[pct-l] 1-888-PC-TRAIL anyone else heard of this?

Tue May 11 12:28:21 CDT 2010

Timothy,

You need to get your facts straight. I did not attempt to stop the event
from occurring . . . the young men in question were here with their father,
and if he would not tell them what they were doing was reckless, what could
I say that would do any good?  So I said nothing to them, though I was
really steaming mad when I heard what they were going to do.  After they
left, always one to speak my mind, I certainly was not silent here at my
home and with my other guests about what I thought. So, I'm not sure how you
make the connection to "trail police."  Pretty much everyone hiking in the
area was disgusted, especially those who followed directly behind this crew.
What these guys chose to do was not representational of the considerate
behavior exhibited by all the other hikers.  

I've no idea why you're connecting my PCTA board position with this whole
issue. I began hosting hikers years before I got involved with the PCTA, and
I hope to continue to host hikers long into the future, PCTA board member or
not. When I post, I post as a member of the trail community with
information, most often about Sections D & E, which bookend Agua Dulce.  I
have never officially posted for the PCTA (I'm not authorized to do so).
Truthfully, I did bring the 24 x 24 issue up within a subcommittee meeting,
though it was nothing more than a discussion and no position was ever taken
by the PCTA. 

I had some real regrets about not telling these young men that what they
were doing was foolhardy before they left here.  It bothered me quite a bit.
Fortunately, I did see both of these young men later in the season at VVR
and had the satisfying opportunity to give them an earful about what I
thought of their shenanigans . . . especially knowing what the aftermath was
from their drunken hike.  (FYI -- One kid had over 40 beers, and someone had
diarrhea, which they left all over the trail.  They all took off at
nighttime with nothing but beers in their packs (Dad slacked their gear
around). So, they were out on exposed trail in the dark, drunk, without
gear.  The Anderson's were not happy on their end, when these guys literally
fell out of the truck, drunk.)

The fact that these kids chose to do such a stupid thing is certainly their
business, but what I really took "umbrage" with was that they were trying to
PROMOTE the 24 x 24 challenge.  They wanted to get word out to other hikers
that this could be done. Well, I just as adamant to get the word out not to
do such an asinine thing. If Darwin Award wannabes want to take themselves
out of the picture, what can I say or do?   What really gets me about this
behavior is that they put the lives of Search and Rescue workers (often
volunteers) at risk. Every SAR activity holds risks for the rescue workers.
It's one thing if someone has a real accident, but it's another thing to be
a dumbass on purpose, asking to have a very preventable accident.

What you may not be aware of is that one of these young men had already
called Search & Rescue TWICE from his SPOT device in his nobo hike last
season (once at Hauser Creek and another time around Fuller Ridge). What is
even sadder is both of these boys had lost their mother, and their father
his wife, when she died of hypothermia in Section E a few years ago. She did
not take warm clothing with her and a storm moved in.  She got lost in the
fog, and died.  She was a mother of five.  

L-Rod

-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of Timothy Nye
Sent: Monday, May 10, 2010 5:47 PM
To: zaqueltooocool at gmail.com
Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] 1-888-PC-TRAIL anyone else heard of this?

This will be an unpopular/controversial post.  ( Wait what you see I have to
say about about recent changes in the PCTA)

It's a reciprocal arrangement, in my opinion.  I enjoy finding a trail angel
when hiking and I also get a great deal of personal satisfaction out of
trail angeling.  I'm sure each angel finds the same satisfaction in
providing a truly meaningful service on the trail.  But this is really is a
further aspect of the previous discussion regarding water catches and hiker
independence The hiker experience is impacted for good or ill by the
existence of trail angeling.  Only the hiker can make the determination as
to how to deal with the situation.

This also reminds me of the 24 X 24 X 24 challenge from Aqua Dulce to the
Anderson's.  Last year Donna took umbrage that hikers would engage
inactivity to which she was opposed and attempted to prevent from occurring.
  I realize that she was placed on the PCTA board last year, but I have a
real problem with individuals external to the hike itself attempting to
impose their values on the hikers.  Yes, I know that some (The mature?, The
sane?) views this as an inherently unsafe activity, but who makes them the
Trail Police? Most people view even hiking the trail as an unsafe activity.
 I think this attempt oversteps the role of trail angel.  It even continued
at the KO with the warning being issued that this activity was not only
unsafe, but "unfair" to the trail angels.

I almost fell over laughing.  Unfair to whom?  The Anderson's?  Please.
 Anyone that takes that position probably hasn't hiked into the Anderson's.
 It's more reflective, I believe, of Donna's position.  But then, the hikers
have already left her house and are down trail.I'm just saying.  Everybody
needs to keep things in perspective.  It's probably much more dangerous to
smoke pot on the trail.  My personal observation is that over 50% of hikers
seem to be engaged in that activity.  I guess we could have strip searches.

Gourmet

On Mon, May 10, 2010 at 5:13 PM, Andrea Dinsmore
<zaqueltooocool at gmail.com>wrote:

> Is that what I should tell the mothers, wives and kids who call me looking
> for news of their family members ?? We become more than just a place to
> flop
> and do laundry. Maybe not you, but lots of other hikers and worried family
> members are in touch with us constantly after the folks they are concerned
> about hit our radar. Trail angels are the hikers support network all the
> way
> from Campo. We know all the Angels do the same thing for "their" hikers.
> It's just the way we are.
>
> Maybe "responsible" is the wrong term. We do it out of love.
>
> Andrea Dinsmore
> PCT MOM
> Skykomish, WA area
>
> On Mon, May 10, 2010 at 4:53 PM, Eric Lee <saintgimp at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Andrea wrote:
> > >
> > When the snow hits in mid Sept we start tracking each hiker. It's our
> > responsibility to be your support system up here.
> > >
> >
> > Andrea, I know you and Jerry pour your hearts out for the thru-hikers
and
> > I'm in awe of your generosity.  But in my opinion, it's not *your*
> > responsibility to be anyone's support system.  Each hiker is responsible
> > for
> > his or her own choices and their own safety.  It's probably healthier
for
> > both you and them to keep that straight.  Just sayin'.  :-)
> >
> > Eric
> >
> >
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