Opinions About Routes Etiquette

[DeathValleyDazed]

Did any of them survive you?

Good one, netllama.   However, I'm with David on this topic because last December I hiked to No Name Canyon and The Tucki Wash wearing deep green rubber-plastic work boots from Walmart for $20. I broke them in around our small ranch and wore them building trails in the mountains behind our home. I got them a size larger than my usual size eleven, placed some arch support insoles and wore two pair of high quality thick hiking socks and was totally comfortable hike for miles through alluvial fans, canyon beds, and those muddy salt flats. In fact I wore today splitting firewood and feeding our horses. 

Of course I've got two pair of REI hiking boots as well but I did not want to ruin them on that unforgiving DEVA terrain.

One trip to DEVA I parked at Desolation Canyon for my first hike to scale that east wall with all the holes in it that leads to colorful basin and could not find my REI hiking boots. I had not packed them, duh! All I had was a pair of Merrill's which were comfortable but not suited at all for my plans. Needless to say that curtailed much of my more adventurous hikes on that trip including the Desolation east wall.