[pct-l] Trail Magic

[Barry Teschlog]

To those that feel like they might want to go and do the whole cooler thing:
Please, don't.  Untended coolers often times end up as trash heaps.  If you must, don't unless you also have the time to go back and fetch the remnants.  Even then, please, don't.  Too much of the trash will escape.
If you must do the whole food / soda thing, make it attended.  That way, no trash will escape.
The down side of this is the time and cost involved.  If you're out to do a real magic (unannounced, pop up for a brief time), it'll be for only one day and cost will be minimal.  Many choose to make it multi day or longer - time and cost goes up proportionally.
Consider an alternate form of helping the hikers that doesn't involve increasing their sense of entitlement or risking trash.  I've found being on trail crew to be a wonderful way of giving back to or helping the hikers.  Time is no different than someone who sticks around to tend a magic, but the payoff helps so many more people.  On a soda magic, only those that pass by when you happen to be there are benefited.  With trail crew, EVERYONE does.  Sections I've maintained here in Washington have been benefiting hikers since 2010, when I cleared them of brush.  I've given the magic of a better trail to every hiker - day, section or thru, that passed by that spot since August 2010.  Those 16 or so hours, in combination with the other 4 people on that first crew, are a gift that has been given ever since.  Talk about a return on time investment....Anyways, the cool part of doing trail crew is that often times we're out during hiker season and get to interact with the hikers as well.  Bringing some extra goodies in the pack is a good way to dish some true magic.
Ask anyone from 2016 who went through the mess of blow down south of Crater Lake if they would have preferred a soda or more volunteers on the crosscut saw teams.
Anyways....for your consideration.
Glad to see the PCT-L come back to life after so long being more or less dormant.