@pepper.steps: "yOuRe WaLkiNg wRoNg" when it comes to hiking trails, actually yes, some of you are, so lets put an end to this once and for all. yep, one footstep doesn't matter much. the problem is when everyone else follows in those footsteps. that's why social trails exist in the first place. and if we all just took every social trail we saw, eventually there would be barely any trail to walk through. unless its your land, you aren't entitled to be that single shortcut taker. "animals make trails too" they sure do! game trails are 100% normal. the difference is that wildlife and human recreation happen at wildly different scales. a few deer using the same path isn't the same as the erosion caused by hikers cutting the same hillside year after year. "all trails were social trails once" i agree that SOME trails start as informal paths. in fact, many of the trails in yosemite were informed by indigenous trading routes. similarly, SOME businesses start in garages, but not every garage project becomes as big as apple. the difference is that official trails are intentionally evaluated, designed, and maintained. and our trail workers put HOURS into creating and maintaining official trails, and UNNECESSARY TIME is spent restoring areas that have been damaged by social trails. "i'm part of nature too" of course! but being part of nature doesn't mean every action has zero impact. beavers are part of nature too, and they can completely reshape landscapes. and humans are capable of changing the environment, especially when thousands of us make the same choice. "it's literally just dirt" healthy soil isn't "just dirt". it's packed with fungi, roots, microorganisms, insects, seeds, and tiny plants. repeated foot traffic which inevitably compact that soil makes it harder for those things to survive, and easier for erosion to occur. "fun police" no one is saying to stop having fun. you can have fun in the outdoors while protecting it, so future generations and current species can have fun too. i'd argue that's actually more fun per annum, tbh. if you're following me, all of this is probably something you are familiar with, so forgive my ANGST! rawr! thank you for your support in trying to keep our land (and other hikers!) safe, happy, and healthy. happiest of steps to you. <3

pepper steps

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Tuesday 02 June 2026 18:32:51 GMT