[pct-l] Quotas

[Carl Siechert]

>  ...the threat of quotas and trail town impacts…
>
>
The subject of trailhead quotas is an interesting one that possibly deserves
its own discussion. But to bring it up in a discussion of the kickoff is
pure FUD.

First off, does anyone have any first-hand evidence that USFS (or any other
agency) is even considering quotas for any part of the trail in southern
California? (I don't mean in the Sierra Nevada, where trailhead quotas have
been in place for at least thirty years. And I don't mean "I read on
PCT-L..." or "I heard from someone on the trail...")

But the real reason it doesn't belong in a kickoff discussion is that the
logic is ridiculous:
R-Lod*: "If we don't put a stop to the kickoff and its herd that makes
an Obama rally look like a tea party, the USFS is going to impose quotas!"
Scatt*: "OMG! That's terrible. That means we won't be able to get in the
Guinness Book of Records by having a conga line of hikers from the border to
Agua Dulce."
R-Lod: "It's our *right* to have more hikers on the trail! Quotas will
certainly put an end to that."
Scatt: "Say, wait a minute! I thought we were against having more people on
the trail."
R-Lod: "Hmmm, you're right."
Scatt: "Let's see if we can use the ADZ organizers' incredible mind-bending
will -- that same evil power they unleash to force thru hikers to go to a
shriveled reservoir for a couple of days in April while simultaneously
getting them to shower greedy cottage-industry vendors with their
hard-earned money -- let's see if they'll get the feds to set quotas."
R-Lod: "Yeah, we need quotas. That's the ticket!"

*The names have been affectionately (and I do mean that) changed to protect
the innocent.


Cheers,
Carl (who should be using this rare escape from mountains of work to be
updating the ADZ website)
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