Time for Hiking Licenses?
Forum rules
- This is a mountaineering forum, so please keep your posts on-topic. Posts do not all have to be related to the 14ers but should at least be mountaineering-related.
- Personal attacks and confrontational behavior will result in removal from the forum at the discretion of the administrators.
- Do not use this forum to advertise, sell photos or other products or promote a commercial website.
- Posts will be removed at the discretion of the site administrator or moderator(s), including: Troll posts, posts pushing political views or religious beliefs, and posts with the purpose of instigating conflict within the forum.
- DArcyS
- Posts: 943
- Joined: 5/11/2007
- 14ers: 58
- 13ers: 544
- Trip Reports (3)
Time for Hiking Licenses?
There's just way too much bad stuff going on in the mountains. I'm not going to put forward a list of all the bad stuff, but it just seems to be bad and quite frequent.
I had this thought for improving the knowledge of the people who decide to hike and climb. Certain trailheads require a hiking license for its hikers, and the trailheads requiring a license are designated by the forest service or the local authorities who are the ones faced with the burden and cost of search and rescue. One obtains a hiking license after completing a short online course with a simple and easy test that is offered by the state, and upon successful completion the state sends two stickers for the front and rear license plates (and a complimentary 1-year COSAR card?). In terms of enforcement, local authorities need only look at license plates of the cars parked at the trailhead, and if any plate doesn't have a sticker, the offender is given a ticket. The offender is offered the opportunity to take the test or to pay the fine, with any fines collected being used to support SAR. (Yes, maybe some occupants of the car may not have taken the course, but having one member in the party who has at least a little bit of a clue is good enough for me.)
Perhaps in this manner it might be less likely people do things that either harm the environment or harm themselves.
(And I suppose there is a loophole for people who bike to trailheads and stash their bike. But I've only seen one person who bikes to trailheads, and he seems to know what he is doing. )
Just a thought, but it seems like there's just way too much bad stuff going on now and maybe something can be done about it.
I had this thought for improving the knowledge of the people who decide to hike and climb. Certain trailheads require a hiking license for its hikers, and the trailheads requiring a license are designated by the forest service or the local authorities who are the ones faced with the burden and cost of search and rescue. One obtains a hiking license after completing a short online course with a simple and easy test that is offered by the state, and upon successful completion the state sends two stickers for the front and rear license plates (and a complimentary 1-year COSAR card?). In terms of enforcement, local authorities need only look at license plates of the cars parked at the trailhead, and if any plate doesn't have a sticker, the offender is given a ticket. The offender is offered the opportunity to take the test or to pay the fine, with any fines collected being used to support SAR. (Yes, maybe some occupants of the car may not have taken the course, but having one member in the party who has at least a little bit of a clue is good enough for me.)
Perhaps in this manner it might be less likely people do things that either harm the environment or harm themselves.
(And I suppose there is a loophole for people who bike to trailheads and stash their bike. But I've only seen one person who bikes to trailheads, and he seems to know what he is doing. )
Just a thought, but it seems like there's just way too much bad stuff going on now and maybe something can be done about it.
- TallGrass
- Posts: 2328
- Joined: 6/29/2012
- 13ers: 26
- Trip Reports (0)
Re: Time for Hiking Licenses?
What about rental cars?
-
- Posts: 3535
- Joined: 6/17/2009
- 14ers: 34
- 13ers: 12
- Trip Reports (3)
Re: Time for Hiking Licenses?
For out of state cars? Just as silly.
-
- Posts: 136
- Joined: 12/18/2013
- 14ers: 25
- 13ers: 5
- Trip Reports (0)
Re: Time for Hiking Licenses?
I agree that there is a lot of bad stuff going on but don't think that would help. Everyone is required to get a drivers license but most people can't seem to drive correctly even with a license. It is hard to protect people from themselves.
Re: Time for Hiking Licenses?
“The best climber in the world is the one who is having all the fun.” – Alex Lowe
" Don’t be afraid to move out of your comfort zone. Some of your best life experiences and opportunities will transpire only after you dare to loose."
" Don’t be afraid to move out of your comfort zone. Some of your best life experiences and opportunities will transpire only after you dare to loose."
Re: Time for Hiking Licenses?
I had a similar thought (more LNT/etiquette related, and not as enforceable as yours); when you purchased hiking/running shoes or mt/gravel bike, you paid a deposit to the store where you made your purchase ($20 for example). Then you took a short quiz which involved simple LNT and trail etiquette questions. When you passed the quiz ("open book", you'll pass) you either got your money back, or you could donate it to a local Friends group, VOC, RMFI, etc, and then got some sort of card indicating your not a bonehead (kidding, but something).DArcyS wrote:
I had this thought for improving the knowledge of the people who decide to hike and climb. Certain trailheads require a hiking license for its hikers, and the trailheads requiring a license are designated by the forest service or the local authorities who are the ones faced with the burden and cost of search and rescue. One obtains a hiking license after completing a short online course with a simple and easy test that is offered by the state, and upon successful completion the state sends two stickers for the front and rear license plates (and a complimentary 1-year COSAR card?). In terms of enforcement, local authorities need only look at license plates of the cars parked at the trailhead, and if any plate doesn't have a sticker, the offender is given a ticket. The offender is offered the opportunity to take the test or to pay the fine, with any fines collected being used to support SAR. (Yes, maybe some occupants of the car may not have taken the course, but having one member in the party who has at least a little bit of a clue is good enough for me.)
I'm sure there are all kinds of holes in this, it was just a thought after seeing ruts from people biking/hiking on local trails when they're muddy.
Last edited by RockCaCO3 on Thu Aug 10, 2017 6:51 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Time for Hiking Licenses?
No it's not.DArcyS wrote:The sky is falling.
"A couple more shots of whiskey,
the women 'round here start looking good"
the women 'round here start looking good"
Re: Time for Hiking Licenses?
[img] [/img]DArcyS wrote:
I had a similar thought (not as enforceable as yours); when you purchased hiking/running shoes or mt/gravel bike, you paid a deposit to the store where you made your purchase ($20 for example). Then you took a short quiz which involved simple LNT and trail etiquette questions. When you passed the quiz ("open book", you'll pass) you either got your money back, or you could donate it to a local Friends group, VOC, RMFI, etc, and then got some sort of card indicating your not a bonehead (kidding, but something).
I'm sure there are all kinds of holes in this, it was just a thought after seeing ruts from people biking/hiking on local trails when they're muddy.
“The best climber in the world is the one who is having all the fun.” – Alex Lowe
" Don’t be afraid to move out of your comfort zone. Some of your best life experiences and opportunities will transpire only after you dare to loose."
" Don’t be afraid to move out of your comfort zone. Some of your best life experiences and opportunities will transpire only after you dare to loose."
- oldschool
- Posts: 854
- Joined: 2/27/2007
- 14ers: 58 6
- 13ers: 2
- Trip Reports (23)
Re: Time for Hiking Licenses?
Absolutely NOT!
Nothing good would come from such a requirement. Yes, bad things have happened. Yes, bad things will continue to happen. Nothing will ever stop that.
Greatly skilled hikers and mountaineers have perished in the mountains, the Elks, the Bells,....all over. s**t happens. It's sad, it's tragic, it's so many things. A piece of paper in my pocket, that costed me money, will not prevent accidents. It won't even protect stupudity! It won't stop either.
IMO....BAD IDEA!
Nothing good would come from such a requirement. Yes, bad things have happened. Yes, bad things will continue to happen. Nothing will ever stop that.
Greatly skilled hikers and mountaineers have perished in the mountains, the Elks, the Bells,....all over. s**t happens. It's sad, it's tragic, it's so many things. A piece of paper in my pocket, that costed me money, will not prevent accidents. It won't even protect stupudity! It won't stop either.
IMO....BAD IDEA!
"There's a feeling I get when I look to the West and my spirit is crying for leaving" Led Zeppelin
- DArcyS
- Posts: 943
- Joined: 5/11/2007
- 14ers: 58
- 13ers: 544
- Trip Reports (3)
Re: Time for Hiking Licenses?
Ha, ha, a lot of initial exasperation (especially from kushrocks). And let me take a wild guess -- whenever you hear of incident on a mountain caused by a lack of knowledge or education, your initial reaction is one of . . . similar exasperation. Just betting . . .
A 100% full proof system? Did I make that claim? Would it help some? Yes. All? No. That's the way education of humans works.
Lots of libertarian thinkers . . . leave me the heck alone, I get it. Although the people's opinions I would value the most on this are those who have volunteered for SAR (any of you above who initially commented?), as they've seen what is potentially preventable and what is not.
A 100% full proof system? Did I make that claim? Would it help some? Yes. All? No. That's the way education of humans works.
Lots of libertarian thinkers . . . leave me the heck alone, I get it. Although the people's opinions I would value the most on this are those who have volunteered for SAR (any of you above who initially commented?), as they've seen what is potentially preventable and what is not.
Last edited by DArcyS on Thu Aug 10, 2017 7:01 am, edited 1 time in total.