Launch area

[Cyndia]

I just received an email from a (non-pilot) friend who hiked up to launch last week and was dismayed by the amount of cigarette butts and trash lying around. At the risk of nagging, we are in a HIGH fire danger period so if you must smoke on launch, please be sure to dispose of your butts in a metal can (maybe someone can take one up) or even better, make sure it is out and put it in your pocket to be disposed of in the LZ.

If you have food wrappers, water bottles, tampon tubes, etc - please don't leave them up there. If you use tissue, please either pack it out or bury it. Someone has to clean it all up and it can get pretty disgusting.

Other folks do hike up Kagel mountain and we are not leaving a very good impression of the flying community.

OK, done with my rant...
Cyndia

[JD]

I just received an email from a (non-pilot) friend who hiked up to launch last week and was dismayed by the amount of cigarette butts and trash lying around....

Hi Cyndia,

This strikes me as pretty odd. In the past five years I have not seen one Sylmar pilot smoke up on launch or drop trash then leave it. The worst I have seen is the occasional empty or excess water bottle left behind along with bits of worn out rope and small glider parts but not trash. The water bottles are usually picked up by the next group to arrive.

Kagel is an easy and attractive hike at night time from Little T Road near the gate and offers spectacular views of the L.A. Basin. I suspect that thoughtless visitors are more likely the careless ones than our club. Our club can and should tidy up the launch area regardless of who messed it up (being the responsible and model citizens that we are). But the blame for the mess probably belongs elsewhere.

Thanks,
D' Q

[greblo]

two weeks ago we drove up to find the locked gate (locked open) and found the evidence of a big party with broken beer bottles and LOTS of cigarette butts.I don't think any hang glider pilots smoke on launch or leave trash(maybe a water bottle or two).So best thing is to try and clean up after the bad people and restart the arson crime watch and call in suspicious activity to the sheriff.

[Cyndia]

D'Q and Joe,
Thanks for the feedback; unfortunately because it is our launch site, casual hikers to the area don't think about who else might have left the site trashed. Personally I have never seen a pilot smoke on launch and was surprised to get the email and I also know that pilots (including me) often pick up after others pilots who left a water bottle etc when the launch window opened up. I also know that members have gone up to specifically clean up the area and those efforts are greatly under-recognized.

However, have you been around to the area where many pilots go the bathroom? It is pretty disgusting and we should encourage folks to bury or carry their toilet and hygiene items to keep the area cleaner.

I realize that the gate can be compromised and that much of society could care about litter and fire danger. Your suggestion to restart the arson crime watch and notify the sheriff regarding suspicious activity is appreciated. Pilots and drivers, please take note!

[Rome Dodson]

we should be taking photos of parked cars on the way up! if even one pyro sees us they won't fire up. use your phone camera a-c-w- coordinator rome

[jcflies]

I agree with Cyndia's point about people using Launch as a Potty. Used tampons, tissue, piles--and so forth, are just NASTY. If biodegradable, it should be buried. How hard is that? If not--clean it, and REMOVE it! WE should pick a day to all go up there with EXTRA HARD CORE gloves and trash bags.

IF the club will buy, I'll fly...