[pct-l] Trail angels will need help this year

[Ann Marie]

What the soCal trail angels need from most hikers this year is this:

Carry lots and enough water to get you from one natural water source to the next. That means to the next stream, cistern, or guzzler. This is obviously not always possible for all the hikers, which is why the caches exist. But please do not plan to take more than 2 liters from the caches. Those caches are there to help you get to the next natural water source only. They are not provided so you can use up one or two gallons to re-hydrate yourself because you decided not to carry your needed amount of water. Please understand that most of the caches are maintained through great effort (yes, it is not an insignificant amount of effort and money) by the trail angels, and their great need and love to give back to the trail.  This year in particular is looking to be horrendous for the trail angels, but remember they will be there for you. Will you be responsible to them in return?


It does not seem responsible to look at the trail this year and have your first response be "How do we help the trail angels supply the water caches? - I will donate money...."  The angels will be out there, but they can deliver only so much water since there are very few people who want to consistently deliver water to the trail.  Few people think of the water weight to their vehicles or the half-day it actually takes to deliver water to the trail and return home. You can help most by limiting what you take from the water caches.


Think about it. An angel decides to deliver water. They start by doing so every two weeks. Then water begins to flow out of the cache exponentially. Their water, gasoline, and time costs skyrocket because they have to drive out more frequently. They persevere out of a sense of obligation to the hikers they know, feel in their bones "know," will need their desert water.

Just think when you use the water. It is definitely there to be used. It is not there to be wasted. Most water cache angels do not ask for help, but all of them can use it in many ways. You can help by not wasting the water and preventing other hikers from doing so. Carry LOTS of your own water. 


And do your part this year to help protect soCal - prevent fires. Stop campfires whenever you can. If you find a campfire ring at a water cache, please break it up and disguise it. It does NOT belong there and abuses the trail angel's trust.