[pct-l] Fw: Re (pct-1) caching - how to do it

[Stephen Adams]

Which is cool with me so long a. I don't have to see it, b. you pick it up and don't leave it in the back country, and c. it doesn't prevent trailhead users and hikers from using the lockers.  It is a problem, and I am leaning towards a lot of left behind stuff and caches being the main issue.  When a large trailhead parking lot is only like a third full and there is absolutely no room in the lockers to stash my stuff to protect my vehicle and bears, there is something amiss.  And I don't know how often I see stuff in lockers just forgotten or not picked up.  Dating and leaving a very nice note would be much appreciated, even if just leaving a stash and day hiking.  If you leave your pack and or cookware in a trail locker shame on you.  
Supposedly the trail lockers were supposed to be removed a few years ago, but they are still in place everywhere I have been lately (Bubbs Creek, Vidette, Charlotte, Rae Lakes, Woods Creek, Paradise), so I assume the old list is still valid.  A couple even had the bad snaps replaced.
But my main concern is the TH boxes.  I have already spoken with the Lone Pine and Bishop ranger offices briefly and will do some follow up this summer while up there.  So they are at least in part aware there is a problem.  Will they do anything about it?  I'm suggesting no caching and dated entry and exit notes attached to all boxes, bags, and ice chests left in storage.  Will it help?  Don't know, but I can assure you I was pissed when I exited a hike to find a bunch of vehicles trashed at Onion Valley two years ago.  I'm still pissed because the last time I went there there was so much stuff cached, and it was obviously caches as opposed to the normal car camp stuff, that there was absolutely no room for anyone to put anything in anywhere, I looked in every locker, and so I left and hiked elsewhere, but it pissed me off and folks need to know I'm not the only one who was unhappy about it that evening, and I'm spreadin the word that it aint cool anymore.  I didn't like much seeing a bunch of 5-gal buckets right off the switchbacks up there either.  They had no note, nothing to identify a date who or anything.  If there had been a bear safe dumpster, which there are in some places, some folks may have been better served to look for their stuff in there.  I think I made my point, and I'm not suggesting PCT thru hikers here are a problem, so don't get all defensive.  What I am saying is don't add to it, and if the Boston Tea Party happened, it wouldn't solve the issue either.  My immediate solution was to talk to a few folks there mulling around like I was, and then just go elsewhere.  I did photograph the bear damage and send some of that to the Lone Pine office with a brief follow up letter.                
On Feb 12, 2010, at 7:33 PM, Edward Anderson wrote:

> 
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Forwarded Message ----
> From: Edward Anderson <mendoridered at yahoo.com>
> To: austinwilliams123 at gmail.com; mike at deepdesert.com; brooklynkayak at gmail.com; pct-1 at backcountry.net
> Sent: Fri, February 12, 2010 7:29:17 PM
> Subject: Re (pct-1) caching - how to do it
> 
> Hi Austin, Mike, Steve,
> I rode my horse solo and mostly unsupported from border to border. Got to Monument 78 Canadian border on September 9th 2009. Caching was my primary way of resupplying. In Southern Cal. my wife met me at trailheads three times and I also cached my food and processed feed for my horse (6 pounds/day to supplement his graze) at several locations. A solo rider does not have the option of hitching into town to resupply. In Northern California, Oregon, and Washington. I cached at road crossings and trailheads. The way I did this was to drive my rig ahead (having left Primo in good care) and cached as I moved it north. The longest I went, for example, was from Seiad Valley in N.C. to McKenzie Pass on Oregon. This is about 350 miles and I cached at four locations where the PCT crosses roads.