Makin' a list....

Yep--it's that time of year again. And we have to believe that Santa takes this stuff pretty seriously. After all, he lives at the North Pole, so he knows how important preserving our wilderness really is.

But just in case he needs little help, we have our own list for him to consult:

NAUGHTY

The idiot who set off the fire that burned 250,000 acres of Stanislaus National Forest and Yosemite National Park—and started it with an illegal campfire because he was sure the rules didn’t apply to him.

The other idiots who believe that the rules don’t really apply to them because….well, you get it. This year we met people who were camping in restricted areas, building fires where they were prohibited, hiking with dogs in Yosemite’s backcountry, and endless evidence of people who did not pack out their TP, tampons, etc. Leave No Trace. It isn’t that hard.

At left--Big Litter from a hydroelectric project.

Boy Scout leaders who destroy natural wonders (and national treasures)—all the while supposedly serving as an example to the young men in their charge.

The knuckleheads who defaced Native America heritage sites…or anyone who vandalizes public property. If you want to make something ugly, stick with your own property.

Those who choose to step into roaring spring creeks or wade above waterfalls, despite all the warnings…then again, these people get their rewards pretty quickly.

Editors who think that the single biggest issue with backpacking is dealing with bears. See above. Enough with the bear stories.

The bozos in Washington who continue to collect a paycheck while doing less and less for the people of this country. If you want to reduce the size of government, we can think of an easy place to start.