SCIENCE & RESEARCH
Crowding Perceptions at Wilderness Areas on Mount Baker, Washington and Mount Hood, Oregon by ROBERT C. BURNS, MARY E. ALLEN, and TERI L. CHUPRINKO
PEER REVIEWED
ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate the population of recreational mountaineers on two Cascade peaksMt. Hood, Oregon and Mt. Baker, Washington, situated in the US Pacific Northwest. Detailed information about the climbers’ socio-demographic information, trip characteristics, and group composition was identified to gain a better understanding of who the climbers are and to investigate the perceived crowding levels amongst segmented groups. A quantitative mixed method survey was utilized consisting of onsite interviews, mail-back surveys, and online surveys. Overall, perceived crowding was found to be at low or acceptable levels on both peaks. In addition, younger and beginner climbers reported higher levels of perceived crowding. Results are valuable in understanding the critical variable of crowding as it relates to the visitor experience.
Robert C. Burns
Mary E. Allen
Alpine environments around the world offer scenic beauty, unique natural formations and opportunities to experience adventure activities, such as mountaineering or mountain climbing, in remote wilderness environments (Williams & Soutar 2005). In the United States, many of these “wilderness” mountain areas are federally designated by U.S. Congress to
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Teri L. Chuprinko International Journal of Wilderness | August 2021 | Volume 27, Number 2
