[pct-l] Fwd: hazards

[Bob Bankhead]

How one defines "highly hazardous" is a function of one's experience and skill level. 

The PCT Guidebooks do a pretty good job of alerting the reader to such potential dangers. Nonetheless, walking with your head up your *** is also hazardous and an accident waiting to happen. The PCT is not a superhighway with track lighting along the trail, conveniently spaced huts, and water sources that are well marked and maintained. You have to take responsibility for yourself; do your research; actually STUDY your topo maps before you go; know how to use (as well as carry) your maps and compass to constantly keep track of where you are relative to where you want to go; that sort of thing. 

Does Fuller Ridge junction need better signage, especially in light of this incident? Probably. Will it get it, given budget cuts - who knows? Will that signage remain in place? Probably not, given Bubba's inclination to shoot at and otherwise mess around with such things in the never-ending search for entertainment. 

I've heard it said that the AT is a social experience that prepares you for the PCT, which is a semi-wilderness experience that prepares you for the CDT, which is the real wilderness in most places.

Permanent water sources in dry areas - isn't that something of an oxymoron? Except for a few streams or springs - which may not be on the PCT's line of march due to private land issues - we're left with underground water. Finding and developing those sources takes a lot of time and money that has to come from somewhere. The USFS, BLM, and NPS budgets keep getting cut to the point that basic trail maintenance is catch-as-catch-can in many areas. Plan accordingly and be prepared to carry what you need. Yes, it's heavy and inconvenient, but that picture of water fountains every 50 yards along the trail was part of an advertisement campaign. 

Fortunately, there are alternatives - get a driver to meet you at each road crossing with whatever you need (your basic running resupply), choose a different trail that more closely matches your skills and/or comfort expectations, or stay home and watch The Travel Channel.


Wandering Bob









> Date: Mon, 10 Jul 2006 14:34:30 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Thatcher Koch <ironlegs at pacbell.net>
> Subject: hazards
> To: pct at mailman.backcountry.com
> 
>  after considering what happened to "no way" ray, i
> would like to know what other highly hazardous spots
> are along the pct. i thought the pct was suppose to
> be graded for stock as well as hikers. this particular
> spot in the trail sounded like an accident waiting
> to happen.     
                
>  a while past, the subject of establishing permanent
> water sources for the dry areas along the trail was
> discussed, the idea was nixed. now with the increase
> of hikers as well as all the water caches shouldn't
> this idea be revisited?