Mountain country....

[vikingBerserker]

 

[Erich]

for Europe it would be the Allgaü in the Bayern and the Austrian Alpen. for the States guess I better mentioned my beloved Cascades as that is almost in my backyard, Crater Lake, Mt. Shasta. learned to Mtn. climb as a kid in the Sierra and it has always brought me back to this "home" yearly. the ice in Alaska is nice of course when I need a break from the heat or just want to tackle something severe in the winter.

 

[Lucky13]

What's the laws for hiking etc., in the mountains in good ol' US of A? Do they differ from state to state?

 

[beaupower32]

What's the laws for hiking etc., in the mountains in good ol' US of A? Do they differ from state to state?

Dont get eatin by a bear.

I really cant think of any laws, just dont trash the place, and be carefull where you go. Most parks have times (like 8-5) that you can hike different trails, but for the most part its just do it at your own risk.

 

[T Bolt]

Teton Mountains, Wyoming

 

[Lucky13]

...as in, don't try to engage in a coversation with a bear or wolf etc.? Don't trash the place is an obvious one, I like to leave the place where I've been, looking like I've never been there.

Cheers mates!

 

[Erich]

well I have engaged in conversations with wolves..........

as to Orygun's mtn's yes the restrictions are with parking areas, usually a mandatory parking permit is required as I know areas in my local quite well I park off the popular zones and don't pay a cent. In Cali you may have to even pay a s;ecial permit to get into the backcountry, it is first come basis in the Sierras and has been for years............stupid !

 

[Lucky13]

This what we have in Sweden....

In Sweden allemansrätten (lit. "everyman's right") is a freedom granted by the Constitution of Sweden. Since 1994 the Instrument of Government says that notwithstanding the right to own property "everyone shall have access to nature in accordance with allemansrätten". What this means is not further explicated on in the constitution, and only sparsely in other legislation. The concept was introduced in the 1940s as a customary law. With the increased living standard in Sweden during the early 20th century—and with the introduction of mandatory holidays—the government wanted to encourage outdoor access and a healthy lifestyle for its citizens. As in other Nordic countries, the Swedish right to roam comes with an equal emphasis being placed upon the responsibility to look after the countryside; the maxim is "do not disturb, do not destroy".

Allemansrätten gives a person the right to access, walk, cycle, ride, ski, and camp on any land—with the exception of private gardens, the immediate vicinity of a dwelling house and land under cultivation. Restrictions apply for nature reserves and other protected areas. It also gives the right to pick wild flowers, mushrooms and berries (provided one knows they are not legally protected), but not to hunt in any way. Swimming in any lake and putting an unpowered boat on any water is permitted unless explicitly forbidden. Visiting beaches and walking by a shoreline is permitted, providing it is not a part of a garden or within the immediate vicinity of a residence (legally defined as the hemfridszon). According to legal practice this is between 100 to 300 metres from a dwelling house. To better protect access to water and the right to walk along beaches, it is since 1975 generally not permitted to build a new house near (generally 100 m) from a beach and/or shoreline.

Fishing remains essentially private—apart from on the biggest five lakes and the coast of the Baltic Sea, the Sound, Kattegat and Skagerrak. Access to land by means of motor vehicles is prohibited. It is not permitted to drive a car on a private road, or to camp in a caravan on such roads, or on private parking places. This means in reality that caravan camping is best done on camping places (or rest areas along roads, even though it is not recommended). At certain times of the year, and with certain restrictions, both small camp-fires and unleashed dogs are permitted. It is allowed to put up a tent on any land that is not a private garden for one night, even without permission.

Exercise of the rights is overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency—which can, for example, force the removal of a fence if it obstructs people's right to enter the property under allemansrätten.

 

[timshatz]

Italian Alps. Up by Mount Blanc. Nice hiking, great food. Especially a place called "The old Apple" in Courmeyeour. Great, I mean really great, fondue.

Hiking Val Ferret is an easy 10 mile hike for those who'd really rather not get bothered by the up and down. Just walk the main road on the bottom of the valley in late September and you pretty much have the place to yourself.

Plus, there's a bar at the end of the valley! Talk about having a goal to your hike!

 

[Torch]

Big nono hiking in Colorado, do not pick the wild flowers, that can cause you an ugly fine. Like every where else, pack out what you packed in, try not to wander off marked trails if there are any(damages the Alpine eco system), Be extremely respectful of fire pits,make sure they are put out before leaving. While encounters are rare with bear and mountain lions carrying pepper spray wouldn't hurt(I personally carry a sidearm.). Some trailheads will ask for you to sign in, just in case you don't come back out S&R can find you. Be prepared for drastic weather changes and make sure you are well hydrated. Enjoy hiking Colorado....

 

[Lucky13]

Crikey!

 

[vikingBerserker]

I like those laws Jan, not a bad idea at all.

It was odd to me when I went Fishing in Scotland. In the US all major bodies of water are open to the public as long as there is a public launch site. In Scotland, we had to get permission to fish in the rivers. That was just so odd to me.

 

[Torch]

Fishing might not be just plunk your bate in the water and have at it. I know Florida and Colorado you need to purchase a license before you can fish and you need to be extremely careful to follow the fishing guidelines when it comes to size and limit....

 

[Erich]

same applies for fishing in Cali and Orygun. of course the appropriate hunting licenses depending on season as well.

dang I need a good long century ride

 

[RabidAlien]

Agree with Torch on this one. Most "laws" regarding hiking are more just common sense than actual rules and regulations. Most major trailheads will have a little bulletin board with local regulations posted (no picking flowers, or mucking with Bigfoot, or shooting at Swedish tourists, that sort of thing), and a good portion will also list the local fire hazard level. Check with the Rangers to find out the rules regarding fires, I've seen many that will allow fires, but no open flames, so pits are okay. Nothing worse than waking up at 3am and finding a pinecone or couple of leaves have fallen into what seemed to be a well-banked fire, started smoldering, and then were blown out and are now merrily roasting away in the woods...

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

You need a fishing license in VA to. $18.00 for state license, $18.00 for trout, and $4.00 for national forest and state parks.

 

[Erich]

only trail signs in Oregon are at the rivers edge listing warnings of alal sorts, nothing in the back country just a small vertical sing/arrowhead shaped box with trail card to be filled out by the head of the party. thank God we do not have those obnoxious huge signs telling you all the woes if you head out. If you don;t know squat about hiking and heading into the back country areas then get help or just don't go. I've done enough rescues over too many years for the less experienced flat lander

 

[GrauGeist]

Well, since I have a mountain or two around here, I figured I'd jump in!

I live in the area where the Pacific Coastal Range and the Sierra Madre butt up against the Cascades. We even have a few notable volcanoes in the vicinity...

I'll toss in a few shots

(And for reference: Mount Shasta is to the North, Mount Lassen is to the East and Shasta Bally is to the West of Redding)

Img 1 - Mount Shasta and Lake Shasta (behind the prop)
Img 2 - Mount Lassen with Redding in the forground (Sacramento river winds through Redding)
Img 3 - Castle Crags (they're between Redding and Mount Shasta)
Img 4 - Shasta Bally (a nearby mountain that overlooks Redding and Whiskeytown Lake)
Img 5 - Shasta Bally seen from a bridge over the Sacramento river (downtown Redding)

 

[Lucky13]

Stunning pics mate, stunning! Thanks for sharing!

 

[jamierd]

The Scottish Outdoor Access Code

When you're in the outdoors, you need to:

Take responsibility for you own actions - The outdoors is a great place to enjoy but it's also a working environment and has many natural hazards. Make sure you are aware of these and act safely, follow any reasonable advice and respect the needs of other people enjoying or working in the outdoors.
Respect people's privacy and peace of mind - Privacy is important for everyone. Avoid causing alarm to people, especially at night, by keeping a reasonable distance from houses and private gardens, or by using paths or tracks.
Help farmers, landowners and others to work safely and effectively - Keep a safe distance from any work and watch for signs that tell you dangerous activities are being carried out, such as tree felling or crop spraying. You can also help by:
- leaving gates as you find them;
- not blocking or obstructing an entrance or track;
- looking for alternative routes before entering a field with animals;
- not feeding animals;
- using local advice so that you can take account of shooting and stalking;
- not damaging fences or walls; and by
- avoiding damage to crops by using paths and tracks,
by using the margins of the field, or by going over ground that hasn't been planted.
Care for the environment -
Our environment contributes greatly to everyone's quality of life and health. It's important that you:
- follow any reasonable advice and information;
- take your litter home;
- treat places with care, leaving them as you find them;
- don't recklessly disturb or intentionally damage wildlife or historic places.
Keep your dog under proper control - If you have a dog with you, it's
very important that it doesn't worry livestock or alarm others. Don't let it
into fields with calves or lambs, and keep it on a short lead or under close control when you're in a field with other animals. If cattle react aggressively to your dog, let go of it immediately and take the safest route out of the field. Take care to ensure that you or your dog don't disturb breeding birds.
Pick up your dog's faeces if it defecates in any place where it is likely to cause concern to other people.
Take extra care if you are organising a group, an event
or running a business - Consult the full Code or our
website for information about your responsibilities.