To cairn or not to cairn

[ofuros]

In this case...just another form of graffiti beside the track.
Bald Rock N.P, NSW.

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[Rexyviney36]

I have a love/hate relationship with them.
As a kid I loved walking to Hamilton's Crag at Ben Lomond and putting a small rock on the top of the well-made cairn there. When the snow was really good we would carry our downhill skis up there and ski down.
In April 2018, I hated that the track marking the way from Lake Myrtle to Lake Meston was mostly 3 or 4 rock cairns which were useless in the foot of snow...having only walkd up there once before (no snow), it was tough to say the least.

[Warin]

I think I'd like cairns made by this fellow
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-devon-47318521

[crollsurf]

Its becoming an Instagram global phenomenon #rockstacking
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-17/instagram-rock-stacking-trend-putting-endangered-species-at-risk/11868706

[ofuros]

A self centred, senseless instagrammable phenomenon...leave nature as is, especially in Np's.

[drewmac]

A self centred, senseless instagrammable phenomenon...leave nature as is, especially in Np's.

Likewise.

I go in the bush to get away from humanity.

But.....alas..... I think here in this forum we are talking/preaching to the converted......

[Baka Dasai]

Cairns, and all human-created stuff, is just as "natural" as anything else. I'm not against them per se, but wanky Instagram rock-stacking irks me as much as the puritanical tendency for some to define nature as "devoid of human impact".

Like everything, it's a balance.

[Heremeahappy1]

Just don't do it.

[Orion]

They're really great.....











....to kick!

That one Warin posted a photo of would be so much fun to topple!! Where can I find those?

[GregG]

I still come across a lot of these in my neck of the woods and they tend to keep being rebuilt in the same locations, mainly by narcissistic overseas backpackers and it seems that creation of the cairn is merely a vehicle for the constructor to display the fruits of their simple mindedness on social media. I delight in destroying them, such fun.

[tomh]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-26/park-rangers-call-to-end-rock-cairns-towers-hiking-trails/101173018

Two years since the last post and seemingly no improvement.....

[Joynz]

At the completion of my recent Larapinta Trail walk, I noticed a small cairn at the very top of Mt Sonder. Just a couple of metres past the formal stone structure there. Absolutely no need for it!

Naturally, I took direct action to remedy the situation

[Waratah67]

Cairns are a traditionally used for survey and navigation. Many bushwalking routes which are now built tracks were originally established with cairns at key points. Often these were constructed by indigenous peoples prior to that to aid trader routes etc. Cairn like structures were also important in ceremony, animal traps etc. Many of these historic cairns still exist in the landscape, and should be preserved for inherent value.

It's easy to develop a "hatred" for cairns, and I understand it when applied to some of the excessive and ridiculous multiple cairn structures. However, if you knock down every cairn you see, you will be very likely to have also damaged our heritage at some point.

Single cairn structures, particularly if old and lichen encrusted should be treated with respect. If they are to be removed, it should be left to the land managers themselves to do so.

[epiclad25]

I would argue that cairns are important for navigation and are the best way to protect the environment whilst ensuring walkers can get where they need to go. of course unnecessary cairns are both a waste of time and a risk to walkers as they may lead you off the path but its important that we mark a route. Cairns also mean that we don't bring stuff like plastic markers and stuff in which run the risk of contaminating the environment. Finally, walking should be made as accessible as possible and that means marking routes so that beginners know where to go. just because you have the navigational prowess to make cains obsolete doesn't mean that inly you should walk. I was angry to hear that cairns had been removed on the direct ascent of federation peak. that's life threatening as if someone takes the wrong route they could fall to their death.

[rcaffin]

walking should be made as accessible as possible and that means marking routes so that beginners know where to go.
I am not sure there is any logic or sense behind this statement.
Personally, I think you should have to work for it.

Cheers
Roger

[rcaffin]

Sue and I have a sort of theory about pink tape. If we see some then we know we are lost.

Cheers
Roger

[tastrax]

I would argue that cairns are important for navigation and are the best way to protect the environment whilst ensuring walkers can get where they need to go. of course unnecessary cairns are both a waste of time and a risk to walkers as they may lead you off the path but its important that we mark a route. Cairns also mean that we don't bring stuff like plastic markers and stuff in which run the risk of contaminating the environment. Finally, walking should be made as accessible as possible and that means marking routes so that beginners know where to go. just because you have the navigational prowess to make cains obsolete doesn't mean that inly you should walk. I was angry to hear that cairns had been removed on the direct ascent of federation peak. that's life threatening as if someone takes the wrong route they could fall to their death.

Sorry, but that is a load of rubbish. If you need cairns to know where to go then you probably shouldn't be in the area in the first place. Parks agencies are there to manage a range of experiences from high grade nature trails all the way to off track, unsigned, no infrastructure opportunities. Placing cairns has just as much likelihood of getting an inexperienced walker in trouble by making them feel they are capable of being in a remote area. When the cairns run out they may well not have the skills to keep themselves safe. Without cairns, its also likely there will be some dispersal of impacts and if numbers are kept low that impact may be negligible. The moment cairns are installed then impacts will likely increase.

Enjoy all the areas you are capable of walking and also learn the skills to go to remote untracked country. Its a privilege that walkers in many countries no longer enjoy.

[gbagua]

Cairns the traditional way in remote mountain tracks are a joy to see.



The one Ofuros depicted and the evil pink tape are an abomination!

[ofuros]

Did someone mention my name.

Most National Park's websites have 'Leave no trace or Caring for Parks info' buried deep within...should be alot easier to access.
Quick search...some are better than others.

Qld - https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/things-to- ... ting-parks

NSW - https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/co ... -for-parks

Vic - https://www.parks.vic.gov.au/accessibil ... sy-english

TAS - https://parks.tas.gov.au/explore-our-pa ... e-no-trace

SA - https://www.parks.sa.gov.au/insider-tip ... p-in-parks

WA - https://exploreparks.dbca.wa.gov.au/caring-our-parks

NT - https://nt.gov.au/parks/safety-rules

[crollsurf]

Not a fan but let the land managers sort it out. Some have historically significance, some are useful for navigation, Some are useless but have built an ecology around them.

Walk on by. Enjoy your walk.

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[Orion]

If non-official people can set them up then I can knock them down. It's perfectly legit.

I agree that there are cases where cairns make sense and I leave those ones alone and even, on occasion, add one. For example, a trail that briefly becomes ambiguous. It's already a trail. A cairn there just keeps people on the established path. GPS apps can do the same thing but not quite as quickly.

I've placed them in the past to aid in descent from a complicated mountain route, fully intending to remove them on the way down... only to go down a different way and leave all my errant cairns as a lesson to be learned by the next party. (sorry!)

When I've visited Australia I have left them alone. It's not my country.