[pct-l] Troublemakers

Sat Jan 9 20:46:09 CST 2016

I agree totally with Marmot on each of her four do-nots on the trail.  I
would just add that there are no PCT behavior police out there...except that
anyone who finds a hiker acting obnoxiously can and should hold that hiker
accountable for their actions.  If the 95% of us confront the 5% jerks, our
message might reach a few of them.  

Roger Carpenter

-----Original Message-----
From: Pct-L [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net] On Behalf Of marmot
marmot
Sent: Saturday, January 9, 2016 12:04 PM
To: jcil000-hiker at yahoo.com
Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Echo Chalet no longer a resupply point / troublemakers
on the trail

Have you read Aspen's book about her recent hike of the PCT? I read it two
months ago but couldn't talk about it until now. 
The monsters ( I won't call them hikers) who terrorized and killed a marmot
in the Sierra are beyond any comment. Every time I think of it I feel ill. 
For those who are planning to hike the trail. Here are behaviors that I
would have never thought would have to be addressed . 1. You do not kill or
harm in any way ANY of the animals That includes finding it funny or
something to be proud of,to do without a bear canister in the Sierra(you do
harm to the Bears by teaching them that they can get food from hikers ,just
as all of the serious hikers have been trying to teach differently). That
also includes rattlers--I don't care how stupid and scared you are. Walk
around them. 
2. If you can't have a drink or two and stop ,when you get to town ,you need
to stop drinking completely. You are screwing it up for everyone. You just
don't remember how obnoxious you are. Drunks,stoners,immature idiots are
just tiresome to everyone but themselves. 
3. You don't steal from anyone--- hikers, trail Angels,towns people.  
4. You don't "poor mouth" so that you can mooch food or stay at a hostel for
free so that you can buy liquor or dope. I saw this over and over on my Myth
from 2006 to 1213 and again last year when I went out again for the first
700 miles. Eventually those people get a reputation but it's unpleasant
until the other hikers figure it out. 
If no one has taught you how to act around others it's time to learn. There
have always been people on the long trails with different income levels.
Hikers used to wash in creeks,camp out just short of town and come in to
resupply if they could not afford to stay. On the PCT and the CDT ,the first
time,I never had a pack that didn't have clothes drying on it.  It is one of
thing that you learned how to do. I don't care if you are 16 or 90. You
don't get to harm the trail. The trail includes everything  out there--trail
tread,animals,people,towns It's time to treat this behavior just it should
be. Call it out. 
Marmot

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jan 9, 2016, at 10:23 AM, "jcil000-hiker at yahoo.com"
<jcil000-hiker at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
> The post by Tim Crum doesn't surprise me.
> The troublemakers of the world always find a way to ruin life for
themajority of us just trying to enjoy life. 
> I live in San Francisco and observe the annual Bay To Breakers7.1 mile fun
run each year. Its an annual event that has been goingon now for over 100
years. Each year corporate donations (sponsors)have allowed a good amount of
operating cash and expertise to help keepit operating. In the 1980s, the
participant numbers were over 100,000 joggersand a hundred or so actual
seeded runners up front.
> About four years ago, the entire operation nearly ended as those
corporatedonors decided they didn't want to be associated with the problems
createdby the troublemakers including peeing in private residential
driveways, leavingtheir beer cans along the streets, and just creating a
drunk binge en mass. Thefamily atmosphere was poisoned as parents couldn't
bring their little kids due tothe exhibitionists who were running around
naked as if we all wanted to see that.
> It was only with the promise by the City of SF and its police department
that they wouldclean it all up that new corporate donors stepped forward to
help. As it now is,we have only the one yucky problem of some ELDERLY NAKED
MAN standing everymile or so. The police are confronting the drunks, seizing
their booze, and / or haulingthem off to the drunk tank.
> The PCT was / is a beautiful concept for everyone to enjoy. I'm not sure
what mightbe done about the trouble makers. For every 100 hikers who simply
wants to backpack, there is one who thinks its funny to cause trouble in any
way possible. Eventhrough vandalism and theft. I've read more than a few
cases where packers foundtheir gear stolen by other packers. 
> Day Early
> 
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