Written by Peter Lenz, Wasatch Graffiti Busters
Since 2018, the Wasatch Graffiti Busters have aggressively sought out and removed graffiti along the Wasatch Front and have concentrated their efforts on public lands, especially the Cottonwood Canyons. It is currently difficult to find any graffiti on natural surfaces in these areas. We also remove illegal encampments, illegal fire rings and litter every time we hunt for graffiti. We work closely with the US Forest Service, Salt Lake Ranger District, and with the Salt Lake County Unified Police Department.
We were recently asked by the Forest Service to help locate an “illegal tree house” in the Hogum Fork area of Little Cottonwood Canyon. During this search we followed the Hogum Fork stream and encountered a cache of beer and frankfurters in the stream itself. Further investigation revealed a 6x3 foot folding plastic table stocked with perishable food. In addition, two large earth and log structures were identified, each one measuring 300 square feet. The signs on the doors proclaimed, “Protected by the Second Amendment”, images of handguns reinforced the message.
These findings were promptly reported to the Unified Police Department. The camp was searched and destroyed the next day by Canyon Patrol. A jail inmate work crew and the Wasatch Graffiti Busters returned to the site for cleanup and removal of graffiti. The site is now in a state of rehabilitation.
The Wasatch Graffiti Busters are a small 501(c)3 not for profit organization. We have a very small budget and welcome financial contributions. We also welcome volunteers who are willing to work hard and get dirty. You can reach us at - Wasatch Graffiti Busters, PO Box 56150, Cottonwood Heights, UT 84121.
You can report graffiti to the Unified Police Department or to the Salt Lake Ranger District of the National Forest Service at 801-733-2660. GPS Coordinates are helpful, but not essential.
