[pct-l] Let's Hear From The 2007 Thru Hikers...

Thu Feb 28 13:47:30 CST 2008

Yes, definitely an intentional "set up"! (such a perceptive guy...)

And as I suspected, "The Herd", as close to Morena as Rodriguez Water Tank, is as big as a Boy Scout Troop...

And just a little further up it dwindles to less.

Just read Donna's last post.

Donna- I think the reason this subject gets as much attention as bear cans, dogs, guns... is that there is this suggestion that the ADZPCTKO is somehow detrimental to The Trail itself. I think you distilled it down to LNT issues at campsites yesterday, and then switched to quotas and trail town impacts and it's affects of Hikers themselves.

>From what Monty witnessed, it's OFF trail that is most affected by a "Herd". Mt Laguna probably gets the fullest brunt of a long string of hikers, but from what I've heard and read, the General Store is more than happy to serve them! Warner Springs is next, but isn't Warner Springs essentially a resort town that caters to visitors? After that it's Idyllwild and Big Bear that probably doesn't even notice an additional couple hundred "tourists" on the streets.

Donna's primary concern for hikers is commendable, but if she had her wish granted and ADZPCTKO was discontinued, would quotas not still be a threat? Would not trail towns still see a surge in visitors who clean out their store shelves and swamp their post offices? And after all, it's the Hikers themselves that will "vote with their feet" (I've been waiting SO long to use that cliché!) and attend ADZPCTKO or not.

In any case, ADZPCTKO will continue. It's grown a lot since I first attended just a few years ago. Those who decide to avoid, boycott or oppose it may or may not be missed, but it will continue nonetheless. With folks like Scott and Andy getting attention from the mainstream media, I suspect awareness of our Long Trails will grow and more people will dream and plan through and section hikes on them.

I think I read an interesting quote recently- "growth without planning is called cancer" (or something like that). Planning takes organization. I think ADZPCTKO is one of only two organizations that are specifically concerned with the PCT. It certainly is more visible, accessible or interactive with the majority of those who actually USE the Trail than the PCTA.

Hey Monte- I sent you an e-mail regarding the wind farm and I got it bounced back. I'll resend (it had some photos attached), but to answer your question- no. I have no contact info.

Sorry.

________________________________

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From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net] On Behalf Of montypct
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 11:14 AM
To: PCT-L
Subject: [pct-l] Let's Hear From The 2007 Thru Hikers...

Big Bear hanging out.  I could harldy walk and stayed a few days. They just kept coming.  25 or so when I was there.

2007 

Rodriguez Water Tank was crowded (12 campers)6 days before the Kick Off.

Three of us went ½ mile further to camp.

The Third Gate had about 8 congregating but 6 staying there.  There are 3 established tent sites.

I bivied up on the trail a mile or so later.  There's not many places to camp up there after the third gate.

For the rest of the trail the biggest clump I can remember on the trail was six  people except at Deep Creek.  There was also an informal group of seven of us who were hiking together an occasional minute here and there.  We chose that clump.

The Warner Springs Post Office was Swamped with one less employee, but a little less traffic than usual.  Still too much to wish on one person who has been taking care of us thru-hikers for 20 years.

The BIG groups were in the towns and at the trail Angel's places.

Warner Springs the Wednesday before the kick Off.  Had ton's

Big Bear.... Nature's Inn was full and a lot of hikers were staying at the Motel 6.

Wrightwood didn't seem that crowded.

Other than the Kick Off, the biggest group of people I saw were at the Sauffley's, by far.  If you've been there you would understand why.

I think people are just posing as hikers so they can stay there.  My hiking partner had foot problems.  We stayed an extra day or two.

Missed the Anderson's this year, but it sounded like a couple of hikers moved in permanently and a lot of stayed multiple days.

Hiker Town  10-12 of us daytime, but a lot of us moved on.

I saw very few in Tehachapi

But a big crowd at Meadow Ed's Birthday party for a few days at Kennedy Meadows.

We got the last two rooms at our Motel in Independence.

I was able to get a room at VVR

Mammoth wasn't crowded

15 hikers at Tuolumne Meadows in very early July.

What was YOUR impression of "The Herd"? Was it a trampling army, or was
The Trail as busy as the JMT on a typical summer weekend?

This is a set up.  Are you trying to prove a point?  We all know the answer to that one.  :0)

>What was YOUR impression of "The Herd"?

"HIKERS CLUMPING OFF TRAIL"

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