[pct-l] Dogs on the trail...

[Christian Danielsen]

I'm going to play devil's advocate here: Dogs don't belong on a PCT
thru-hike.  Hiking 2650 miles all at once is probably not great for the long
term health of humans in terms of wear and tear on joints, etc. But humans
have free will and can choose to do what they like. Dogs, on the other hand,
will walk way past the point of their safety and well-being because they are
driven by loyalty to their human companion. Other considerations are that
waste must be packed out (sometimes difficult even in an urban setting) and
the fact that dogs are not a natural part of the ecosystems the PCT passes
through and can negatively impact wildlife.  I would say that taking a
domestic animal with you on a thru-hike violates the HYOH principle as dogs
cannot, by their very nature, adhere to it.

My opinion is that thru hiking is inherently an ego driven pursuit... not in
a bad way, but in the sense that it's a dramatic and ambitious way to test
your limits and endurance. Dogs should not be attached to this, especially
when an owner's judgement as to when to get the dog off the trail might be
compromised by their desire to keep moving.

My two cents...

Cap
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