'Tis that time of year, when Christmas decorations sprout up in Hubbard Park. I'm not talking about the lights but where you might not expect them like this wreath, near the water treatment plant.
Visit #1509, Sunday 15 December 24, 7:00-9:25AM, 3.2 miles, 15.7 lbs. of litter.
Temps in the teens, mostly sunny.
I received an early Christmas gift this year; pal Elmer said his gift to me would be two weekends assisting in Hubbard Park. I couldn't think of a better gift. It hands down beats underwear or a sweater, I could always use it, and there's no wrapping to waste! Best present I could ask for.
On the agenda this Sunday- my annual clean up the slope below Castle Craig, where people tend to toss their cans, bottles, and whatever. You never know what you'll find.
But first, you'll remember last week I cleaned up a lot of graffiti in Hubbard Park. The golden rule of hiking is to leave the trails as clean as or better than you found them and that includes no graffiti, and some people clearly don't get it.
Well, I'm currently reading Everest, Inc.- The Renegades and Rogues Who Built an Industry at the Top Of The World, by Will Cockrell. (If that link is paywalled for you, try this one.)
In it, Yvon Chouinard, founder of the Patagonia outdoor clothing brand, in speaking of the commercialization of climbing Mount Everest, it is written:
"To Yvon Chouinard, the crowds of inexperienced climbers were proof that the fundamental philosophy of the sport of climbing was being sullied. He and his band of Yosemite big-wall merry pranksters would often talk about what they called "clean climbing." Chouoinard even wrote an essay on the subject that was published in one of Patagonia's early catalogs. As an inventor of gear, Chouinard was focused on equipment that would allow climbers to adhere to a leave-no-trace ethic (emphasis mine). He felt strongly that once climbers completed a route, there should be no evidence they were there. "I believe people should have the freedom to do whatever they want , as long as it doesn't negatively impact other people, " he explains. "On these rock climbs today, you're not even looking at the rock, you're looking for bolts, or the next anchor, or the next chalk mark."
So climbing wants to adhere to the same "leave no trace" rule that applies to hiking, or vice versa but seems climbing has the same problem that hiking, and hiking in Hubbard Park, does.
Elmer and I hiked up to that steep slope and crawled around, picking up what we could find. And find we did.
Elmer and I found two 100 foot climbing ropes secured to trees around the base of the rocks below Castle Craig, as a sort of handhold/railing. I guess the climbers who put them there are the ones Yvon Chouinard was speaking about, above.
We each took one of the ropes. They will not go to waste.
Elmer also took home with him a bag of tyraps found on the steep pitch.
Between the rope and the tyraps it seems he made out pretty good for a couple hours' labor!
With him along for the ride, work on this slope was done in short order.
While on the slope, we met three members of the M+M Crew, but they didn't offer to help us.
As we returned to the parking lot, we found more of that recurring graffiti.
Back at the parking lot, Elmer was now in Pavlovian-mode, and couldn't resist picking up any litter as he walked across the parking lot. I know the feeling. As part of this collection he found Season of the Missing Glove 2024/25 entries #1 and 2...
...while I picked up a winter hat, which will eventually make its way to Goodwill.
Elmer weighs our haul.
But that was not all my "elf" gave me. I was treated to tailgate hot chocolate and snacks. It's quite possible I gained more calories than the 300+ I burned today. I may have to stay away from this guy otherwise I'll find hiking a fattening endeavor.
