I'm sure that anyone reading this has the consideration for others on the mountains to use headphones when listening to their music. I was on Mt. Langley on Sunday at the first cairn about a mile from the summit around 8:30AM; it was a beautiful calm quiet morning and I was having a snack while appreciating everything around me and feeling so grateful to be there. Just then I hear a thump thump thumping of a subwoofer and some wonderful gangsta rap getting louder and more intrusive on my experience. A small group is heading up the steep trail towards me and one of them has a portable speaker connected to an iphone in his pack blasting eminem as they hike. By time they got to me it was LOUD. I was staring at them in disbelief as they smiled at me and said hi and kept walking. I asked the man with the phone if he could turn off the music so that I could enjoy the solitude please. He looked a little surprised and disappointed at the confrontation as if he had no idea that anyone would object to his cool tunes.
I have to say, I don't care if the music is to my liking.. be it classical or classic rock; where are the freaking headphones? Do I really have to say something up there in the quiet mountains to someone to turn it down? Doesn't anyone have the forethought about why people go to nature and the high mountains where we have to train and work hard to enjoy the solitude? Where is the consideration for others? I have seen this a few times, more recently on Half Dome and Mt Baldy and it wasn't even pleasant music it was awful pop or harsh rap. Like I said I don't care what kind of music it is, turn it off or use headphones, I am listening to natures pure sweet music already! These are the kind of people who read their texts while driving and don't give a darn about how they are driving like a drunk. Then when you point it out to them they get testy and act like you are stomping all over their rights or something. Seriously how much thought does it take to figure this out?
Anyway, I have finished my rant and now I feel better... But in the future I will NOT hesitate to point out the fact that headphones are the way to go because I DO NOT think your music is better than nature's sweet solitude that I worked my a** off to get up to and enjoy.
Many safe hikes!
-Dan
