Mailbox Peak

I’ve been up and down Mailbox many times in the last few years, but this year since there’s less snow hanging around the trail is getting beaten up more than usual. One thing I’ve noticed is nine out of ten people now seem to use poles. Why, is it just because REI sell them?
The most noticeable down side of this is at all the corners and steeper parts of the trail the edges have been damaged and softened by little round holes from the poles of the masses of people now using this trail so the rain is washing the sides of the path away and exposing rocks and tree roots. Common sense shouldn’t require an update to the leave no trace ethics, but apparently pole damage seems acceptable now. Would you kick the edges of the trail away with your boots?? I think not, so why damage it with a pole!. Are we morphing into a species that needs additional limbs to walk?

Sorry if you are offended by my rant, but I find it rather depressing seeing the damage caused by over use and mostly unnecessary use of poles. I try my best to lessen the impact I have on the countryside and try to leave it in better shape than I found it. Since more and more people are taking to the trails its something we all need to think about and do our bit to help.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and I hope I may have sparked a little thought into minds about trial damage and not caused any offense or bitter feeling against my observations.