I've never had a park ranger ask me for identification, and I think there is a reason. I've been asked for my wilderness permit many times, and I always have it. As a general rule, if some NPS ranger approaches a backpacker and asks to see the permit, it is just a routine thing that they do, especially on trails that are overused, and some people try to sneak around the quotas.

In the ten seconds before the ranger reaches you, he is starting to decide whether or not you are a possible violator. For example, if he smells dope and sees a big bale hanging off your backpack, he will have his mind made up in an instant. If he sees your tent pitched in an area where there is no camping allowed, he will have his mind made up. In those cases, he will often ask to see your identification first, and he can hold that while he asks questions about a possible violation.

But, if you are just on the trail, minding your own business, and the ranger walks up, often he will check the permit and you'll be on your way 20 seconds later.

A friend of mine used to be a ranger-naturalist in Yosemite, and he had some obvious violators on his hands, but he neglected to get the identification first. When he confronted the violators with the regulations that had been violated, they started to rough him up and refused to furnish any identification, so he left and got his buddies, the armed protection rangers. The violators were hauled in and spent the night in the slammer before a federal hearing the next morning.

--B.G.--

Like Steven I have a Road ID. I have only used it while road riding - never thought to use it while hiking. I have the wristband version.

Due to my dislike of Big Brother even though I do carry my car key and ID with me I would tell anyone wanting to see it that I don't have it on me. It's buried in my pack sometimes I can't even find it in there.

I always take my car key, drivers license, one credit card, insurance card, and $100 bill.

I would suggest that anyone who thinks it is important to take a credit card consider taking two of them. The problem is glitches in the system -- rare, but they do happen.

I was once on a business trip with another guy, and when we went to check in my credit card bounced -- surprised the heck out of me, since I never run a CC balance. I was embarrassed, but had to use the other guy's credit card to check in. In the morning, I asked them to run my card again, and this time it went through just fine. Go figure.

The chances of a glitch like this happening to you are slim, but it sure would be inconvenient, and that second credit card does not weigh very much.

--MV

I take my car key, my driver's license, medical insurance card, a credit card and some cash. I do this both in case I become a worst case scenario, and because I worry about my car getting jacked at the trailhead. Yeah it's a few oz, but it's better than having a weight on my mind.

Interesting responses. Thanks for all your replies.

Your sentiments seem to run against the ultralight philosophy. The redundant quality of taking cash, two credit cards, medical card, another form of ID, and so forth seem excessive, if not in weight, than in multiple pieces of gear fulfilling the same requirement.

Does this allowance change your view on other gear, as well? I can understand the case of your health in an emergency being paramount, but what about carrying a fire shelter in case some yahoo drops a cigarette, or more realistically, rain gear in a dry region during a non-wet season... just in case an emergency occurs?

I take my car key and my hiking permit.

Here is my reasoning:

Drivers Liscense: I have to have it to drive to the trailhead and I don't want to leave it in my car in case of a trailhead break in. It is also the best form of ID.

Credit Card: Again, I have to take it on the drive up as I must often buy gas on a round trip drive. It is also good to have as I hate to take too much cash and $100 won't get you that far anymore, perticularly in an emergency situation. I wouldn't want to leave this in the car either.

Insurance Card: I didn't used to take this, but it can be very hard to get medical care without it. If something happens to me, I want to make sure I get the best medical care possible.

Cash: Some places, perticularly small mom and pop places along the trail do not take credit cards.

I agree for all of those reasons. Half the time i hate to leave my car at the trailhead, much less full of goodies.

For me it depends on the trip.

Sometimes I carry my key and sometimes I hide it under the car somewhere.

Sometimes I take a bit of cash, for instance - if I know I'm going to have to walk through a town or I'm going to pass an AMC hut: If I'm going to be in the woods the entire time then I usually don't take cash.

I almost never carry my license or a credit card. That would change if I ever start hiking sections longer than 7 or 8 days or if I needed lodging or to catch a bus, etc.

The weight of my key and cash is not in my general gear list. However, if I wrote a trip report or posted about a trip on which I carried my key and cash (or license/credit card for that matter) then certainly I would add that weight to my base weight.

For that matter, anything I carry other than clothing I'm wearing, poles, and consumables -- all of which are counted in the skin out weight -- goes on my base weight total. I think carrying a camera or knife (or GUN I said GUN lolz) in your pants pocket and not counting the weight is kind of cheating. (Not cheating anyone else but it would be cheating myself - if I was per chance challenging myself to go as light as possible on that trip.)

Drivers license- I live in southern New Mexico, half of the states driving "residents" don't even own them, or insurance! My license is suspended anyways so that takes care of that item.

Keys- I just leave my keys in a hide a key box under my vehicle, plus my DUI Ignition Interlock Device awarded by the state is the best form of theft protection for my vehicle this side of the Rockies. I still haven't figured out how to remove that thing.

Credit Card- I don't own one, if I did they'd surely be all maxed out! :)


*Just joshing on the ID and key! I never bring a key because I never drive to the trailhead on trips. I do believe I included my bank card and ID in my gearlist weight, if not I'll make sure that happens!

LMAO......thats perty darn funny. One time i did actually leave my car unlocked with the keys in the ignition on accident, and it was fine when i returned.. I have just heard all the horror stories of cars being vandelized, stolen, or broke into, so i am always relieved to return to my car and all the windows still be intact.

In Yosemite National Park, you don't have to worry about car burglars too much. The black bears will beat them to it.

One driver left his Lincoln Continental parked in Yosemite Valley with (Honest!) a full Virginia Ham wrapped and sitting on the center console. After some hours on a warm day, that ham aroma was all over the area, so Mister Bear walked up. It saw the ham and tried to force the driver's window with its claws. That didn't work, so it simply broke out the driver's window. It crawled in, wedged itself between the steering wheel and the genuine leather seat, and proceeded to eat the entire ham. That expanded its girth, so it couldn't get up. Therefore, it ate the leather of the driver's seat. Once free, it exited the car by breaking the passenger side window.

That's worse than what the human burglar would have done.
--B.G.--

Completely true. I usually dont have anything of value left in my car anyway, so i'd rather someone get in my car, look around, and get out, instead of breaking my window and doing the same thing. My wife gives me crap all the time for leaving my car unlocked for this reason.

I would agree with you ten years ago, but now airbags are the thief's big score. I use a club on all vehicles and I'm thinking about getting a Club Shield for trips this summer.

I too fear trail head break ins of my car and I still to this day use a sage piece of advise that I got when I first started backpacking. I always clean my car out totally of absolutely everything except maintenance and insurance information in the glove box the day before I drive to the trail head. When I get to the trail head, the glove box contents go under the driver's seat, the glove box stays open, and the back seats get folded down so one can easily see my empty trunk. Now at a glance any would be thief can see there is absolutely nothing of value in my car (other than the airbags as someone mentioned).

My car key (without the fob) and a credit card always come with me. I'm getting ready to make an all-ett sport out of 0.33 oz/sqyd Cuben fiber in order to test some different bonding techniques. It will weigh less than half a gram according to my calculations and paper prototypes.

Deleted duplicate post

Edited by ChemE on 07/10/2010 02:42:15 MDT.

Go bears!
On a more serious note, I always try to leave the vehicle at lodging at the beginning or end of my route. Since I need to stay somewhere for a few days anyway to acclimate, or rest up after the hike, the hosts have never said no to parking, but occasionally ask for a reasonable fee.