[pct-l] JMT Permit......BAD ADVICE given

[Carl Siechert]

I've gotta disagree with you on this one, Donna. If the agencies' goal was
to "ease the burden," they'd simply eliminate the permit requirement
altogether. The purpose of the permit system is two-fold: to limit the
number of people in a particular place at a particular time, and to gather
information about wilderness usage. Your end run around the rules (just
because you can do it without getting caught doesn't make it right) does
nothing to further either goal and, in fact, works against each one.

>From the PCTA's perspective, I don't know whether artificially inflating the
numbers helps in the long run, but I'd correct your statement to read "it
gives the PCTA *an erroneous* statistic to use in their assessment of trail
use"

Cheers,
Carl


On 6/16/07, Donna Saufley <dsaufley at sprynet.com> wrote:
>
> Jeff (aka Buzz Saw) and I have gotten 500+ mile permits for the PCT every
> year for the past four years.  This is not only allowable, it gives the
> PCTA
> a statistic to use in their assessment of trail use.
>
> I believe that the agencies delegated the permitting authority to the PCTA
> to ease the burden on the agencies.  I don't think there's really any
> difference -- the important thing is to have a permit for the area you're
> in, and know the rules.
>
> I know of some folks who get a thru permit every year, so they can hike at
> will without burdening agencies or themselves with getting individual
> permits.  I don't see the harm in this at all.  Lots of folks do this
>