TMNP Activity Card system - there has to be a better way

[MongooseMan]

43 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

They preserve nature/plants, they maintain the hiking trails, they patrol and monitor activity in the fragile areas.

From personal experience, I disagree.

in the last few years, trail upkeep on Table Mountain has fallen to private groups (Friends of Table Mountain, etc). To the best of my knowledge SANParks has been largely absent in this regard.

also, in 8 years of trail running all over Table Mountain, I am yet to meet a SANParks ranger patrolling.

[peepeekaitjie]

17 minutes ago, MongooseMan said:

I am yet to meet a SANParks ranger

because they are wearing camouflage, duh

[Hairy]

5 minutes ago, peepeekaitjie said:

because they are wearing camouflage, duh

🤣 you win the internet

[MongooseMan]

14 minutes ago, peepeekaitjie said:

because they are wearing camouflage, duh

[Danger Dassie]

1 hour ago, The Ouzo said:

you see a problem, I see a tender opportunity.  

This is the most Gauteng post yet!

[Headshot]

2 hours ago, Jewbacca said:

I'm loath to start pointing all the fingers at all the things.

In reality, the important parts of TMNP/SANparks are done fairly well in the cape.

They preserve nature/plants, they maintain the hiking trails, they patrol and monitor activity in the fragile areas.

They catch a heap of poachers every year, they have really made some places brilliant to visit.

I hate to say it, but MTB is not particularly high up on their list of priorities. 

Could they improve their government run financials? Of course. 

We sit here in our castles throwing the baby out with the bathwater because they don't seem to care much for a hand full of 5%ers people who often struggle to follow the rules in place anyway.

As someone who uses the mountain and the sea/coastline almost daily for a number of activities, I can appreciate the effort and resources being used correctly to assist in completing the important parts of maintaining a nature reserve.

I do believe that MTB is a bit like hand soap in the bathrooms of the airport. It exists, people use it and some people will be really upset if it isnt there, but it isnt that important in the overall efficiency of the airports main criteria

I think you've missed my point in your haste to bat for SANP (and tell us naughty bikers off?) Its not even about not caring its about rank inefficiency and poor communication, misappropriation/allocation of resources, incompetent staff, and sadly, lack of maintenance of trails. It's also about all visitors not just cyclists. (I'm not sure where you think they're doing a good job maintaining hiking trails but as far as I can see its largely being done by outside groups like FOTM). 

I love the Kirstenbosch traverse - it is a real gem, but its becoming less and less of an option for beginners due to the parlous state of the SANP sections of jeep track. Its almost gone full enduro and is heavy going even for hikers. The Kirstenbosch sections are in near perfect condition which stands in stark contrast.That said I did see them removing a fallen tree on Friday. Their R1 Million SANP Cruiser had  managed to get to it but was going to k@k off on the drive up to the next  one. 

I'd be happy to pay for access to the mountain as a hiker or cyclist if that cash was actually used to maintain the numerous trails, deal with poachers and bark strippers,, in contrast to money paid to TokaiMTB or FOTM which shows tangible results. Perhaps we need to go back to square one and make any and all access to the mountain subject to a permit fee? But who would buy in to that given their track record of poor comms and misallocation of budgets. Its like paying taxes and expecting the government/Eskom to keep the lights on...

 

[Headshot]

2 hours ago, The Ouzo said:

you see a problem, I see a tender opportunity.  

You jest. SANP don't even have a dedicated trail repair or alien hacking crew, so any jeep track maintenance seems to get put out to tender, which of course leads to delays, overcharging and probably corruption. All in the name of allowing everyone to "eat a little bit" at the expense of the environmental gem that is Table Mountain.

[Hairy]

8 minutes ago, Headshot said:

I think you've missed my point in your haste to bat for SANP (and tell us naughty bikers off?) Its not even about not caring its about rank inefficiency and poor communication, misappropriation/allocation of resources, incompetent staff, and sadly, lack of maintenance of trails. It's also about all visitors not just cyclists. (I'm not sure where you think they're doing a good job maintaining hiking trails but as far as I can see its largely being done by outside groups like FOTM). 

I love the Kirstenbosch traverse - it is a real gem, but its becoming less and less of an option for beginners due to the parlous state of the SANP sections of jeep track. Its almost gone full enduro and is heavy going even for hikers. The Kirstenbosch sections are in near perfect condition which stands in stark contrast.That said I did see them removing a fallen tree on Friday. Their R1 Million SANP Cruiser had  managed to get to it but was going to k@k off on the drive up to the next  one. 

I'd be happy to pay for access to the mountain as a hiker or cyclist if that cash was actually used to maintain the numerous trails, deal with poachers and bark strippers,, in contrast to money paid to TokaiMTB or FOTM which shows tangible results. Perhaps we need to go back to square one and make any and all access to the mountain subject to a permit fee? But who would buy in to that given their track record of poor comms and misallocation of budgets. Its like paying taxes and expecting the government/Eskom to keep the lights on...

 

For my education, what is a "bark stripper" please?

[Shebeen]

2 hours ago, Jewbacca said:

I'm loath to start pointing all the fingers at all the things.

In reality, the important parts of TMNP/SANparks are done fairly well in the cape.

They preserve nature/plants, they maintain the hiking trails, they patrol and monitor activity in the fragile areas.

They catch a heap of poachers every year, they have really made some places brilliant to visit.

 

I disagree. TMNP is their cashcow and they add very little to it.

I LOVE going to cape point as it is so empty. Lots of foreign tourists (at R392 per entry) in their busses keep to themselves.

[Hairy]

16 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

I disagree. TMNP is their cashcow and they add very little to it.

I LOVE going to cape point as it is so empty. Lots of foreign tourists (at R392 per entry) in their busses keep to themselves.

At 21.53 USD they prob. think the price is right.

[Jewbacca]

2 hours ago, MongooseMan said:

From personal experience, I disagree.

in the last few years, trail upkeep on Table Mountain has fallen to private groups (Friends of Table Mountain, etc). To the best of my knowledge SANParks has been largely absent in this regard.

also, in 8 years of trail running all over Table Mountain, I am yet to meet a SANParks ranger patrolling.

Dunno... I've been running on Table Mountain for decades and I continually see rangers. Either in bakkies or patrolling the common access/egress points.

@Headshot I'm not batting for anyone. I just don't think that they care about MTB mountain users as much as MTB mountain users think they should.

I don't think WE (I include myself) are a particularly important part of the bigger picture.

I'm ok with that

[Headshot]

58 minutes ago, Hairy said:

For my education, what is a "bark stripper" please?

Not a "bark striper" which is a kind of fish. 

[Hairy]

20 minutes ago, Headshot said:

Not a "bark striper" which is a kind of fish. 

still lost here

[Shebeen]

5 minutes ago, Hairy said:

still lost here

have you heard of google?

https://greenpop.org/what-is-bark-stripping/

[Hairy]

6 minutes ago, Shebeen said:

have you heard of google?

https://greenpop.org/what-is-bark-stripping/

What a bunch of chops!

[Shebeen]

42 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

Dunno... I've been running on Table Mountain for decades and I continually see rangers. Either in bakkies or patrolling the common access/egress points.

@Headshot I'm not batting for anyone. I just don't think that they care about MTB mountain users as much as MTB mountain users think they should.

I don't think WE (I include myself) are a particularly important part of the bigger picture.

I'm ok with that

Tokai specifically was a mtb area LONG before sanparks got involved (only ~ 2005). Before then it was managed by the forestry okes, the specific bosbou guy who lived there and was in charge hated MTB like you could not believe.