I finally figured out why people keep getting lost on the High Sierra Trail

I do trail work every summer and I keep seeing hikers heading east from Crescent Meadow without checking the sign at the junction near Bearpaw. It's a tiny wooden post, easy to miss if you're looking down at your phone. Last week I watched three separate groups walk past it and end up on the wrong fork. That little detour adds like 4 miles of climbing before you realize your mistake. Why does nobody else seem to notice this happens?

2 comments

2 Comments

kelly3854d ago

Oh wow, I actually have to push back a little bit on that sign location thing. I've hiked the High Sierra Trail a few times and that sign is actually decently visible if you're paying attention, it's just that people tend to stop way before it at the bridge crossing and get distracted. The real issue is that the junction near Bearpaw has two forks that look almost identical, so even if you see the sign (which is there, I promise), it's super easy to misread it when the sun is glaring off the wood. Not trying to be argumentative here, but I think the bigger problem is the trail design itself more than the sign being tiny.

grayc273d ago

Wait, do you think it's more of a trail design problem than just a sign issue, @kelly385? That actually makes a lot of sense because I've seen people walk right past that Bearpaw junction even when they're looking for it, the two paths just blend together too much. Maybe they should add some colored rocks or a different surface on the wrong fork, something that grabs your eye even when the sun is in your face.