[pct-l] hiding from Illegals

[Brick Robbins]

I live in San Diego, and have come across Illegals in the area south
of the Lake Morena many times. I've also picked up lots and lots of
trash along the trail, mostly empty food wrappers and water bottles
"hecho en mexico."

I even followed a foul odor to a decomposed corpse near the PCT just
south of Houser Canyon. I don't know if it was an illegal, and I don't
know the cause of death: the Border Patrol never got back to me after
I spent several hours reporting it and leading them back to the
location.

That being said, I do not think that the majority of the illegal
border crossers are any more dangerous than the typical 20-30
something man who is very motivated to work.

HOWEVER, there have been documented cases of bandits (presumably also
Mexican) hanging out in the area frequented by the illegal border
crossers, robbing them or the traffickers (known as coyotes) that are
guiding the illegals.

The illegals often have cash on them, and are perfect victims because
they are not going to report the robbery.

I doubt the bandits would be a problem to a PCT hiker, but the dangers
are real, if quite small. They are not going to stop me from running
or hiking on the PCT south of Hauser canyon, though I am reluctant to
leave a car down there.

Google some appropriate key words and you'll find many hits describing
the bandits.