Random Camp Spot Closed In West Country

[Safari Guy]

In the West Country West of Rocky I noticed one of my favorite spots to stop and have a campfire has been closed off to vehicles. No doubt do to partying campers that have been ruining our weekend past time for years. This campsite is located at Km 3 on the Wolverine/Dry Creek Road junction. there was a grass fire started by young campers a few km up the road a couple years ago. That one was contained. I am sure this will be an on going thing of Random Campsites being shut off to campers. Thanks Jackasses on a job well done. I for one am tired of my favorite location being ruened by uncaring people. But what do we do??? How do we protect OUR places from those who don't give a ratsass??? Just speak to them? Tell them to make sure they clean up, take thier garbage with them, make sure the campfire is out? I think I answered my own question. I do not blame the government for this, they are trying to protect the wildlands from ourselves.

 

[QMAO]

Unfortunately we are seeing this happen to often. Popular camping spots are being over used and garbage being left behind is common. It seems that some people just don`t give a damn. They are out there to party and don`t care about the garbage they leave behind or the condition they leave the camp area.
Talking to some of these people may only cause trouble. we need to have regulations and proper authorities who can actually enforce the laws.
Forming groups is a good start, but it is not going to stop irresponsible people from doing this.

 

[rozzy]

I often wonder if they officials that visit camp sites take plate photos with gps data and link it to a ticket 20 vehicles in a camp site and left messy 20 tickets with not registration renewal till paid. Might help with them large groups

 

[kbrunlees]

I can remember a number of years ago, there was a large group out at medicine lake(across the road not the campsite) most people were ok. There was one group of dolts who thought that it would be fun to get tanked and ride like idiots at night. Sufficed to say they had left a big mess after the rest of the groups basically ganged up to tell them to vamoose. Fortunately these same groups cleaned up the mess these twits left behind. Random camping is getting killed off due to a very few useless bags of skin ruining it for everyone else. I noticed that there are a number of signs on the forestry trunk road that prohibits open camping. Too bad

 

[catalac]

Sign of the times... no respect for the areas.

 

[gforce]

yep we used to go to chump but they closed it down for the same reasons..and it the locals that got it shut down..burning cars and rumbles...

 

[TylerG]

Pretty sure, that its messes like the one that some of our members cleaned up last year that are causing this.

We as quadders, and campers, need to be responsible, not just for our own, but if you see someone leaving without cleaning up, note licence plate numbers, descriptions of vehicles, whatever you can and TURN THE @$$HOLES IN it may not do anything immediately but I'm sure that if SRD got a hold of them, there would be charges laid.

 

[magnet]

was a big write up on this in the alberta outdoorsman, i think it was, a couple months back. basically like it was put garbage left behind, campers left behind etc, feminine products left behind was the biggest issue lots of enviro people had as they take forever to decomp. can try to find it if anyone is interested. they are looking at making it illegal for random camping for these reasons. clean up peeople only way we will be allowed to keep doing this as a hobby.

 

[LID]

yep we used to go to chump but they closed it down for the same reasons..and it the locals that got it shut down..burning cars and rumbles...

It's happening everywhere. No respect.

 

[Sledderglen]

Lady I know that works for the Goverment says that random camping will be banned soon. Garbage,sewage dumping,enviromental reasons. Only time, we need to change those ruining it for us all. PEER PRESSURE could work

 

[TylerG]

Lady I know that works for the Goverment says that random camping will be banned soon. Garbage,sewage dumping,enviromental reasons. Only time, we need to change those ruining it for us all. PEER PRESSURE could work

if not we could use "King Ralph's S.S.S" philosophy........ Shoot, Shovel & Shutup

 

[Rockwerx]

We like to go random camping and practise a "cleaner when we leave than when we got there policy". It makes me mad when I see people abusing the wilderness. I have spoken to many young campers about why it is importand to keep a clean campsite. If we do not self police these areas then they will be shut down so that NO ONE can use them. Also, garbage in your campsite can attract wild animals, some of which can be very dangerous.

When we were out camping at Lake Koocanusa a couple of years back we were appalled at the garbage left behind at one of our favorite random camping areas. The previous campers had piled all of their garbage onto the fire pit. We were VERY tempted to burn it however there was a fire ban so we did not touch it. We had planned on cleaning it up and dropping it in a bin that was a few miles away that was setup for the random campers.

The next day the Forest cops made their rounds and we had a chat with them like we always do. They told us to leave the garbage as they were sending a small cleanup crew to the area to take care of the messes in that area. I asked if they could charge the previous campers with anything. He said yes we can and will be adding some more charges.

They had pictures of the mess and also pictures of the offenders (and their vehicles) as well as their names as they had charged them with having an open fire during a fire ban. They admitted that they knew there was a fire ban but went ahead and made one anyway. He added that within the law they could charge each person in the group with the open fire charge but had only charged one person. When they came back after the campers had left and saw the huge pile of garbage left in the fire pit they changed the charges and filed charges against everyone who was over the age of majority and ALSO added littering charges to ALL of them! So when these people got home from their holidays they would have found a huge bunch of tickets in their mail. They generally play nice but this group really pissed them off!

I believe that we need laws like this here in Alberta also. Civilians should be able to take pictures to alert the authorities and let them take action against these people that abuse our world.

 

[MUDISFUN]

Lady I know that works for the Goverment says that random camping will be banned soon. Garbage,sewage dumping,enviromental reasons. Only time, we need to change those ruining it for us all. PEER PRESSURE could work

Peer pressure doesn't work use a bat. I love random camping, and every time I see an issue, its usually some wet behind the ears little prick local who pulled Daddy's trailer out for the weekend. Last time I was at Alder Flats we put up with a group that were to drunk to walk, so they thought they should ride. They pulled out Sunday with there fire still going. Makes me mad when people are that stupid.

 

[sweld]

So how would this said BAN apply to hunting camps i wonder?

 

[campingnut]

I would think it would also effect them as they are considered random camping. As in not in an actual campsite.

 

[RhinoWhino]

Yep , thats chitty, ive never stayed in a campground other than outwest . If they close random camping down watch out for drunk drivers heading home after too many beers because they are not allowed to be responsible and stay overnight

 

[Bullseye]

Man' don't get me started ...........

This topic irritates me to no end......
My story...
I ride the river (Battle River) by Ponoka quite a bit. Been ridin that river for more than 20 yrs, AND I ran into a property owner who owns land that borders the river. He was not happy !!! He has a hill that LOTS of people use for tobaganning. A really nice spot !!! Well the last few years, people have been partying up there BUT they leave all their garbage, bottles, and hack down every tree around to burn it in a make-shift fire pit. A huge mess some week-ends. (And YES, I did ask him if I could use his land !!)
They do all this on PRIVATE Property !! Years ago, He (the landowner) didn't care that much BUT lately more and more people damage and disrespect HIS land !!
WE ALL need to work together (people with a brain AND those who don't have a brain) to make sure we ALL can enjoy the west country and areas where we can quad, snowmobile, camp, etc for free !!

 

[magnet]

Yep , thats chitty, ive never stayed in a campground other than outwest . If they close random camping down watch out for drunk drivers heading home after too many beers because they are not allowed to be responsible and stay overnight

not sure i understand your statement cause if they shut down the random camping these guys will have nowhere to drink as well. unless in their vehicles beside the road
it will be a major blow to all people who do this, hunters and campers, i will try to find the article at home tonight that i was talking about and find a linky for it and post. was a very good read, also stated about units being left in the bush, old campers and trailers, once people stop using them someone has to go get them, and tow trucks/pickers aint cheap. so it is also a huge expense to the govt to clean up after these pigs.

 

[Safari Guy]

I have seen some real messes in the west country as well as other areas,,,,,,, One of the dumbest I have seen is the tidely stacked row of garbage bags beside the random campsite,, so a family in thier mega fifth wheel stayed the weekend random camping,, and put all thier garbage in bags and left it at the curb for who to pick up???? right idea , wrong place. last timme I checked, the gabage truck dosent make a round out to prairie creek! HHMMM,,,,, great for the ravens though.