I hiked a mile and a half on a ridge in the Santa Monica Mts. yesterday, and found an unbelievably amount of pink, red, and yellow ribbons attached to trees and bushes. In actuality, this is littering.
Climbing and Wilderness Ethics (Porcella & Burns)
2) Carry out all Trash
5) Leave area as you found it
6) Do not place bolts on established routes or summits
7) Do not make ducks or cairns unless absolutely necessary
9) Use black or blue rappel slings if possible
"There will be some orange surveyor ribbons to mark significant turns on the course however they cannot be guaranteed."
Not clear if this is just for the training runs, but no mention is made of any other colors, and photos of the races of 2012 and 2013 show also show orange ribbons:
reminds me of the pink duct tape that keeps reappearing in the SGW. At least it is not spray paint...
They should put them up the morning of the race and take them down after (which I saw in La Jolla Canyon by one race organizer), or they should be sporting about these races and let the racers find their way through the wilderness.
That being said, I don't really mind when I see them -- just a suggestion
I was up there yesterday (Tapia to Corral) and the tape is not really intrusive. It is located at trail junctions and is on a fire road along side of trail signs. So, less like litter and more like trail markings. I don't see a problem with this.
Still, if they were sporting the run would include making sure you find your way while running without trail markers.
