Trailhead break-in's

“I stoppped at the Ranger Station off Rte. 50 on Sunday on my way back from snowshoeing @ Loon Lake, there was no-one else there so I ended up chatting quite a bit w the ranger. Since I guess I looked like a frequent visitor to her mountains (I needed a shave, was dirty, stank, etc., my usual presentation) she had asked about my experience leaving my car at trailheads. I told her I had never had a problem personally, but did return to the Carr / Feely Lakes TH once after a few days to discover a number of cars had been broken into, but mine was OK.

Well... she proceeded to tell me that the big thing the last year or so wasn't that someone would break into a car at a TH to steal anything obvious, but what they would do is search thru glove compartments, etc., for wallets & ID, write down the Driver License / other pertinent info, then put everything back the way they found it as best they could so as to avoid detection that they had broken into the vehicle. In fact, she said that in a couple instances they took the data from someone's wallet, but left the cash there!

Yep... you guessed it... identity theft! She also told me that was a pretty big thing in the more popular Southern CA TH's before she was transferred up here.

So... be careful out there you guys! Take you wallets / ID with you, don't leave in the car where the scumbags can steal your identity!”

“Thanks Wanderer. I left my wallet in my truck at the snow park lot by Kirkwood a couple weekends ago. It'll go with me next time.”

“i put my phone, wallet, cds other valuables in the trunk”

“I put my wallet, keys, etc, in a pocket of my backpack.”

“I try not to leave anything of value in my car anymore!”

“So far I have never had my vehicle broken into at a trailhead, knock on wood.
Before I leave the house I go through my wallet and only take what I need in a small ID holder which I put in the top pocket of my pack.

If someone did steal my identity I would be in real trouble. I have enough trouble remembering who I am and where I live now. On the other hand, my wife might end up with a good, stay at home type husband.”

“LOLOL at Tahoe!!! GREAT response - I'll share that one w my wife (if I'm still married later tonight!)!

How ya' doing Carl??? WHEN can we get together so I can prepare you thaty dinner I promised????”

“Thanks CrashBang I'll know where to look next time!”

“I don't like highway trailheads for this reason. Especially around here, the highway trailheads around Harriman are bad -- particularly 202, 9W, 6, and 17. Fortunately, I've never had my car broken into, but I try to avoid those like the plague.

Also the Rte 73 trailheads up in the Adirondacks are pretty bad as well, being that it's a major tourist highway that connects I-87 with Lake Placid.”

“Some, if not most, of these aren't "highway" trailheads Phantom Soul. This is the Sierra Nevada, a lot of the areas in the El Dorado Forest management include Lake Tahoe area, so you get a lot of tourist access ( we calll it touron access :))to those areas, but she was saying that it happens everywhere! A lot of these trailheads you have to drive 10-20 miles on bad road to get to, so it's not an "easy-access" deal for scumbag theifs. In Lake Tahoe areas, yes, the trailheads there are right off main roads so I can see it happening there. But, some of the others she mentioned, those are trailheads only pretty seriouis back-country folks would even know about, let alone access.

I guess the point is that bad-guys will find us everywhere... all you guys please be careful!”

“I don't carry my SS card in my wallet and I always take my license with me.

But if someone was still able to steal my ID they might show up at my door pissed off that their credit rating sucks ass now.”

“I am pretty well tied up through March, but I am free after the first weekend in April. I've been considering some hikes in the western Sierras, but nothing definite. Any suggestions?”

“Hey Tahoe, I just sent you an e... let's hook up!”

“The most infamous of AT crossings. Them Buck Mountain Boys. I've seen cars broken into, windows smashed, even burned. And this is a major (for these parts) road connecting the mountains of NC to NE Tennessee.”

“I think some trailheads in WA are known for break ins, so you may be forewarned to an extent, like maybe not to camp there overnight. If it's dark, people know most likely you will not be coming down the mountain and they are free to vandalize or steal things from you car.”

“I've been lucky & never had a break-in at a trailhead. My brother-in-law even left my passenger car door adjar for a 5 day canoe trip. I have heard of it happening at the high density touristy spots. I do bring my wallet/ID etc with me, but I keep all important stuff on a cord tether. Makes it tough to inadvertantly lose or leave behind. I try not to leave things of value in the car or at least keep them out of sight. Many times, I ended up hiking all night instead of pitching a tent. So much that I stopped bringing a tent. I've often nodded off near (or in) my vehicle & I'm a light sleeper.”

“I wrap a rubber band around my ATM card, drivers license and two twenty dollar bills. That is my wallet when I go backpacking.”

“I've had my vehicle vandalized about 20 years ago, but never broken into for anything. I don't leave anything in my vehicle and I make it a point to bring only what I will be carrying and no more than that. Leaving gear in a vehicle for someone to see is asking for a break in. I always carry my wallet with me also.”

“Hey yeah, what Spam said!!

In thirty years I've never been messed with except for some critter chewin' on stuff under the hood.”

“I do what bacpac does. I don't take the stuff with me to keep it from getting stolen, but to:

1 - Have a means of getting back to town if somebody steals my car or if it doesn't start; or

2 - Help whoever finds me know where to send the body.”

“I also do what bacbac does and I put it in a zip lock bag. I had a couple of cassette tapes stolen from my car once at a trailhead, but that was almost 30 years ago. I stupidly left them on the dash in plain view.”

“I've never had my car broken into (knock on wood). To be honest I'm more worried about someone messing with my car while I'm at work than when I'm backpacking. The only loose items of value I leave in my car are CDs and they are just copies; I have the originals in my CD rack at home. My wallet and keys go with me into the woods.”

“I have no concern that anybody wants to steal my identity.”

“fullmoon, nobody wanted those Barbara Striesand tapes anyway.

zac, go ahead and rap yourself on the forehead again for good measure.

Sarge, ha ha ha!!!”

“It's got such a nice hollow tone to it.”

“Those were the days. Listening to Babs while driving to the trailhead.

Memories,
Like the corners of my mind
Misty water-colored memories
Of the way we were ....”

“I have no concern that anybody wants to steal my identity.
Sarge

Then why do you get so pissy about ppl torlling under your name?”

“Hmmmm, or were they Tommy James And The Shondells, fullmoon??”

“Maybe it was the Bee Gees on eight track.”

“At the time my truck had both 8-track and cassette stereos in it. That was one far out truck.”