Piles of Broken Sleds, Trash Found at Lassen’s Eskimo Pass
The government shutdown continues to cary a negative effect on the public lands of Northern California. The stories have circulated the interwebs, and now we have photo proof of the disgusting display of human trash being left at our otherwise beautiful outdoor destinations in NorCal.
The Twitter user @publiclandlvr, who is a dedicated and outspoken supporter of conservation in Northern California public lands, took to social media to show the grotesque site at Lassen’s Eskimo Pass, a popular area to sled and play in the snow. Photos in the post show the trash and broken sleds piled up around the bathrooms on December 30:
“Piles of broken sleds, smoldering fires left unattended, overflowing bathrooms,” she wrote in the post “This is what I saw today at @USFSLassen‘s Eskimo Pass snow play area. Booze everywhere in spite of the many neon “alcohol prohibited” signs. Shameful disregard for our #publiclands. #ShutdownStories“
Then, she updated the post by showing a similar scene on January 10:
“Update 10 Jan 2018: Soiled diapers, human waste, food scraps, alcohol bottles, more broken sleds and wildlife scat composed of styrofoam pieces. And this is just next to the closed bathroom facilities. I took what I could but had to leave so much more. #ShutdownStories“
The shocking scene at Lassen’s Eskimo Pass is unfortunately not rare in this now record-breaking government shutdown. Stories of trash, human feces and downright disrespect for our public lands have been prominent.
Luckily, @publiclandlvr cleaned up the mess. Here is the full Twitter post:
Now, as Lassen Volcanic National Park has been able to use recreation fees to reopen parts of the park, this might have been cleaned up – but it’s the thought that counts. If you can’t respect our public lands, you shouldn’t be able to enjoy them.
It’s simple people, take out what you bring in. IT’S THAT SIMPLE! Don’t be a jerk.