Page 1 of 1

So much for honest backpackers...

PostPosted: Mon Aug 01, 2016 2:45 pm
by jgaffney
I always thought backpackers were a pretty honest bunch. If I wanted to drop my pack and go off exploring, or leave my campsite open and do a dayhike, I never worried about someone coming along and stealing my stuff. Not anymore.

Last weekend, I went backpacking above Hetch Hetchy. It was pretty hot, so I came back early. When I got to the backpacker's parking, I hung my camera on the plastic traffic barricade that was in front of my car, and leaned my backpack against it. I walked over to the bear boxes and retrieved my duffel bag with the car keys in it. I unlocked the car, threw my backpack in, then went over to the restroom to change into some shorts and sandals for the (5-hour) drive home.

When I got home and unpacked the car, I realized that I left my camera on the traffic barricade. I called the Hetch Hetchy entry station and told them what happened. Rachel took down my name, phone number and a description of the camera. She said she would pass the info to the ranger that drove around in the evening and locked things up. She also gave me the email address for lost and found in the park (yose_lostandfound@nps.gov). I checked back in with Hetch Hetchy 3 days later, and again after a week had gone by. The camera was never found, nor turned in.

Someone has my $400 Canon camera. I don't care so much about the camera - I've replaced it already - but the memory chip was valuable to me. I had a lot of pictures on there from my work that I had not downloaded yet. I hope someone else is enjoying them.

Things are different when I'm out in the wilderness with no one else around. But, when I'm around other folks, I'll be a little more circumspect.

Re: So much for honest backpackers...

PostPosted: Sat Aug 06, 2016 9:31 am
by balzaccom
Sad.

On technique I've seen is to make the first photo on your chip a shot of your email address, so if anyone finds your camera anywhere, they can notify you.

Not sure that would have helped in your case...