Random Campers Rants 2010

[bigalcal]

I was driving from Racehorse Creek Campground to #517 on the Forestry Trunk Road yesterday (May 17) and counted 12 unattended trailers in 2 kilometers.

There is one guy with his camper off his truck that has been hogging the same spot for years and it is wide open in full view from the FTR. Surely the people that patrol this area can see that they overstay their 2 week maximum!! Officers...I know you are overworked and understaffed but surely you can take 5 mins and enforce these laws.

Let the "Random Camper Rants 2010" begin!!

[trailhead]

The problem is the Conservation Officers live in the local area. Contrary to what the locals say, the majority of the random campers are locals. The CO's don't like to piss in their own bed. I saw a young female CO get the gears from some yokels who were openly drinking and drunk and throwing beer cans in the Castle. The father of one of these yahoos basically told the young woman that he knew her boss and she would get the "proper interpretation of the law".

[bigalcal]

Sorry, Trailhead, but that doesn't wash with me. Next time I see an officer I will ask them to do something ,there is no excuse for not enforcing the law. If there is, I wanna hear it.

The people laying claim to their annual spots are denying access to other Albertans. They have no right to do that. It's the "Alberta Forest Reserve", set aside for ALL Albertans.

I could do the same thing and leave my trailer at some beautiful spot for 5 months, but I have respect for authority, and understand the reasoning for the regulations. Moving after 2 weeks allows the area to recover!!

Instead I am parked at a Provincial Park for the summer, It's great. Money well spent.

[ÜberFly]

Just b/c being "connected" worked for Rahim Jaffer, doesn't mean it'll work for (or should work for) "Joe Redneck"!!

 

P

 

The problem is the Conservation Officers live in the local area. Contrary to what the locals say, the majority of the random campers are locals. The CO's don't like to piss in their own bed. I saw a young female CO get the gears from some yokels who were openly drinking and drunk and throwing beer cans in the Castle. The father of one of these yahoos basically told the young woman that he knew her boss and she would get the "proper interpretation of the law".

 

[bigalcal]

There must be alot of MP's and MLA's that enjoy random camping!!

[SanJuanWorm]

Al yer such an angry fella.

[LynnF]

Al yer such an angry fella.

 

I've camped and fished with him before....you don't wanna mess with Big Al, Little Dave. Might wanna change your post to "Al...yer such an angry but strikingly handsome fella".

[bigalcal]

I'm not angry, just frustrated.....................Heck I have alot of friends that are random campers!! HaHa!

..but that dude......with the camper on legs in the middle of it all, every year.....he will be mine...oh, Yes...He WILL be mine!!

[ladystrange]

one of the co's in the castle area said that as long as the trailer was moved a couple of feet in either direction once every couple of weeks there wasnt anything they could do about it

[ÜberFly]

I betcha a $100 that they don't even measure, let alone keep a record of where the RV is sitting and compare!!

 

P

 

one of the co's in the castle area said that as long as the trailer was moved a couple of feet in either direction once every couple of weeks there wasnt anything they could do about it

 

[Guest frypan]

we random camp throughout the summer in varius locations and like it this way. I would rather the ftr stay gravel with random camping and no park designation than it become a park, paved and an rv park installed. you think the area gets heavy use now just see what would happen with it as a park, paved road, hotels, etc.

 

I remember the good ole days when hwy40 was gravel. now it is a mess all trrugh the coridor with way to many people, and development everywhere.

 

leave it alone and just enforce the current rules with the squatters.

[ÜberFly]

As this has been discussed many many times before... It's the few (or many) irresponsible types that ruin it for everyone else... As an avid random camper you should be proactive in educating your brethren as you will see it more then most of us... Or at least call them in as much as possible especially if you see blatant disregard for the rules (out houses, kitchens set up, etc.). Be a steward to the positive aspects and respectful random campers!! Of the ones I've seen/witnessed, I haven't seen many!

 

P

 

 

we random camp throughout the summer in varius locations and like it this way. I would rather the ftr stay gravel with random camping and no park designation than it become a park, paved and an rv park installed. you think the area gets heavy use now just see what would happen with it as a park, paved road, hotels, etc.

 

I remember the good ole days when hwy40 was gravel. now it is a mess all trrugh the coridor with way to many people, and development everywhere.

 

leave it alone and just enforce the current rules with the squatters.

 

[Guest frypan]

As this has been discussed many many times before... It's the few (or many) irresponsible types that ruin it for everyone else... As an avid random camper you should be proactive in educating your brethren as you will see it more then most of us... Or at least call them in as much as possible especially if you see blatant disregard for the rules (out houses, kitchens set up, etc.). Be a steward to the positive aspects and respectful random campers!! Of the ones I've seen/witnessed, I haven't seen many!

 

P

 

the biggest trouble is from the younger punks with quads, beer and dope that come out for the weekwnds and raise hell.

 

the majority of the users that stay for two weeks at a time are respectful

 

again i would rather see random campers in the summer than a big paved rv park with all ammenities for campers.

 

you bet id i see laws broken i let the cops know. you try approaching a group of young, drunk stoned troublemakers to 'educate' them and let me know how it goes

 

you think it is busy now ha ah just wait and see if some get their way with it as a prov park.

 

t

[bigalcal]

one of the co's in the castle area said that as long as the trailer was moved a couple of feet in either direction once every couple of weeks there wasnt anything they could do about it

 

I find this hard to believe, my peave is that these people hog the good spots and they have no right to!! Move on and let others enjoy. I know that most are responsible campers but why do they have the right for that spot for 5 months? If they do want that spot....make them pay for it or ..move on !!

[Guest 420FLYFISHIN]

if you want something one about it why dont you quit your job and work as a CO. complaining on a public forum in the end wont do anything.

 

just like the beavers! man up and d.i.y

[bigalcal]

if you want something one about it why dont you quit your job and work as a CO. complaining on a public forum in the end wont do anything.

 

just like the beavers! man up and d.i.y

Whoa...whoa!!! If I did that, I wouldn't have my 3 days off a week to camp!!

[Harps]

Take a picture now, with a time stamp.

Go back in 2 weeks take a picture again, go back again.

Then send it to various ministers and the media, indicating that public crown land use is not fair due to the inability and unwillingness of SRD to enforce policy/legislation.

 

Doesn't hurt to include locations on amap so the media can go there and indicate number of RV's and when they were seen... licence plates help also.

[ÜberFly]

In the grand scheme of things, nothing positive will happen until the legislation changes (sorry frypan) which means "park status" (especially in areas like the Castle, where I [personally] think it is necessary)! This has the potential to be a huge can of worms on here (as it has in the past) so I will leave my comments there... As I previously mentioned, it the irresponsible types that have ruined it for everyone else - and the only way to truely change that attitude is to legislate - close the area and teach them (everyone, unfortunately) a lesson that this type of mistreatment and abuse will not be tolerated! Not an equitable solution for all parties involved, but it has gone WAY beyond reason at this point (IMHO).

 

P

[Guest frypan]

In the grand scheme of things, nothing positive will happen until the legislation changes (sorry frypan) which means "park status" (especially in areas like the Castle, where I [personally] think it is necessary)! This has the potential to be a huge can of worms on here (as it has in the past) so I will leave my comments there... As I previously mentioned, it the irresponsible types that have ruined it for everyone else - and the only way to truely change that attitude is to legislate - close the area and teach them (everyone, unfortunately) a lesson that this type of mistreatment and abuse will not be tolerated! Not an equitable solution for all parties involved, but it has gone WAY beyond reason at this point (IMHO).

 

P

 

 

no need to apoligise.

 

depends what kind of park staus you want to see. prov parks allow more develepment than wild land parks, it shuld be a wild land park, if any.

 

Thing is the gov does not want to go and make more parks cause they will not get revenue from logging and O&G. my opinion but even the bad random campers have almost no negetive effect compared to all of the logging and o&G industries.

 

curous what you do about it? you say others (me) should tell the bad random campers and educate them, so I am curous what you do about it?

 

my solutions are there is enough rules to deal with this. the gov just makes more rules to apease the people who want more rules, yet they fail to enforce the existing rule.

 

throw the book at the law breakers and it would be better. more rule is useless if existing are not fully inforced.

[ÜberFly]

Ok you are twisted my arm...

 

As I mentioned last year when this $hit show started, I do random camp in the backcountry (on occasion - but do it with the upmost respect - so I do not want to sound unsympathetic or like a hypocrite). I have and will tell people that they are being unlawful & disrespectful, being mindful of the situation you have previously described...

 

Sans enforcement (because the easiest thing to do is enforce the rules, but that is easier said then done), unfortunatly, closure is the only solution that will open peoples eyes!! I realize that isn't always possible either...

 

I was up near Caroline last week participating in the SRD study that Don Andserson organized... One thing I did learn is how he (and others) influenced change up there. How they did it was they highlighted the "positive" economic benefits to the local economy that developing "trophy waters" could (and do) have (look at what the freshwater fisheries society has done in BC)... Obviously this takes a lot of "grass roots" organizing (I understand for the Castle there is already a proactive grass roots group)... So unfortuantly, with legsilation/regulation and charging fees, the Gov't (and the local economy) can gain economically and hire more CO's, etc. (but we know how good that works with the campgounds in the rest of the province)... Actions like supporting the "Stream Watch" program and trying to expand it, as well as having an opportunity to call in violators are all good options... Also education will also help, but in order for people to learn they need to be hit where it hurts, their pocket book (or closing the area), and as we know with the fines associated with poaching (fish) in AB, that isn't always a big deterrent!! Hense the cycle of under enforcement... I guess one thing you and I could do (as someone else had mentioned) is not random camp (legitimately or illegitimately) and as another suggested keep writing our MLAs (I was at a party last week with Morton - but didn't speak to him as I'd proably end up punching him in the face )

 

P

[Harps]

frypan,

 

I think currently (ignoring decades of industrial use), Recreational users have the largest impact on fisheries in the greenzone south of Kananaskis.

 

Most current industrial (O&G and Log) follow fairly strict regulations when working around water. There are impacts, without a doubt, but I'd hazard a guess and say that folks that are keeping their "limit" every time they go up there harm trout more. And it is OHV trails along roads and old roads now only used by backcountry rec users that contributy tons of sediment that cover redds and smother food sources. It is New OHV trails that are causing creeks to jump their banks and causing rutting in the wetlands and on the rough fescue grass areas.

Beleive it or not, dust is an issue as you can see driving along the road. The ditches are covered in fine dirt as is the road side vegetation. With the amount of traffic, I'd bet it is like a little hazy cloud covered ecosystem.

 

Of course, old industry in the area has left big impacts, primarily with poor road construction.

 

Just my opinion (and it only applies to the south).

[Guest frypan]

so many majer environemntel issues with the O&G industry world wide and some of you think ramndom camping is as much or bigger issue in southren alberta?

 

the way i see it quads and random camping are the smallist issue, this is why it is allowed. how hiporcritical it would be of our government to ban random camping and quads (as some of you want) yet allow bad logging technique along with the O&G development that happens in this area.

 

there are places on the upper old man where the trees have been cut right to the river. same goes for the red deer river in the central west country. piss poor logging practices.

 

i can see that this outrage from random campers must make the environment mininster happy as it takes the spot light of the "real" problems of the area.

 

so anyways i love the area, i random camp and fish. i follow all rule so the dimwits who break the rules should be dealt with.

 

more rules do not a thing when the existing rules are not being enforced. pretty simple concept.

 

 

 

i have read a lot of the pages here so it is of no suprise that the o&G industry gets a somewhat of a free pass on issues. with cowtown being the corprate head quarter and soem of you getting the big buck i can see why keeping focus on a guy with a dog and a camper that stays in the summer for a week or 2 gets the bad spot light. don't bite the hand that feeds i guess.

it is funny actualy.

 

look at googler earth and you can see the well battryies in the south, centeral, and north. not to mention all the loging in the oldman, and k country. looks like a disease of the land. how can you say a random camper creates the same mess ?

 

 

Anyway i will be camping this weekend, so have a good one!

[Harps]

fry, I'm the last to support O&G, but if you read my post... In the South. There are lots of other issues across Alberta and the world, but we're a little focused here.

 

-Left for the Gov't to remove... there's the CO's budget for the next 2 weeks.

-Ignored the sign about the sensitive wetland

 

-The creek was re-directed down an atv trail, blowing out a very used fishery for much of last july.

Bridges were ignored.

 

 

Most of these are taken when species of trout have eggs in the gravel.

 

Nothing about a ban, but we need regulations. An angler has to pay for a licence, even if it's just catch and release fishing.

 

Why don't quaders have to pay for this effin' mess?!?

The problem is there are no real rules and no enforcement of what we have.

 

 

 

If you do go out, remember this:

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/201...river-fine.html

A video was key in charging a man for driving up the river near Rocky.

 

Bring a video camera and take as much video as you can... flood the ministers office with it on Tuesday.

[CF8]

Those pics were fricken depressing Harps... I hate seeing that stuff...