Mind your car at the trailhead

[MichaelJ]

A hiker's Subaru had its back window smashed at the upper Ethan Pond trailhead parking lot on Rte 302 (where you park for Ripley Falls as well) yesterday.

Remember: don't leave your wallet in the car, don't leave any expensive gear visible, and try to park in the more trafficked areas (this lot normally is, due to the Falls walk).

[andyzee]

Some people really suck.

[MichaelJ]

The steep little road up to this parking lot isn't maintained in winter and was coated in ice, which makes it even more odd that someone would have done this. People do, indeed, suck. Fortunately, nothing was taken. Unfortunately, the back-seat passenger had a cold ride home.

[andyzee]

What ticks me off is that you expect this kind of stuff in big cities and stuff, not in the mountains. Seems like in our times you can't get away from it anywhere. Thanks for the heads up, its good to know.

[severine]

Originally Posted by MichaelJ

... don't leave any expensive gear visible ...

Doesn't even have to be expensive. My car was broken into once for a $40 radar detector. There was nothing else of value in the vehicle, nor was anything else taken. What a pain in the rear, too, since it was an older vehicle so no coverage for windows.

[MichaelJ]

At this point the belief is that they actually interrupted the perp. There was only one other vehicle in the lot, and it was parked directly next to the car, odd for an empty lot, especially one most people didn't try to drive up to due to the icy conditions, but instead stayed down low on 302. Unreal. Sad. Annoying.

[David Metsky]

Originally Posted by andyzee

What ticks me off is that you expect this kind of stuff in big cities and stuff, not in the mountains.

If you expect that, you haven't been paying attention. Trailhead breakins have been a problem in the WMNF for decades - - they go in waves it seems. I've never been hit in 25 years of trailhead parking but I know it's always a possibility. Plan accordingly; don't leave valuables in the car and carry duct table and plastic sheeting just in case.

[andyzee]

Originally Posted by David Metsky

If you expect that, you haven't been paying attention. Trailhead breakins have been a problem in the WMNF for decades - - they go in waves it seems. I've never been hit in 25 years of trailhead parking but I know it's always a possibility. Plan accordingly; don't leave valuables in the car and carry duct table and plastic sheeting just in case.

I've only been up to the Whites a couple of times, I'll be more careful from now on.

[David Metsky]

Originally Posted by andyzee

I've only been up to the Whites a couple of times, I'll be more careful from now on.

Frankly, aside from not leaving obvious valuables in cars there's not much you can do. Like I said, I've been parking at trailheads at least 20 times a year for the past 20 years and I've never been hit (knock on wood) but I know it's a possibility.

[mlctvt]

I guess I've been lucky. We had a camper van and would often leave the camper van full of valuables but with none in clear view. It was always in the back of my mind that we could be broken into and lose a lot of stuff. We always tried to park at busy trailheads but we would sometimes end up at remote trailheads where we'd be the only vehicle. There' s no way to avoid leaving your camper at trailheads when you're traveling and want to hike. Not unless we upgrade to a big motorhome that can tow.