LAist relies on reader support, not paywalls.
Freely accessible local news is vital. Please power our reporters and help keep us independent with a donation today.
Dear Hikers: Do Not Bring Your Couch And Leave It Behind. Seriously
Park Rangers don't know how this couch got there but they do know it took them two days to haul it back out.
(Courtesy Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area)
It's a nice weekend for a hike. But if you go, don't leave a couch there.
Rangers in the mountains just got rid of one this week.
It took five Park Service workers two days to haul the light brown five-piece sectional — with an excellent view of the Pacific Ocean — out of Deer Creek.
3/ Please consider your actions & don’t litter! This was a waste of resources and time.
— Santa Monica Mtns (@SantaMonicaMtns) July 16, 2021
Signed, the park rangers @SantaMonicaMtns National Recreation Area who spent their day hauling away litter. #santamonicamountains pic.twitter.com/U1SLnYUtAI
"It took us away from everything," said Mike Alongi, Chief Ranger for the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
Alongi said he has no idea how this particular seating area got there, but he finds plenty of thrown-out furniture. The issue, he said, is not just that it mars the beauty of the trails, it's also bad for the environment.
"You know it's no secret that there's synthetic fibers in waterways." he said.
So dumping furniture and other items in nature just adds more flammable material to our ecosystem. And keep this in mind: Dumping is a misdemeanor.
You also have to wonder about the wasted effort to lug a massive piece of furniture somewhere it will just be removed,
Alongi's advice? "You can go buy a beach chair. It's easy to hike in, easy to hike out. You can set it up, enjoy the great view."
Our advice? Just the leave the couch at home.
What questions do you have about Southern California?
