[pct-l] Boy Scouts and trail etiquette

[jeff.singewald at comcast.net]

Donna,

good points.... in addition to the fire this year that was reported to be started by a thru-hiker, remember the significant issue with the muffin (or was it bagel) frisbees and this blatent disregard for LNT that was attributed to another thru-hiker.  This behavior can not be justified!

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: "Donna "L-Rod" Saufley" <dsaufley at sprynet.com> 

> It is so true that it only takes a few to spoil things for the many. 
> 
> This is a huge subject and a growing problem amongst the thrus, from many 
> reports. While the offenders are a tiny percentage of a larger, infinitely more 
> wonderful group, the behavior of a few and the swath of litter they leave really 
> gets noticed. In addition to careless sanitation habits, vandalization, and 
> littering, PCT hikers have been responsible for numerous fires over the years. 
> The Apache Fire this past spring was one of them. I am sickened every time a 
> hiker speaks of lighting fires every night out in our desperately dry terrain so 
> prone to wild fires. Fire rings are a blight and eyesore as well as being 
> dangerous. Alcohol stoves have been the culprit in more than a few wild fires 
> started by thrus. 
> 
> I agree wholeheartedly that the Scouts themselves are not to blame; they are 
> children being taught by adult leaders who are apparently untrained. 
> Remembering back to my days as a den mother and cubmaster, recruiting parents 
> isn't the easiest thing in the world. One could only hope that volunteers had 
> common sense. As we all know, there's no guarantees of that anywhere to be 
> found. 
> 
> L-Rod 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message----- 
> >From: Bob Sartini 
> >Sent: Nov 25, 2008 4:01 AM 
> >To: edfaubert at yahoo.com, aslive at sbcglobal.net 
> >Cc: pct-l at mailman.backcountry.net 
> >Subject: Re: [pct-l] Boy Scouts and trail etiquette 
> > 
> >I think we've all seen thruhiker behavior at least as bad and likely worse 
> >than any scout behavior. The scouts are usually young kids at least . The 
> >thruhikers are not THAT young. 
> > 
> >Twice I've come a cross evidence of human defecation smack on the trail w/tp 
> >as a "joke". It was in a remote place so I doubt it was cubscouts. 
> > 
> >How about town behavior? I stick by my statistic. 6% of any group are badly 
> >behaved. From Marines to legislators, nothing unique to scouts. 
> > 
> > 
> >"EVERYTHING is in walking distance," 
> > ......Bamboo Bob 
> >----- Original Message ----- 
> >From: "ed faubert" 
> >To: 
> >Cc: 
> >Sent: Monday, November 24, 2008 9:34 PM 
> >Subject: Re: [pct-l] Boy Scouts and trail etiquette 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> >Well it may be true about the leadership of these troops needed some lessons 
> >on true wilderness expertise it may be a small percentage of the overall 
> >scout troops. 
> >That said it brings back to mind some PCT hikers back in 2001 who were Eagle 
> >Scouts who wrote graffeti on the pct as well as the CDT when they did that a 
> >few years later........... and these guys were college students to 
> >boot........... 
> > 
> >Meadow Ed 
> >--- On Mon, 11/24/08, Amanda L Silvestri wrote: 
> > 
> >> From: Amanda L Silvestri 
> >> Subject: [pct-l] Boy Scouts and trail etiquette 
> >> To: pct-l at backcountry.net 
> >> Date: Monday, November 24, 2008, 6:02 PM 
> >> My first reaction was to be shocked, after all scouting, I 
> >> thought, should be teaching young boys how to be one with 
> >> nature. Then I thought, "How much training do their 
> >> leaders get? How many potential leaders would put up with 
> >> a lot of training?" Are my standards too high? 
> >> Perhaps, but if you are going to introduce young boys to 
> >> nature, I would think that teaching respect for nature 
> >> should be a big part of that introduction. I guess I am 
> >> too much of a cynic to really be shocked, just 
> >> disappointed... again. Thank God for the trail community 
> >> and a few nature-reverent souls, and thank you Patti for 
> >> putting out that fire. 
> >> 
> >> Amanda (Shepherd) 
> >> _______________________________________________ 
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> >> Pct-l at backcountry.net 
> >> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l 
> > 
> > 
> > 
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