Originally Posted By: Steve C
Nine years ago, this was proposed on wpsmb. I still think it is a good idea:

Quote:
This is a junction where the correct direction is not obvious -- people are tired, and going down seems like the right way. It is in the middle of a moonscape of big random rocks, two trails go up, and one goes down. It is not obvious to everyone that the JMT has no services for the next 200 miles. It is not obvious that the correct trail goes UP.

I believe that a special sign would save lots of grief -- maybe thousands of dollars a year due to rescues that it prevents.

So here is my idea of a sign. It should be red, and placed maybe 100 feet down the trail from the junction, facing the down-hill hikers:

STOP!

Read this!

If you are a Mt. Whitney day-hiker, then
YOU ARE LOST!

This trail does NOT go to Mt. Whitney.
It does NOT go to the Whitney Portal road.
This trail goes deep into the backcountry.

Turn around and go back to the junction
behind you!




I have come to like this solution. I think the wording could be simplified, remembering that the hikers in question are not clearly thinking.

it has a Flesch readability ease of 87, which should make it easily understood by an 11 year old student. However, this does not take into account mental fog, nor the many foreign people on the mountain.....all may combine to give the comprehension of a 5 year old.