charles_chen93•20d agoProlific Poster

Pro tip: Got banned from a hiking forum for saying I skip switchbacks sometimes

I've been hiking in Colorado for about 5 years now and I joined this big hiking forum to share trail reports and gear tips. Last month I posted in a thread about saving energy on steep climbs and casually mentioned that I sometimes cut switchbacks if the trail is really eroded anyway. Not even joking, I had like 40 replies in under 2 hours all calling me a trail destroyer and a menace. A mod banned me permanently for promoting destructive behavior. I get that switchbacks prevent erosion but some of those trails are already washed out messes where nobody even follows the actual path anymore. Has anyone else gotten roasted or banned for admitting something small that the outdoor community treats like a crime?

2 comments

2 Comments

black.amy20d ago

trail destroyer" is hilarious honestly. I got banned from a backpacking group for saying I use a battery powered fan in my tent in summer. People acted like I was burning down a national park. Switchbacks are meant to prevent erosion but if the trail is already a dirt highway with ruts you can drive a truck through, cutting one or two isn't going to hurt anything. The outdoor community loves to moralize about things that don't really matter.

aaron89620d ago

Ngl a buddy of mine once got yelled at for using trekking poles on a well-groomed path.