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yes, i was climbing a couple days ago and some teenagers started stacking rocks right in the middle of the trail head for exiting the climbing area. i don't und

yes, i was climbing a couple days ago and some teenagers started stacking rocks right in the middle of the trail head for exiting the climbing area. i don't understand why stacking rocks is something anyone cares about.

djsumdog 6y ago
Back in 2014, I was hiking through Alligator Falls in Queensland, AU with a friend. We probably bit off a bit more than we could chew and started an 18km hike at 2pm. When we were making our way back, we were lucky the moon was out and bright. We were afraid we might be lost or off trail, but luckily we saw and recognized this Rock Totem: https://journeyofkhan.us/photo/rock-totem/ https://journeyofkhan.us/photo/rock-totem/ It kept us on the path and we thankfully made it back out to the car.
- joecot 6y ago
  Well then it's a good thing you found an actual trail marker rock totem, and not something some teens decided to build that lead you into the middle of nowhere. Which is why this trend is pretty dangerous.
wutsyrpt1 6y ago
Agreed. I liken it to curating a long lived social media identity. Stacking comments on top of each other, most devoid of depth and substance. I guess everyone has it in their mind to fritter and waste time in their offhand ways, though. Garbage is one thing. Stacking rocks was probably great fun to primitive human brains lacking experience with technology. If the goal of hiking is shed today and connect to the past, simpler life, why bother being so distracted about stacks of rocks like you might have seen on human paths of travel hundreds of years ago?
nerdponx 6y ago
It looks cool in photos. And some people egotistically want to mark their territory, like wild animals.
- ticmasta 6y ago
  less environmental impact if they would just pee on the existing trail markers then...
ouachita318 6y ago
My theory on people stacking rocks is that many people new to the outdoors are inspired/overcome with a feeling of reverence and they do not know how to express it. deep down in their DNA something tells them to build an alter. Right or wrong the stack of rocks is an expression of their love for the place.
- mnky9800n 6y ago
  that would only make sense if there were stacked rocks everywhere since people have been going into the wilderness for literally all of history. its because these people see it on instagram and want to do it themselves.

djsumdog 6y ago

Back in 2014, I was hiking through Alligator Falls in Queensland, AU with a friend. We probably bit off a bit more than we could chew and started an 18km hike at 2pm. When we were making our way back, we were lucky the moon was out and bright. We were afraid we might be lost or off trail, but luckily we saw and recognized this Rock Totem: https://journeyofkhan.us/photo/rock-totem/ https://journeyofkhan.us/photo/rock-totem/ It kept us on the path and we thankfully made it back out to the car.

joecot 6y ago
Well then it's a good thing you found an actual trail marker rock totem, and not something some teens decided to build that lead you into the middle of nowhere. Which is why this trend is pretty dangerous.

wutsyrpt1 6y ago

Agreed. I liken it to curating a long lived social media identity. Stacking comments on top of each other, most devoid of depth and substance. I guess everyone has it in their mind to fritter and waste time in their offhand ways, though. Garbage is one thing. Stacking rocks was probably great fun to primitive human brains lacking experience with technology. If the goal of hiking is shed today and connect to the past, simpler life, why bother being so distracted about stacks of rocks like you might have seen on human paths of travel hundreds of years ago?

nerdponx 6y ago

It looks cool in photos. And some people egotistically want to mark their territory, like wild animals.

ticmasta 6y ago
less environmental impact if they would just pee on the existing trail markers then...

ouachita318 6y ago

My theory on people stacking rocks is that many people new to the outdoors are inspired/overcome with a feeling of reverence and they do not know how to express it. deep down in their DNA something tells them to build an alter. Right or wrong the stack of rocks is an expression of their love for the place.

mnky9800n 6y ago
that would only make sense if there were stacked rocks everywhere since people have been going into the wilderness for literally all of history. its because these people see it on instagram and want to do it themselves.