Cig butts, cig packs, beer cans, more beer cans, food packaging, underwear, a dress, a shirt with human feces on it … and on. This was some of the awesomeness I found at Skinnydipper hot springs this morning. A sickening feeling crept into my stomach as I was hiking up the trail towards the soaking pools once I realized that I was entering jackhole territory.
There was one car in Skinny’s pullout about an hour before dawn. Partiers from Emmett, Idaho that spent the night. About half-way up I passed two drunken 20 something jerks on their way down. After the last one walked by he said “them pools is fu**ing packed!”. Whatever, I thought.
As I approached the lower pools I noticed two more jackholes; male and female, that were in the lowest soaking pool nestled amongst their jackhole trash heap. I continued up to the two upper pools. Cesspools of human waste. Unbelievable!! While I was discovering the mess and crunching beer cans beneath my shoes the jackholes below abandoned their home away from home. They must have sensed I was coming for them.
I finished stuffing the only garbage bag I brought up with trash before taking off down the trail after the jackhole horde. I was furious! My soaking partner was close behind. As I was cruising down the trail the faint light of the rising sun gave me a glimpse of the pullout. Jackholes were trying to bust into my truck! I was still maybe 10 minutes from being all the way down.
Once my compadre witnessed the scene below a loud bellow was released that startled myself and the jackholes. They looked up, saw me – and scattered! Invigorated, I increased my rate of decent and missed a switchback and landed on my chest a few feet later. I didn’t skip a beat and was quickly back on my feet, the jackholes messing with my ride and trash rage gave me the adrenalin I needed.
My feet hit the pavement as the jackholes sped away. To be honest, it worked out for the better. I can’t help but wonder what would have happened if I had caught them. My backup was still a few minutes away and the jackholes had me outnumbered. It would have been ugly, no doubt.
Defeated, we left without soaking. The jackholes took this round.
This is a good time to remember that taking care of public hot springs means addressing jackholes besides just cleaning up their trash. Try to be nice, snap a pic of their license plate and email it to the Boise National Forest and BLM (and here, I’ll gladly post it).
shared this on Facebook, find out WHOS keys yet? I think I would be for delivering them to the owner and have the cops with me for trying to break into your ride!
The Paul’s Market discount card on the key ring can probably be connected to a real person. Give it to the cops, explain the crimes associated with it and they might be able to get a warrant to search Paul’s database and find out who it is. It looks like there is a second bar-coded card on the key ring. This might confirm the identity of the owner/perpetrator. Good luck.
Too bad. The only good hot springs require a 2 – 3 mile walk. Too close to the road equals trouble. Why do hot springs bring out the worst in people?
I wish the trail to Skinny Dipper was still dangerous. All the damn drunks would fall off and die, removing themselves from the gene pool. That place was ruined when it was made “safe.”
Jackholes are everywhere. I retrieved two boxes full of garbage from a campsite on Arrowrock Reservoir this weekend. Mostly beer cans and bottles but trash was everywhere! It’s sad that these morons share our outdoors!
OUCH!!! clean ups have been a little tricky with work schedule and child care conflicts lately- but this sounds like something worth taking care of(not that any of them have not been 🙂 )! We’re on it!! I will post a clean up for next Tuesday, anyone that would like to join please sign up- or reply and I will get you situated- Thank You- Amber
sorry you had to deal with such idiocy. I never go to skinnydipper because of the latent retardation that seems to congregate there. 🙁
Dont know if I can make it for the clean up but am planning to get up there Thursday evening or night, friend from Poky will be in town, last time we all did Rocky Canyon.
The same reason I’ve been avoiding that place as well. It’s a sad thing. Even just a few years ago, this wasn’t nearly the problem it is now.
just got home from Skinny, 5 other cars and one group of jackasses, brought down a small bag of cans, cigg butts, broken flash light and a couple candles. That group was in the middle pool the whole time. We couldnt figure out why in the hell the main pool kept getting hotter and hotter damn near burning hot, the jackasses shut BOTH valves at the middle pool so straight hot was pouring into the main pool, was still a good soak especially after they all left!
Yeah Joe I think I might have been there that same night. Those guys in the middle pool must’ve been there for several hours. It’s too bad they ruin it for other people. We ran into a lot of nice people that night on the way in and out.
WOW .. first time up .. very nice .. met with Harley .. he is a cool guy .. plan on going back up this sat. And being a hunter .. what you pack in PACK OUT !! I like to thank the folks who put in the hard work to create such a wonderful place !
so did anything ever come of the keys from that night? Its a shame that a few jerks like that can ruin it, I went up a month or so ago on a Friday a few hours before sunset, I THOUGHT it wouldnt be too bad yet but man was I wrong, pullout was PACKED but at least they were all smart enough to park at an angle so more could fit. Even with it packed it was a good soak, even got a free beer on the way up!
Hey Joe!
Thanks for the comment. I turned in the keys to the cops but nothing ever came of it. Thanks for the update as well, I’ve been getting reports about Skinny that depict much of the same.
Happy Trails!