[pct-l] Draft 2 of PCT 2012 thru-hikers list

[Charles Doersch]

Woops -- Apparently the list didn't get attached. I'll attach it here.

And one correction from my previous e-mail. "Thru-hike" doesn't necessarily
mean Campo-to-Canada no skips. For some of us it does, for some of us it
doesn't. We've had a lively, civil, and courteous discussion on our
Facebook PCT Class of 2012 site as to the ambiguity of the word
"thru-hiker."

Thru-hiker (as it turns out) apparently can refer to: 1. A personal
identification derived from the unique and intensive experience of
backpacking really long distances. and/or 2. Someone who has successfully
completed a particular trail in one season. So it's a slippery word:
identification or accomplishment?

A marathon runner is a marathon runner regardless of whether they completed
the Boston Marathon in which they've entered. The list was meant to just
ask, "Did you complete the Boston Marathon?"

Our intention in clarifying who started and completed the trail in 2012 was
not at all to diminish anyone's accomplishment. It's just tallying numbers.

But thru-hikers share differing understandings of what it means to finish
the PCT in one year. Turns out that many of us thru-hikers walked every
step from Mexico-to-Canda, roadwalks, fire reroutes, and all (as Yogi, I
believe, has stated in publication). Others, however, hitched rides around
fire re-routes but walked the rest and still consider themselves to have
completed the PCT. Still others hitch-hiked where they could (yellow
blazing) and consider themselves to have nailed the PCT in 2012. So while
some skipped 8 miles and do not consider that they have finished the trail,
others skipped 100 miles and happily ordered the PCT medal.

But ultimately all this list can do is reflect what hikers report about
their own 2012 thru-hike. The integrity of the accomplishment rests with
the hiker, not the data-gatherer. As one thru-hiker noted, there are no
Olympic judges in this most titanic of all endurance sports (good thing,
too -- since many would fail the drug tests). :-)

My posting to the PCT-L is only to request the following:

If any thru-hikers or section hikers of 2012 follow this forum (the PCT-L)
and can help us clear up any lingering question marks or confirm yellow
check-marks of their own hike, please contact me. If any thru-hiker is
certain (quite certain) that someone else on the list thru-hiked the PCT,
and can let me know, thank you.

Cheers,

Pan (of the Gay Caballeros).