[pct-l] The Herd

[montypct]

 I WAS an ADZ organizing committee member and regular attendee of the KO.

> L-Rod

 And a huge loss for the Kick Off when you left.

And a much bigger loss for every hiker if the herd destroys what you and 
Jeff are doing, and newby hiker never experiences what National Geographic 
calls one of the greatest PCT trail experience on a small list (10 things?) 
that includes Mt. Whitney.
Your Trail Magic.

I'm a little confused here.  I think we all agree that the whole thing about 
trail magic is helping hikers as it's primary objective.  And, hopefully 
everyone with an open mind, and the issue of the Kick Off on the table, I'd 
like to hear from everyone what other locations would not greatly reduce the 
Kick Off's effectiveness in achieving it's mission statement and help the 
hikers better prepare themselves.

I did a season long survey in 2005 on the trail for those who like hard 
evidence.  As trail magic, the Kick Off, as is, is pleasing the hikers to an 
unbelievable degree, but maybe there's a better way.

By the way, Ashland was mentioned as a location, but didn't have a 
campground?  THE best campground I have ever stayed in is a BLM campground 
just up the hill from Ashland ON the trail at Hyatt Lake.  Extremely clean 
including the free showers, a very thick carpet of very clean pine needles, 
the spaces are very, very level, and the thru-hiker fee is only $2 and half 
price for those whth a Golden Eagle Pass.  Packages are accepted in the 
campground next door.  It's not as big as Lake Morena, but I wouldn't expect 
attendence to be more than 100 anyway.
(In 1979 I moved there 3 miles from the trail and 7 from that campground. 
Sometime I wish I never left.)

Warner Springs Monty