Thanks for the feedback, TB. The photo clutter has become a big issue, especially in certain areas. I have contemplated a few ways to fix it.
1) A lot of people turn off the photos under settings. This reduces the clutter 100% 
.
2) In lieu of turning off all photos, I have thought about adding a photo filter based on user or album. For example, you can turn off all photos except your own or a certain album that you want to view. This has benefits beyond decluttering the map, such as being able to view the photos from a particular trip.
2) If a photo is taken from or near a campsite, I like it to be associated with the campsite, which takes it off the map. Not everybody has associated photos with campsites, though, which creates the issue you talked about. Sometimes as I go through the map, I clean up the photos that are near campsites and connect them to the campsites. I still have a lot of work left to do with this, though, and there is always more work being created.
3) On the new map, you may notice that I hid the photos for one more zoom level. In my opinion, this made the map much easier to use when it is zoomed out. You will also notice that the icons change size as you zoom in and out. The smaller photo icons make it easier.
4) Even with all of these changes, there is still a problem with the photo icons cluttering the map. One thing I have thought about is just having one photo icon for an area. For example, if there are multiple photos within a specified circle, just show one icon in the center of that circle. When you click on it, you will be able to scroll through the various photos. This is easier said than done, though, as I have found out while researching it.
5) I personally do not like the "spiderfying" and want to take it out. (Spiderfying is when you click on an icon that is close to several others and they expand into a circle.) It is not just photos that create this problem, but it often is. To change this, I have thought that instead of spiderfying, I can have a list pop up showing the different icons and then selecting from the list. I have also taken spiderfying completely out of the route builder mode.
6) I have tried doing a sort of screening process in the past for campsite, route, and lake photos (i.e. which photos are shown as part of a route, lake, etc.). It is tough for one person, and I quickly became overwhelmed, so I stopped doing it. I don't think I can screen 17,000 photos with more coming in every day. I will have to rely on some other method to declutter the map.
Thoughts? Other ideas?
