[pct-l] water cashe sabotage

[Timothy Nye]

The only constant is change.

I first hiked a portion of what became the PCT when I was 7 years old, from
Upper Echo Lake to Haypress Meadows in Desolation Valley in 1959.  I hiked
though Desolation in the '60's and began hiking other parts of the trail in
the '70's, '80's and '90's.  Believe me, it's not the same.  Not only is it
more populated on the trail, but the population around the trail, with it's
concomitant impact, has grown exponentially.  The wilderness is less wild.

Given this, it does not surprise me that water caches have appeared on the
trail.  They are placed there by caring and supportive individuals, often at
great effort.  I thank them.  There is no affirmative obligation placed on
anyone to take an action on behalf of another.  There is an obligation not
to take an action that would injure or harm another.

I think the possibility that someone would actually be placed in danger, as
opposed to being inconvenienced, by the absence of a cache is remote.  Still
there is that possibility.  Given the increased, and increasing, number of
hikers sharing the trail, as well as the range in ages, conditioning,
vulnerability to injury, etc...the possibility will increase to the point
where it becomes a likelihood; although, when and where it would be
impossible to say.

I refused to carry even a cell phone until '06.  Now I carry a Spot.  The
purist romantic in me yielded to practicality as I have grown older.

I'm sympathetic to both sides in this dispute, but my enjoyment of an
uncluttered environment is outweighed by the value of water in a potential
time of need.  Yes, water that is freely available changes the dynamic of a
hike and serves to make the trail more accessible to others, but that is not
necessarily a bad thing.

We all hike our own hike.  I would be amazed if a hiker was responsible
for sabotaging  the caches.

Gourmet

On Sat, Apr 17, 2010 at 6:11 PM, Amanda L Silvestri <aslive at sbcglobal.net>wrote:

> oops, I ment manslaughter.  :)
>
> Shepherd
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