Opinions: Do you think social media has had a positive or negative impact on outdoor recreation in Colorado?

[dan0rama]

There's absolutely nothing positive brought about by social media. Most of the positives being mentioned here seem to be more about availability of information on the internet. If you woke up one day and made a conscious decision to read trip reports and that led you to climb a certain peak, that's not social media influencing you. You were influenced by information that you purposely went after. Now, if you woke up one day, and opened IG, and saw multiple pictures of others standing on top of Bierstad and thought "I wanna do that too", then that's social media. In 2008, I did my first international backpacking trip in Nepal, and I remember going to a Borders bookstore to read guidebooks. The guidebooks didn't influence me to go to Nepal. It facilitated a trip that would have been much harder without it.

Social media is creating a lot of groupthink, which before existed in a much smaller scale. Our species is not evolved enough to handle social media.

[speth]

I think there's almost a backwards-walking into this question that needs to be flipped - instead of saying what are the pros and cons of social media, first ask what social media does and then answer whether that has good or bad causation.

As an example:

Social media has a wide audience reach for sharing photos of previously-unknown places.

• That can have a benefit, because it can cause others to be inspired, increasing the amount of nature-focused people exploring the state.
• That can be a detriment, because more people can cause more pressure on fragile wilderness areas that aren't built for larger crowds.

Social media can spread the idea of LNT and other philosophies about responsible recreation practices in the outdoors.

• That's obviously good, because we want stewards and advocates to protect wild places in the state.
• But the effectiveness of LNT ideas being learned through social media is dubious at best, and most people scan social media without necessarily learning or imprinting what they're seeing.

Food for thought - 14ers.com, and specifically this forum, is social media. If you think that there's an increase of backcountry users across the state - "and that's a bad thing" - then look no farther than the website you're visiting right this second. https://www.14ers.com/indexstats.php

[XterraRob]

I think there's almost a backwards-walking into this question that needs to be flipped - instead of saying what are the pros and cons of social media, first ask what social media does and then answer whether that has good or bad causation.

As an example:

Social media has a wide audience reach for sharing photos of previously-unknown places.

• That can have a benefit, because it can cause others to be inspired, increasing the amount of nature-focused people exploring the state.
• That can be a detriment, because more people can cause more pressure on fragile wilderness areas that aren't built for larger crowds.

Social media can spread the idea of LNT and other philosophies about responsible recreation practices in the outdoors.

• That's obviously good, because we want stewards and advocates to protect wild places in the state.
• But the effectiveness of LNT ideas being learned through social media is dubious at best, and most people scan social media without necessarily learning or imprinting what they're seeing.

Food for thought - 14ers.com, and specifically this forum, is social media. If you think that there's an increase of backcountry users across the state - "and that's a bad thing" - then look no farther than the website you're visiting right this second. https://www.14ers.com/indexstats.php

Never saw those stats before, wow lol.

[Urban Snowshoer]

The timed entry and reservation aspect is a huge reason I moved out of the Front Range, along with cost of living. I think another issue, as mentioned above, is how easy access is to most places in Colorado.

Given how popular some areas such as Rocky Mountain National Park,the Indian Peaks Wilderness, and Quandary Peak were becoming, timed entry or reservations was inevitable---the pandemic merely accelerated it: i.e. made it happen sooner that it probably would have.

Social media can go either way. If you're already experienced and know what questions to ask it can be a useful way to get information--many of us have probably found it useful for trip planning and conditions, particularly if we're in shoulder season and conditions can change rapidly.

However, if you merely see something and say "I want to do that" without doing your homework on whether you're really up for it or what the rules are, it's going to be bad--I don't doubt that social media has played a major role increasing the number of people who have no business being out there, be it due to inexperienced or overall lack of responsibility when it comes to things like Leave No Trace.

[two lunches]

tourism saves every Colorado household $707 annually in taxes (this is the amount of tax dollars residents would have to pay if not for the nearly $1.5 billion in state and local taxes paid annually by visitors)." this does not include the money visitors spend/income generated for locals through hotels/restaurants/bars/gas stations/grocery stores/gift shops/STRs/guide services/attractions/literally everything anyone needs when vacationing. we NEED people to come here. we NEED them to spend their money with us, but there is a fine line between healthy exposure and over-exposure. it is for this reason that permitting/reservation systems are in place and will continue to be put in place. the solution isn't to stop posting on social media, it's to start posting responsibly. people will come here no matter what, we just want them to recreate in a sustainable way (and go home when their vacation is over instead of buying second homes or working remotely).

[montanahiker]

I think there's almost a backwards-walking into this question that needs to be flipped - instead of saying what are the pros and cons of social media, first ask what social media does and then answer whether that has good or bad causation.

As an example:

Social media has a wide audience reach for sharing photos of previously-unknown places.

• That can have a benefit, because it can cause others to be inspired, increasing the amount of nature-focused people exploring the state.
• That can be a detriment, because more people can cause more pressure on fragile wilderness areas that aren't built for larger crowds.

Social media can spread the idea of LNT and other philosophies about responsible recreation practices in the outdoors.

• That's obviously good, because we want stewards and advocates to protect wild places in the state.
• But the effectiveness of LNT ideas being learned through social media is dubious at best, and most people scan social media without necessarily learning or imprinting what they're seeing.

Food for thought - 14ers.com, and specifically this forum, is social media. If you think that there's an increase of backcountry users across the state - "and that's a bad thing" - then look no farther than the website you're visiting right this second. https://www.14ers.com/indexstats.php

Never saw those stats before, wow lol.

The week chart is interesting. We all generally go out to the mountains on the weekend and come back on Monday and Tuesday to see what everyone has been up to, then wrap up our weekend plans on Friday.

[Dave B]

Food for thought - 14ers.com, and specifically this forum, is social media. If you think that there's an increase of backcountry users across the state - "and that's a bad thing" - then look no farther than the website you're visiting right this second. https://www.14ers.com/indexstats.php

In terms of contribution to the timing and magnitude of s**t-showiness:

14ers.com < 14ers Facebook Group <= Instagram

[Bale]

What’s the difference between me and a battery? A battery has a positive side;)
To answer OPs question; overwhelmingly negative. Half the magic of a place is the unknown. I used to think that exposure to these places might help protect them, but there are just too many people.
The silver lining is that these huge swaths of land we have saved, (mostly because they contain little resource extraction potential), like the Frank Church Wilderness, have been largely spared from the InstaBookTok crowd.

[Urban Snowshoer]

tourism saves every Colorado household $707 annually in taxes (this is the amount of tax dollars residents would have to pay if not for the nearly $1.5 billion in state and local taxes paid annually by visitors)." this does not include the money visitors spend/income generated for locals through hotels/restaurants/bars/gas stations/grocery stores/gift shops/STRs/guide services/attractions/literally everything anyone needs when vacationing. we NEED people to come here. we NEED them to spend their money with us, but there is a fine line between healthy exposure and over-exposure. it is for this reason that permitting/reservation systems are in place and will continue to be put in place. the solution isn't to stop posting on social media, it's to start posting responsibly. people will come here no matter what, we just want them to recreate in a sustainable way (and go home when their vacation is over instead of buying second homes or working remotely).

Those of us lived in Colorado for any length of time realize tourism is a huge part of the economy but management is a real issue. Tourism can become akin to a curse: housing prices go through the roof and those who work in town cannot afford to live there or, in the cases of many of the major resort towns, have anything resembling a decent commute.

I can't entirely fault people for wanting to live there--if you hand tthe disposable income who wouldn't want to live in a nice mountain town either as a second home or working remotely in primary home?

That being said, something has to give--either something has to be done to improve the housing situation for the workforce or some of these towns are going to devolve into to gated communites that have very expensive real estate but not a whole lot in the way recognizable town because they're aren't enough workers to support businesses, particularly stuff like restaurants and shops and other things that make a town feel like a town.

Bale » Wed Jul 13, 2022 4:26 pm

What’s the difference between me and a battery? A battery has a positive side;)
To answer OPs question; overwhelmingly negative. Half the magic of a place is the unknown. I used to think that exposure to these places might help protect them, but there are just too many people.
The silver lining is that these huge swaths of land we have saved, (mostly because they contain little resource extraction potential), like the Frank Church Wilderness, have been largely spared from the InstaBookTok crowd.

For now.

If those areas get "discovered" those areas and written up on social media as being "here's where to go to avoid the crowds," things will change.

Post by Dave B » Wed Jul 13, 2022 4:14 pm

speth wrote: ↑Wed Jul 13, 2022 3:41 pm
Food for thought - 14ers.com, and specifically this forum, is social media. If you think that there's an increase of backcountry users across the state - "and that's a bad thing" - then look no farther than the website you're visiting right this second. https://www.14ers.com/indexstats.php
In terms of contribution to the timing and magnitude of s**t-showiness:

14ers.com < 14ers Facebook Group <= Instagram

I agree that 14ers.com and corresponding Facebook page are social media. As for which is worse, it could go both ways--the site is definitely more effective at disseminating information but the behavior is definitely worse on the FB page--a higher percentage of users than the .com seem to have nothing better do that start drama.

[Oman]

How has social media changed the outdoors?

Good thing: I met great hiking partners / people though this website.
Good thing: I have solved all the world's political problems via FB arguments.

Not good things:
Big crowds at new IG icons ala Hanging Lake / Ice Lake / Lone Eagle Peak. I now visit only in yoga pants.

Big shift in skiing, mountain biking, kayaking, and surfing from full day out in the field to doing stupid stuff for 6-second glory clip on IG or TikTok. If IG did not exist, would you still huck that rock?

Birding websites (yes, they are a thing) now hide locations of dozens of photogenic species (spotted owls, grouse, etc) in Colorado and hundreds of species worldwide because too many FB and IG photog like-miners were hassling them during nesting season.

Also: Social media can make outdoor stuff look deceptively easy. I still wonder whether that really sad streak of deaths of inexperienced hikers a few summers back on Capitol Peak was linked to glamor promo photos on the Knife Edge, etc.

[XterraRob]

Big shift in skiing, mountain biking, kayaking, and surfing from full day out in the field to doing stupid stuff for 6-second glory clip on IG or TikTok. If IG did not exist, would you still huck that rock?

Yeah, that stuff really eludes me. Talk about building a fantasy life in the digital world, I think those types of people are the ultimate slaves to public validation.

Probably the most wasteful use of time in the outdoors.

[Wentzl]

Oh, so we are open to non climbing conversations again? Thank you Rob. This, from the guy who brought you the "Covid Shelter in Place" thread that had to be beaten down and killed!

Social Media. I find the question meaningless without a definition of terms. I understand 14ers.com is social media. It is literally the only place I post anything. No twitter, no facebook.

Is social media good or bad for recreation in Colorado? Well, social media has driven the idea that making fossil fuels obsolete is a good idea, which will make it much more expensive, and therefore, the luxury of driving to a trailhead will become much more exclusive. Will it be better or worse if less people can afford to go climbing? Clearly, the loaded question falls either way.

Social Media is an artificial construct that has no meaning outside of the one on one exchange between two strangers who become friends (or enemy).

With that as intro, I say POSITIVE. And NOT because of the world issues, the great recession that is upon us, the poverty that will purge the slopes of the masses.

But because of this wonderful site, the availability to access first hand, sometimes in real time, accounts of conditions and impressions of hikes and climbs from every perspective.

Positive? I say this site is invaluable!