I hiked Reynolds Park on Monday and came across a pair of smokers on the trail...I admonished them for smoking and waited until they put the cigarettes out but should I have reported them?

I would have.
And who the hell smokes while hiking anyway???
Good grief!

Definately report them. As you probably already know, we are under a Stage 2 fire ban, which includes, amoung other things, NO SMOKING unless in a vehicle or closed building. I don't want to get preachy here but we all who live in the mountains are just one cigarette butt away from a conflagration. Here's the fire ban info:

http://jeffco.us/news/news_item_T3_R2522.htm

A violation is $600

Off topic to location, but related. Watched a guy smokin as I traveled WB I-70 several days ago near Ward Rd. He was in the left lane when he tossed the lit cig out the window, into the medium between directions. It was understandable how little the call to JCSO would do at that point, even with a license plate as it was beyond the power curve for any action.

I think it was the Snaking Fire that was started in Bailey by a cigarette butt in 2002. Almost 14,000 acres burned to a crisp. Plus, I can't stand it when I get to the top of a hiking trail and look down and see old cigarette butts.

Hi Meadow in 2000 - 52 homes lost to one cigarette butt

Admonished them for smoking? Or did you admonish them for smoking on a trail while a fire ban is effect?

Were they responsible smokers? Did they flip their cigarettes into the brush, or did they ensure that they were out?

You had no right to admonish them for smoking, but you had every right to remind them about the current fire ban.

I see smokers, typically teenagers, in 3 Sisters/Alderfers often smoking. During fire bans I always stop and discuss with them the danger. Sometimes, the response is "did not know, sorry" but more often it is like deer and headlights!

A few, apparently. On a hike up to Heart Lake about 4 years ago, a sweat-covered novice hiker (let's just say he looked a little out of place there) was leaned up against a rock toking heavily on a cigarette like it was an inhaler. Hope it helped!

I saw some butts (cigarette) on the trail at Reynolds Park a few days ago. I don't think any butt should be thrown on the ground as I don't believe you can be sure it's no danger and it not attractive. Filters are not biodegradable-they are made from a form of plastic. I wish smokers would do what they choose but pack it out when they are done.

I know some people think All "SMOKERS" are going to throw the butt into the ground but I is not fair to put everybody in the same "GROUP" some of us evil smokers do care about the great place we live an I don't think it's very fair to put everybody in the same group.......

We all live up here an there is a we all know that living up here comes with risk of fire but don't think it will be the forest service that takes people's home's......

I have, indeed, been known to stop for a smoke, conditions permitting, while hiking or have one during lulls in fishing...but I have yet to flick a cigarette butt onto the ground or into the water. I always roll out the remaining shreds of tobacco, making certain nothing is still burning, and pocket the filter. (If it's still burning, I'll be the first to know.)

The Salida Police Department recently posted a warning to cigarette smokers here in town that the smokers would be ticketed for Littering if they were observed throwing a butt down anywhere. I applaud them for this logical, fitting penalty. I visited Riverside Park, along the Arkansas River, here not long ago, and was appalled at the number of filter-tips laying around...

BTW, I had an oxygen reading of 94 at my latest checkup.