Trips Reports - Herd Mentality

Sorry to start a bummer thread. I think everyone enjoys the stoke of a good trip report, and it's always interesting to see different locations. I am a daily TAY addict and look forward to new content. Perhaps I need to take Scotsman's lead and just avoid those area that have fresh reports. I think I was a little overwhelmed by the amount of people in the backcountry over the post xmas holiday week. That includes all those costco snowshoers. I imagine things will slow down as the avy danger increases and people have to work. I do think that a lot of people have stopped posting reports. You can call it territorial or self-preservation. Definitely part of the issue is lack of access, and for people new to the sport, a lack of knowledge on where to go. Martin Volken's guidebook has been out of print for a long time. The other ski guides are all pretty dated, and as I understand it, guidebook writing is not very profitable. Also, it's just getting more crowded out in the woods.

Sometimes I think it just has more to do with driving distance from Seattle coupled with short skin approach to the goods.  Even with the net it seems guidebooks still play a significant role.  No one ever seems to go places like here:
www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboardi...ex.php?topic=26419.0

or here:
www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboardi...ex.php?topic=24264.0

or here:
www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboardi...ex.php?topic=24096.0

or here:
www.turns-all-year.com/skiing_snowboardi...dex.php?topic=6619.0

despite the fact that I often do detailed TR's of these spots.

This is a sort of experiment, we'll see if they get overrun now!  I really don't know where I stand on the issue so maybe this experiment will help me to define and/or modify my position.
I will definitely agree that I have been a bit discouraged, from time to time, to see a relatively undocumented area tracked out within 24 hours of a snowfall.

Sorry to start a bummer thread.  

FWIW, I don't take what you posted as being a bummer. I read you simply as wondering if there is value in the "conditions only" sort of report, not in telling others what NOT to report. To me, this is likely to invite MORE content to the site, not less (e.g. check out one of the reports from yesterday as an example - might not have happened if not for a similar sentiment expressed elsewhere). More detailed reports, long stories, and the like are good too, right? But what each of us decides to post from a given tour is ok too, all "this thread is worthless..." style kidding aside, yes?

Scotsman - I guess I'd never thought of going through the control gate at Northway as a "ski tour"  That scene reminds me more of watching New Yorkers jostle in the lift line at a VT resort than the territorial stink eye some surfers are reputed to give newcomers to a break.

John - yes, I think that the herding impact of reports is fairly location-dependent.

I never realized how fortunate I was living on the east slope.

I find the Silas-style reports very valuable. Frankly, it's pretty easy to avoid crowds, except in the parking lot. Just go out a little further.

 Also, it's just getting more crowded out in the woods. 

The only way to stop this is for people to stop having sex. Try and stop people.