clean up one day.
"I'd feel better if we had some crampons. Oh, what the hell, let's go for it..." — Common climbing last words.
I honestly believe that most people want to do the right thing, but many people need to be reminded and some people still need to be taught, what the right thing is. If I felt safe, I probably would have done the same thing.
I think the clean-up day is a great idea! Let's do it!
I usually carry a digital camera on my hikes. I've found it's helpful to take a few photos making sure they know you're taking the photos. Newby is correct though, usually trashing is done by one or two in a group and if it's pointed out the the group leader they will police it up. If not, well heck, maybe the rangers would like the photos! :twisted:
I was through the tonto narrows also this weekend with pfredricks and a few others and had pretty much the same reaction he (and the group did). Unfortunately with any highly traveled area there is bound to be a lot of trash. The best thing to do is either what you did, tell them to knock it off, or clean it up yourself (not that you should have too). If anyone feels like arranging a clean-up trip, I would be happy to go back and help out.
If I recall correctly since I've been on this site (over a year) a 'clean up 'has been mentioned many times but to my knowledge never carried out. Think it's time to walk the walk.
'Achievement lies within the reach of those who reach beyond themselves'
Unfortunately with any highly traveled area there is bound to be a lot of trash.
Yeah... A lot of "white" trash too! I saw grocery bags of donut boxes, Gatorade, granola bars, 12-packs of beer... (YES, I was hungry!). How much effort would it take these people to walk out with the bag? Some people just don't care.
Hmmmmm Maybe a nice bulletin board with their pictures posted on it would be good........
Not a bad idea. And I believe it's legal to post pictures of people in public though without their need to sign a release.
I considered doing this for drivers that cut you off or drive recklessly. Take their photo and post it on a web site with their license plate.
really amazes me that people can bring all that stuff down to the creek in but can't seem to bother with carrying it out (empty and lighter, no less). clean up day would be VERY good. planned on taking some empty garbage bags out next time anyway. doing it as a group would be more fun (and quicker ). plenty of hot weekends ahead perfect for a swimming hole sweep-up. any other takers?
I think the clean up idea is good, only I can rarely get out. I did, however, clean up along Fossil Creek between the power plants this past weekend. I pretty much encountered the same thing. What I would have done in your situation, would have been similar. Knowing my personality, I probably would have muttered something sarcastic such as "wow, it's nice to see that everyone has the same amount of respect for the outdoors as I do"...I would have then began to lead by example and begin picking up the trash they just threw down. It's a way that makes some people feel a little "guilty", and it will make them think, even if they act like it doesn't bother them. Maybe you could just get through to one person. I've handled situations similar to this. Once when tubing down the Salt (several years ago), I was the "litter patrol". I took on this job myself, and every time I saw someone tossing a beer can into the bushes or dropping it in the water, I would make a comment to them such as "don't you think all of this litter is unsightly? You obviously like to tube the Salt River...why not allow other people to enjoy it as well" I would then proceed to swim after the beer can they just tossed. By the end of the trip, I had handed out a box of trash bags and it appeared that the people were using them...and several even joined me in my collection efforts. It was great! I felt like I had actually accomplished something, and brought a tiny bit of awareness to someone who may not have ever been taught otherwise. I have also on a few occasions turned in photos and descriptions of people to the forrest rangers. They were fined and are not ever allowed a permit back into Aravaipa again. Different strategies work. You just have to be careful which one you choose at a particular moment.
I take trash bags with me and have been cleaning up after folks. Just providing a trash may get them to refrain from littering. Please use caution and discretion, you do not want to become a victim.
i guess the next step is try to organize this thing. probably unlikely to find a day that works for everyone but i figure this is a good starting point - would a saturday afternoon be convenient? is sunday better? :
On the whole, I rarely see much trash on the trail, and haven't seen anyone actually littering in many years. The few times I've seen trash lately, I pick it up and put it in a small bag I carry, (good to stretch the old back). Years ago, when I took it upon myself to try and educate the unwashed huddled masses by pointing out the error of their ways, only made me want to run screaming into the woods and continue writing my manifesto on the relationship between mullet haircuts and the recent reduction of branches in many family trees.
I'm up for a clean up any weekend.
Mother nature seems to like humans, and not just because they taste like chicken
I'd like to set this up as a group event, now that Joe has that cool feature on the home page. Where do you think it would be better to meet? Somewhere in Phoenix, in Payson, or at The Narrows?
I'll pitch in for a box of garbage bags. What else should we bring? Do you think we'll have time to play and to clean up the area?
I think it would be neat if we planned a group clean-up of a popular spot after every holiday weekend. How does that sound to everyone?
Route Editor
Route Scout
! for those who are unfamiliar with it, it's a excellent swimming hole just south of payson. it's a really great place but there's more litter there than any other outdoor spot i can think of. looks like bank one ballpark after a d'backs game. also at the narrows, a group of 8-10 teenagers who were having fun and chucking their beer cans in the creek. i felt like an old fart, but i went over and politely asked them to knock it off and pick up their trash. so i'm wondering, what would my fellow azhikers do in this situation? if you saw people trashing your favorite spots, would you go about your business or would you say something? 
: have a good one!
Think it's time to walk the walk.
). plenty of hot weekends ahead perfect for a swimming hole sweep-up. any other takers?
