Backpacking in the Gorge

[hellbilly075]

My friend and I make a trip once a month to Red River Gorge here in Kentucky. We always pack about 2 or 3 miles in. There are far fewer people and less litter. We pack in everything we need and pack out everything we use including everyone elses garbage. I hate the trash. It seems to me that if you pack in a  case of beer which adds weight to your pack than why cant you pack out the box and cans which weigh nothing? SCUMBAGS!!! If you are caught littering you should have your knees broken! No Excuses! Case in point, about a year ago we were packing out and someone took a deuce right in the middle of the trail. They were about a hundred yards in and staying in tents that looked like a Hooverville. We (jokeingly) talked about lighting their tents on fire whlie they were asleep and shrinkwrapping them. -Hellbillys rant done.

Enjoy the outdoors, but leave no trace.

[Billybob]

Hellbilly,

I know exactly what you're talking about. We always packed back into the Gorge just like you do. Beyond all traces of the lazy campers that seem to want to camp close to their vehicle. That's precisely why I won't camp in the Gorge in the summer. If you hike the trail along the north fork of the river there by the concrete bridge it looks like a darn tent city. I mean people are camped within 20 yards of the parking lot there. It's such a beautiful place and the people that just leave their trash there really get my dander up.
Like you we always haul our trash out along with as much of someone elses as we can carry. It's a crying shame that people can be so darn lazy. I'm afraid to say though it seems like the people that haul their trash out are outnumbered anymore by the lazy people that care only about themselves and their own fun.
We gave up on warm weather camping in the Gorge because of that. If you go down in the winter months though you can enjoy the same scenery without all the people. It's nice to hear from someone that enjoys the Gorge area in the right way as you do.

[hellbilly075]

Are you talking about Martins Fork? Thats where I was talking about the tents and nasty campers. We have a annual winter backpack trip the 3rd weekend in January up at the Indian Staircase in the rock house there. I actually prefer to camp in the winter. Do you live in Ky.?    -Hellbilly

[IFLY4U]

I grew up on the edge of the gorge in Wolfe County and it always amazed me as to how many idiots managed to kill themselves there every year by walking over the cliffs. I left Eastern Ky over 20 years ago but I don't imagine that the area has changed much. Not only do you have to worry about the drunks and theives but you need to be careful of the dope growers that use the park as their farming land.

[targshooter]

Hellbilly075,
Hooverville? I like that. Shrinkwrapping them, it is tempting. Great picture, never heard that one before.
I used to hunt and camp in the Adirondack foothills. The Spring and Summer seasons bring the tree huggers out. One must remember these are the creme-de-le creme of our society. We are here to clean up after them. Hunters are the slobs of the woods. We pay the taxes and usually do not litter, but we are the slobs according to them. The huggers always came in groups of 8 or more, and they tended to dominate any area with their music, their conversation and their political views. They ate and drank (usually Juicy Fruit or something like that) wrapped foods. When they left, they usually left the wrappers and drink containers. I always alienated them with a few comments about how I shot a deer near the very tree they were camped near, and hey, could the gut pile still be there? Let's look. Sometimes they even gave me a wide berth. Often, I just penetrated the woods further than they were willing to go. They usually made outrageously large fires too.
I do not camp in the woods once the insects are out, as I attract mosquitos and black flies, and these bite. The tree hugger invasion extended the non camping by about one month or so. Nice thing about a bed and breakfast place, once it opens up the tree huggers will quit the woods and use it. They usually are not truly outdoor types.