Oregon Boondocking Closed

[orbiker]

I have read that Oregon has a large homeless population. Could this be from these homeless people causing all this mess. Where we are in Florida there is a group of homeless people that go off into wild areas in groups to live and leave a terrible mess.

I am an Oregonian. Hate Portland. I live on the "wet side".

This closer has been caused by the homeless once again. Fall Cr area is a place they go. The Forest Service probably knows who even made the mess, especially if they were doing their job. All places have a 14 day limit, yet the picture that was shown on the news was 6 months of trash.

I'm betting the Forest Service just wanted an excuse to close the dispersed areas and this was their ticket. They were all on furlough and came back to work to find out they should not have been on furlough.
I have been seeing camper in the woods on the east side of the Cascades during my work travels each week. It is closed, but maybe not enforced. KEN

[bertschb]

I have been seeing camper in the woods on the east side of the Cascades during my work travels each week. It is closed, but maybe not enforced. KEN

We drove around the Wickiup and Crane Prairie area yesterday (central Oregon) and we saw dozens of RV's out there in the woods. Several camps with half a dozen RV's together around a central camp fire.

[orbiker]

We drove around the Wickiup and Crane Prairie area yesterday (central Oregon) and we saw dozens of RV's out there in the woods. Several camps with half a dozen RV's together around a central camp fire.

We need to connect on of these days Brian. We camp a lot at Cascade Meadows on the Summer. KEN

[Houndbb]

You can definitely tell a lot by a persons shoes. KEN

(at myself, here)
Now, hold on just a minute. I hate shoes. All shoes. Have done since I was a child. Once a comfortable pair has been found, I’m hard pressed to let them go. I’ve given thousands of brand new shoes to goodwill over the years. Moreover, (based upon your signature, you’ll surely empathize with this) there is only one model of one brand of ski boot that doesn’t send my feet into immediate, debilitating foot and calf cramping! The company doesn’t make them anymore, so I’ve performed numerous “repairs” on them, stealing parts from other boots to keep them going. I really hope no one judges me solely (ha) on my shoes (or lack thereof).
N

[JeffD68]

Sounds like another excuse for Oregon's progressive state government to exercise their control over the populace.

My folks live in South Central Oregon and we have spent lots of time up there. Go to any Oregon State Park campground and you will see a number of very shady rigs. I have spoken to rangers and hosts and been told that they are not allowed to refer to them as "homeless". I think they call them "alternative campers" or something like that. With all other options shut down, I can imagine that many went the dispersed camping route. I can almost guarantee that the mess was not the result of recreational camping. It was almost certainly "alternative campers" living in the forest well beyond the 14 day maximum.

[Steven@147]

I certainly apologize for jumping to a conclusion when I first read and posted this thinking or hoping it wasn't "RVers". We as experienced and responsible RVers exercise our passion with a code of camping ethics and keep our rigs in top condition. We segment RV owners into categories like has been discussed in this thread, like those who do not use any kind of camping ethics and those like us. There are campgrounds around our area that can barely be considered that, they are more parking lots for broken down old deteriorating trailers. But for the people living in them its like that old movie the Grapes of Wrath it's all they have. We have all heard the term Trailer Trash. Unfortunately those outside of RVing / camping see us as one group, sometimes we all end up getting painted with a single brush.

This is depressing ------------ so on a lighter note ----- Shoes! My 0.02! SAS San Antonio Shoes the most comfortable foot covering I have ever found!

[D2Reid]

We need to connect on of these days

I think we may be very close to you, Jasper State Recreation Area...


I cannot imagine why people wouldn't want to clean up after themselves. Maybe it's the ability to do so. Volunteering as a camp ground host we spend a good deal of time litter picking. Most campers do a good job of pack it in pack it out, some not so much. Maybe you guys can figure this one out, the two items we pick up the most; juice cup straw covers and cigarette butts. Makes you wonder.

I don't think trash in the dispersed areas is coming from campers, at least not the version we are familiar with. Even VanLifers pick up after themselves. I think the trash is coming from our growing population of impoverished persons. And that population is growing. They have zero supporting infrastructure, as a result they have no trash service, so they leave their trash laying.

I truly wish I had a solution.

[orbiker]

I think we may be very close to you, Jasper State Recreation Area...


I cannot imagine why people wouldn't want to clean up after themselves. Maybe it's the ability to do so. Volunteering as a camp ground host we spend a good deal of time litter picking. Most campers do a good job of pack it in pack it out, some not so much. Maybe you guys can figure this one out, the two items we pick up the most; juice cup straw covers and cigarette butts. Makes you wonder.

I don't think trash in the dispersed areas is coming from campers, at least not the version we are familiar with. Even VanLifers pick up after themselves. I think the trash is coming from our growing population of impoverished persons. And that population is growing. They have zero supporting infrastructure, as a result they have no trash service, so they leave their trash laying.

I truly wish I had a solution.

WOW Dallas. That's only about 5 or 6 mile away. I'll try to stop in on my way back from my work trip to Central Oregon on Wednesday.

I'm working 4 10's this week, so I can get out of dodge Thursday night. Headed to Prairie City, Oregon for a week of motorcycle riding and camping. The campground just opened back up today (per my phone call to city hall). Some of the nicest motorcycle roads and scenery are in NE Oregon.

Just a heads-up; Jasper Park is sometimes a wild party place. KEN

[orbiker]

Here is a picture for the local news.



DISPERSED CAMPING CLOSURES BEGIN AT STATE FORESTS

LINK

[BB&LAB]

While it is true some homeless leave trash around rather than dispose of it properly, creating a mess, it is unfair to say or imply all homeless are irresponsible, don't care etc. and try to separate the homeless from RV'ers who use their rigs for recreation or those who full-time. Case in point there is a large parking lot of a temporarily closed facility near the RV park we are currently staying in that has a number of homeless staying there, some in run down RV's and some in cars. I have yet to see any trash left behind and the waste barrels show signs of being used. On the other hand I have seen plenty of examples of irresponsible and thoughtless RV'ers who fail to pick up after their dogs despite signs indicating so and pet waste stations at hand. I have seen numerous times of non flammable trash left in fire rings left by RV'ers, left for CG staff or volunteers to pick-up and dispose of.