[pct-l] Backcountry use

[Paul Magnanti]

On PCT-L we had a discussion about backcounty use going down last year. Here is something I wrote on another hiking forum making reference to a PCT-L post:



A little of everything, I think. (On backcountry use declining)




Backpacking as a whole has declined. Sure that effects thru-hiking as well.



Interesting post from PCT-L by Andew Skurka:
http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/2006-May/031996.html  (link is no longer active)



Without quoting the whole post, you can read the raw stats at:

http://www.outdoorindustry.org/pdf/2005_Participation_Study.pdf

(Page seems to have been moved)






And to quote the nice summary by Skurka:



"A quick summary...

- They've been tracking backpacking statistics only since 1998, so

unfortunately a comparison to backpacking's "hay day" in the 1960's and

1970's is not possible.



- But it's still interesting to see what's happened in the last 7 years.

The number of "participants" (i.e. "recreational backpackers"; see the

report for the technical definition) has dropped to 6 percent of the US

population that's 16+ years of age, from 7.8 percent in 1998 (a total of 3.1

million people, ***and a 23 percent drop total***)



- The number of "enthusiasts" (i.e. "hard core") has experienced a similar

decline, dropping to .8 percent of the total 16+ population, from 1 percent

in 1998 (.3 million people total, ****or about 20 percent***).  It should be

noted that backpacking was the *only* outdoor activity that has experienced

a decline in participation rates among enthusiasts.



One of the big conclusions that came out of this report (and that was the

buzzword at the Outdoor Retailer tradeshow a year or two ago) was Americans'

growing preference for "done-in-a-day" activities.  It's interesting to see,

for example, that while backpacking has seen a 23 percent drop in

participation, *hiking* has experienced a decrease just 1 percent among

participants and a 21 percent increase among enthusiasts.  The

fastest-growing activities included: Canoeing (+16.3%), Kayaking (+130%),

Snowshoeing (+50.0%), Telemark skiing (+166.7%), and Trail Running (+20.3%).

See the pattern here?  It's the "Outdoor Experience LITE.""



Mags again:



Basically, front country use is up. Backcountry use is down.



Suspect thru-hiking will continue to decline as well. Backcountry
use (which, for most people translates to backpacking) ain't "sexy". It
doesn't sell schwag, it means grunge, it ain't fun for most people.
Without getting into arguments about a certain backpacking magazine, it is
why the backpacking magazines are shifting the focus from straight-up
backpacking to more front-country use type articles.



The largest boom in backpacking was in the 1970s with the Baby Boomers.
Gen X and now Gen Y enjoy the more "mountain dew" type activities. And
there are more activities to choose from. It is not a worse or better
way of enjoying the outdoors..but different.



The end result? In years to come, see an emphasis placed more on front country access and less on backcountry
in National Park, BLM and USFS lands. It is happening already. Trail
maintenance is down, parking lot building and other "improvements" are
up, retailers are shifting their gear selection from backpacking gear
to more front country type gear.



And for thru-hikers? Less of us, I think. Good in the short term..but
what happens 20 years from now when less people are using the backcountry wilderness? Less protection? The trails open to mountain bikers and (gasp!) ATVs?  



I seriously don't know. But, I do know that how the outdoors are shared and use will be much different twenty years from now.
 
************************************************************
The true harvest of my life is intangible.... a little stardust 
caught, a portion of the rainbow I have clutched
--Thoreau
http://www.pmags.com