[pct-l] The Herd

[dsaufley at sprynet.com]

WS Monty,

Thank you from the depths of my heart for your kind words, open mind, and for your efforts to keep the dialogue constructive and humorous.

L-Rod

-----Original Message-----
>From: montypct <montypct at gmail.com>
>Sent: Mar 14, 2007 11:52 AM
>To: dsaufley at sprynet.com, Paul Magnanti <pmags at yahoo.com>, PCT MailingList <pct-l at backcountry.net>
>Subject: Re: [pct-l] The Herd
>
> 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 
>