Stop Stacking Rocks in the Mountains
Last weekend I hiked a circuit of the Edale Skyline in the Peak District. Around 1 km down from the summit of Mam Tor, a little before Hollins Cross, I came across tens and tens of small stone stacks. I’m used to seeing the odd one or two in the mountains, but never on this scale. The stones had presumably been moved from a nearby dry stone wall.
These small rock stacks are not what some would term as cairns, a phrase often used for a large and intentionally stacked pile of rocks. Originating from Middle Gaelic, the term signifies a "heap of stones constructed as a tribute or point of reference." Cairns have been built for centuries to guide everyone from Norse Sailors to Inuit Sledders. And nowadays mountains around the world are adorned with cairns for navigational purposes.
Unlike the odd cairn, these stone stacks serve no navigational purpose. And there are a few reasons why I think hill goers should stop building them. The first is that they are an eyesore, especially when there are tens of them. The second is that it can needlessly disturb plant life and insects. The third is that on some mountains they can confuse novice hikers looking out for cairns as a navigational aid. And the fourth is that it is in direct contradiction to the ‘Leave no trace’ ethic that most hikers and wild campers try to operate by in the mountains.
A huge number of stone stacks littering the ridge before Hollins Cross. Photo: Ash Routen
When I returned home I posted on social media and was surprised to receive tens of thousands of views across Twitter and Instagram (the Instagram post being a little more humorous). Most people agreed with me, and like I often do, suggested they be booted over. What took me back though was the number of people who seemed to think it a totally trivial matter. By some I was derided as being grumpy, a nerd, or similar.
The main arguments in opposition where that: a) humans have built stone stacks for centuries; b) there are bigger fish to fry such as people driving in mountain areas, erosion on mountain tracks, shedding microplastics etc.; and c) I don’t own the mountains so I shouldn’t try to ‘police’ them.
To me these are quite weak arguments: a) We’ve stopped most practices from ancient times, just because people historically stacked stones, it doesn’t mean we should continue; b) of course there are bigger fish to fry environmentally, but we can be concerned by all of these issues. They aren’t mutually exclusive, and it seems a false equivalence to rank order their importance.; and c) If the mountains are for all of us, and no one person ‘owns’ them, then why is it okay to assume you can stack rocks for your own pleasure and leave them behind?
”I think you're getting your knickers in a twist over a trivial bit of fun. Folk have been doing this sort of thing in the mountains for centuries. Some of the comments are laughable, visual intrusion etc You guys need to get over yourselfs This interactive countryside culture”Darren M Jones
This isn’t a new issue. Just do a quick Google search and you will find similar debates in the Smithsonian, Gear Junkie, and Advnture. Likewise many mountain areas have suffered with this issue for years - see the Fairy Glen on the Isle of Skye.
I started hiking 25 years ago in the Scouts, and we were taught to pick up our litter and not disturb the natural environment as much as possible. I’m not perfect, but on wild camps or expeditions around the world I try to dig proper cat holes in appropriate places when doing a dump, carry out all my rubbish, and pick sensible camp spots.
Of course not everyone has had the same grounding in the outdoors, and many folks will have not have even considered their rock stack an issue. We can’t judge them. What disappointed me more in the social media response, were some outdoor goers, including the odd well known one, suggesting it is a non issue. Or worse, that they would continue to do it in future.
Stone stacks litter a cave on the Isle of Arran, Scotland. Photo: David Handson
I guess that attitude isn’t surprising as for many nature is just a place to perform or recreate in. I’m not sure what the solution is, and I’d be interested to hear what the British Mountaineering Council or the Peak District National Park have to say on the matter. Have they ever tried to address the issue?
For now I’ll leave the final words on rock stacks to Damien Gildea, a well-known mountaineer and author that I greatly respect. If you have any good solutions I’d be keen to hear from you in the comments below.
“People think this is ok? They’re stupid, ugly, unoriginal and damaging to both the habitat and scenery that people go there for.”
