Shamed 'High on Life' Canadians back online after 'torrent of blind hatred'

[Independent voter]

So this Canadian Youtube group 'High on Life' have been going around the US vandalizing National parks. They caught the attention of social media, there was outrage and some arrest warrants issued for them.



Here they are being towed skiing behind their motor home across sensitive salt flats home to many endangered species.






http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/britis...arks-1.3674125

Four Canadians shamed for disrespecting Yellowstone's Grand Prismatic Spring have returned to social media after emerging from a "torrent of blind hatred" with a video listing their "Top 10 Reasons to Explore National Parks."

The members of the High on Life team vanished from previously hyperactive Facebook and Twitter accounts after arrest warrants were issued in May for three of them on misdemeanour charges of violating Yellowstone Park rules.

Justis Cooper Price-Brown, Charles Ryker Gamble and Alexey Andriyovych Lyakh were charged along with a fourth man after park visitors saw them walk off a boardwalk and approach the hot spring with an array of cameras.

The allegations sparked a firestorm of anger and petitions from people who accused the men of thumbing their noses at American monuments.

In a series of posts from the past two days, the group say they needed the past two months to reflect, but still have "a lot of light to share with the world."

"We got burnt out and needed down time and time apart. The explosive finish with our mess-up in Yellowstone and the wave of angry internet hate that followed brought many lessons along with it," the group wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday.

"For a while we almost forgot who we really are in this torrent of blind hatred. But despite it all, we know that we are good people with good intentions. These folks don't really know us and their hate towards us is a reflection of something else. We won't take it personally and we send them love in return."
'Need to come back in person'

Meanwhile, court documents from a case status conference held last week in Wyoming suggest the problems the group faces are far from over.

Government attorney Francis Leland Pico told Judge Mark Carman that cases are pending against the men in California's Death Valley, Colorado's Mesa Verde and Utah, where they filmed themselves water-skiing on the Bonneville Salt Flats.

The judge asked for monthly status updates because of the "high level of publicity" surrounding the case.

Pico said the three accused "will need to come in person" back to Yellowstone to resolve the charges.

Defence lawyer Thomas Fleener told the court that could be difficult, given the warrants mean they would likely be arrested as soon as they cross the border.

But he said, "We want to get all the cases resolved. We want to allow all the park units some time to get their cases/sanctions filed."

The Grand Prismatic Spring is the largest hot spring in the U.S. It's a federal offence to travel off boardwalks or trails or to create a hazardous or physically offensive condition within the boundaries of Yellowstone National Park.

According to the original complaint, Gamble, Price-Brown and Lyakh were identified through photographs posted on their Facebook site.

They drove through the U.S. in a large blue bus with the words "High on Life" emblazoned on the side. That twigged authorities to the page where the pictures were posted.
'Learn from our mistakes'

The last word from the group was an apology on May 17 and the promise of a $5,000 donation to Yellowstone.

The new video comes with a preface: "One thing we must highlight is the fact that a lot of these places are in the wild, and we must behave responsibly and respect them when we visit. The rules are there to protect the parks and [their] guests … learn from our mistakes, don't break the rules, and help these incredible places thrive."

In the video itself, the team extols the virtues of national park conservation, noting the effects of climate change and tourism.

"All of these things affect the ability for national parks to thrive, so we have to build a higher awareness around the importance of protecting these parks because they're some of the last remaining pieces of our history," one of the group tells the camera.

Visitors are also warned against disturbing Death Valley's salt flats, where the group took pictures of themselves riding bicycles.

Pico said the government is hoping to "design a global disposition," which would see all national park service cases dealt with before the Wyoming court.

The fourth man charged, Hamish McNab Campbell Cross, is an independent filmmaker who lives in New Zealand.

The next status conference for the case is set for Aug. 8.

[Tennis]

Obviously there are multiple angles to consider here. The U.S. and other countries allow these individuals to visit their country without doing the necessary background checks. Negligence is to blame.

[Deja Thoris]

Obviously there are multiple angles to consider here. The U.S. and other countries allow these individuals to visit their country without doing the necessary background checks. Negligence is to blame.

Yes because standard background checks generally include questions like "Do you intend to ski across a hot spring behind a bus"

Stop your pathetic trolling.

[Laerrus]

The fuck is wrong with these douchebags?

I never disrespected or caused harm to the national monuments and parks that I visited while in Korea, and I would not behave any differently in any other country, including Canada.

[Independent voter]

They claim their vandalism brought attention to "wilderness causes".

[WintersLegion]

They claim their vandalism brought attention to "wilderness causes".

Just like how Greenpeace brought attention to the Nazca Lines

[Collegeguy]

Well they're not coming back any time soon with warrants on their heads.

[Kathandira]

Just like how Greenpeace brought attention to the Nazca Lines

I hadn't heard about this, so I looked it up. I'm stunned. What a horrible thing to do.

[zenkai]

Obviously there are multiple angles to consider here. The U.S. and other countries allow these individuals to visit their country without doing the necessary background checks. Negligence is to blame.

LOL have you ever traveled outside the country?

[Tennis]

LOL have you ever traveled outside the country?

Likely one of the most widely traveled individuals on here.

[Machismo]

These guys are inconsiderate assholes. End. Of. Story.

- - - Updated - - -

Obviously there are multiple angles to consider here. The U.S. and other countries allow these individuals to visit their country without doing the necessary background checks. Negligence is to blame.

Do you realize that is the equivalent of blaming the victim?

[Kalis]

Trudeau needs to offer a grovelling apology and extradite these men to the USA forthwith.

[A Dark Knight]

deport all canadians, make our national parks great again

[mizeri]

send them to a federal prison in the US

[draganid]

Trudeau needs to offer a grovelling apology and extradite these men to the USA forthwith.

he actually should. if these guys were pissing on like a 9/11 monument i wouldnt really give a shit but what they did is shameful and embarrassing that they come from my country.

anyone ever been to yellowstone? i have and its honestly one of the most beautiful places on earth

[Deleted]

Obviously there are multiple angles to consider here.

Nah. There aren't. Sometimes things just are clear cut.