Cannot delete certain track points

Maybe the following thread could offer some help, or at least ideas:

https://forums.garmin.com/showthread.php?85747-Fenix-Long-straight-gps-line-after-end-of-trek

Contrary to what is said in that thread, it's not a bug but how it's designed to work, and is obvious why it does if you think about it ...

If you don't want those straight lines get into the habit of doing a 'Clear current track' when you start (after you know you have a good satellite lock) and then a 'Save current track' at the end.

As the thread says, to get rid of them in previously recorded tracks use the split tool.

I doubt that those points can’t be deleted. The problem is that it appears to be a single track. If the 81 mile point is deleted, there will be a new long line of 81 miles + x feet (the distance from the 81 mile point and the next point).

To understand what is happening, you will need some understanding of the gpx format for tracks. A Track is list of Track Segments and a Track Segment is a list of Track Points. A Track Segment consists of Track Points that are logically connected in order. Pause here and consider what can happen out in the field. The device could lose satellite lock, batteries could die or the device could be deliberately turned off. Any of these events results in the ending of one Track Segment and the start of a new Segment. It does not trigger the end of a Track and the start of a new one. This is how the gpx format is supposed to behave.

So, a Track Segment will be logically connected, but the Segments within a Track may or may not be logically connected. Now the question is how to deal with Track Segments when a Track is completed. Should the Segments be connected (after all, it is a single Track, but the segments may not be logically connected)? Or should the Track appear as disconnected Segments (okay if you turn off the device, but not so good if the device just lost lock a brief period)? To me, the latter method would be most consistent with the intention of the gpx format (i.e. Segments may not be logically connected). But this creates the problem of how to easily divide a track (i.e. break the Track Segments into individual Tracks) when it is difficult to see how the Segments connect.

If your device has a Track Manger or something similar, you will have the option to save a Segment in the active log as a Track. If the active log is saved, then this option is lost. If you view the device’s active log in BaseCamp it probably shows up as a single Track with all segments connected.

So, to get rid of those long lines, either cut them with the scissors tool in BaseCamp, save the segments in the active log on the device (if possible) or clear the track log before you start and save it immediately after reaching the end.

So, to get rid of those long lines, either cut them with the scissors tool in BaseCamp...

Scissors tool would be great but I can't seem to find one in Basecamp...?

Was able to double-click the "straight" sections, split the tracks as suggested in the list view, then again double click the straight section, then again select it in the list view, and delete.

Clunky solution, but was able to create a coherent track eventually.

long story about track segments

The GPX format supports the concept of track segments, but AFAIK every Garmin device and/or program uses only one track segment per track in GPX files. When you open a multi-segment track in BaseCamp it will treat it as a single track, automatically joining all segments together. When you export it from BaseCamp, you will see that the segmentation is lost.
Also, most Garmin devices will start a new track when the satellite connection has been lost for a certain amount of time.
Fitness devices do support the concept of laps or segments, but those will use the TCX or FIT format to record tracks.

Scissors tool would be great but I can't seem to find one in Basecamp...?

The scissors tool is on the Drawing Tools toolbar. It this tool bar isn't visible, go to the View menu>Toolbars>Drawing Tools. The scissors are on the far right next to the eraser. Tools will be grayed out until an object is selected. Then only the applicable tools will be visible.

@JaVaWa
I stand corrected, segments are an optional element. I also do not recall Garmin ever omitting its use. Over the years, I have noticed that Garmin changes its mind on how to handle the active log. This may even vary between devices. The current firmware on my 62 uses segments only in the active log when the unit is powered down (i.e. it does not use </trkseg></trk>). I think I have seen this before, but I'm fairly sure that most of the older firmwares used "segment break", "track break". Its been awhile since I've had batteries die or lost lock so I can't confirm that this will cause a segment break only in the current firmware, but these are situations where a segment break only was suggested by the creators of the gpx format. Currently on my device, saving all of the active log will keep the segment breaks in the saved file. But the Track Manager still allows segments to be saved as individual tracks.

I'm guessing from some recent posts that there may be a change in the latest firmware for some devices regarding the active track log.