Environmental issues regarding Anza Borrego
Illegal camping
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kylekai Posts: 82
1/21/2014
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Last weekend we decided to travel up Olla Wash. After exploring the Mud Palisades, we travelled down about a mile and saw a great spot to camp. It was off the road, over a berm, and onto a flat area. There was already a fire ring with some dried Yucca plants around for fire wood. And all illegal! As inviting as it was to camp there, we camped just off the road, right near the entrance to this illegal campsite.
After dinner and a few beers, about 8PM, we hear someone drive up. I notice the driver walking around with a flashlight, along the illegal trail, to our truck camper. He knocks on the door, and tells me we're blocking his way into the illegal campsite, and could we move. Yeah, right. I said no, and he said he could probably drive around me. I then told him it was illegal to camp over there, and we got into a bit of an argument. I said it was against the park rules, and damages the environment. He scoffed and said something like the Jews in Germany were doing things against the law, was that illegal? Wow, great comparison. After a bit more arguing, my wife came out and asked the guy to leave, which he did.
Anyone else ever have situations like this? I tried to destroy the illegal campfire and put some rocks over the trail to the site (that's when I took the pictures). Was I overreacting, or would you do the same?
Location of where we camped:
Looks better after I put some rocks over the access trail:
I kicked the camp fire rocks and dead Yucca plants around to discourage further camping.
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Buford Posts: 453
1/21/2014
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That sucks. People seem to think they can do what they want since it is only the desert.
Last weekend on Villager Peak I was surprised to find some well used fire rings and the few trees near them obviously scavenged for wood to burn. There isn't much up there to burn.
In Blair valley a couple months ago the ranger came by every campsite to check for metal fire containers. This was after earlier in the day a different ranger busted some people for doing donuts in the dry lake bed in their trucks and shooting off rockets and fireworks.
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Links to my photos: ABDSP photos, Bighorn sheep photos, ABDSP time lapse video, Wildlife photos (mainly birds)
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Borregolinda Posts: 69
1/25/2014
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From the ABDSP website-
Some Basic Rules to follow:
- pull your car one full car length off the road
- no off road driving (that means stay on the dirt roads)
- no ground fires (bring a large metal container, fire pit & wood for the fire)
- carry your ashes out
We participate in the Adopt A Wash program here in the park. The biggest clean ups we do are illegal fire pits. We have Coyote Canyon and Arroyo Tapiado. We spend more time removing rocks and shoveling out the ashes and coals than most anything else. Thanks for doing the right thing! But please be careful confronting someone as well!
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