The National Park Service and USFS rangers, staff and volunteers who are unfailingly nice and helpful—often in the face of some of the very idiots we mentioned yesterday. These are really good people, and don’t get the credit (or money) they deserve. Remember those knuckleheads in DC?

Game wardens everywhere. A thankless and dangerous job. Thank you!

Outdoor writers who encourage everyone to get off their behind and out into the wonderful world. And anyone else who does the same.

Hikers on the trail who offer help, guidance, encouragement, or even food and water to those who need it. How nice is that?

And a shout out to those on the many backpacking message boards on the internet—who offer their time and expertise over and over again. We love to read their trip reports, equipment reviews, trail advice, and clever solutions to the problems we all face.

Anyone who takes someone else hiking or backpacking. Yeah, we worry about some of the campsites in the Sierra, and the traffic they get. But the more people see these amazing places, the more they will vote to protect them. And we need all the votes we can get! This absolutely includes Boy and Girl Scout leaders, despite their organizational policies on sexual orientation.

Those who make trails we loe to follow. They always take us good places, and sometimes they are works of art.

And speakiing of following...how about those who follow all the rules!

Competent sales staff at outdoors stores—those who really try to give you good advice instead of just selling you whatever is latest, trendy, or overstocked. They are becoming rarer every day, but they do exist.

Those wonderful and crazy people who are continually trying to find new ways, lighter materials, and multi-use equipment to lighten our loads in the back country. Your ideas may be completely bizarre…but if they work, we are interested!

And yes, despite our comments yesterday, we also sometimes appreciate those who place a few small cairns to lead us out of the wilderness when we are wandering and wondering. Sometimes, it‘s nice to know the route can be done…

Don't forget those intrepid Search and Rescue volunteers, doing a nasty but necessary job on their own time and pocketbooks!

Please consider donating to your local SAR group!

Good point OM!

(Sorry, Lori!)

Personally, I dislike cairns because anyone coming along can tear them down, causing others to get lost. So, instead, we just carve an arrow into the tree trunk every ten feet or so, to permanently mark the way...Oh, wait, it's Chrismtas, not April Fool's, isn't it?

Seriously, thanks for doing these lists. They're a great way to remember the good, the bad, and the ugly at year's end. I've very much enjoyed reading them, and am in full agreement with both lists. (And, just to be clear, if anyone hasn't figured out I was kidding about the carvings, I DO NOT carve tree trunks!!!!)

Merry Christmas!

Thanks Glenn. We don't carve in tree trunks either...except for that time when I was sixteen and she...

Oh, never mind.

I believe tearing down cairn stones bring bad karma to you.

People who do trail work deserve a big thank you!

Balzacom, what a gracious and pleasant post! I am hardly objective, but I agree heartily with you...Season's Greetings to all.....

Good list! It's nice to be reminded of both the "Naughty" and the "Nice".

On the short trip I did here last week I was impressed with how clean all the campsites backpackers use were. We past by several and I've seen a few of them pretty trashed in the past, but not this last time. They were all spotless.

That's NICE to hear, BIll!