[pct-l] Inexperienced hikers

[Reinhold Metzger]

Yes Jackass,
That is exactly the point that I have been trying to convey for many years.
To many inexperienced hikers attempt to "thru" the PCT.

W H Y?????........Because they have been let to belief that hiking the 
PCT is the  "cool" thing to do and anybody can do it and it is safer 
than the neighborhood park and even your own home.
The bears won't bother you if you store your food in a canister, the 
snakes won't bite if you don't bother them and
you can always call 911 if you do get into trouble or get lost.

Yup,.......I have heard that argument many times....it is an argument 
that encourages inexperienced hikers, that do not have the hiking 
experience, to attempt to "thru" the PCT because they were let to belief 
that it is so "cool" and safe that anybody can do it.
I am not saying that an inexperienced hiker can not "thru" the PCT....I 
am saying there are a lot of inexperienced hikers on the trail that 
should not be on the trail....not yet anyway.

They are totally unaware that Switchback will be lurking in the 
dark,....waiting for them.

JMT Reinhold
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Jackass wrote:
All that being said...about two thirds of the hikers I encounter on the 
trail, either: a) have no maps, b) have maps, but no clue how to read them.
Most folk seem to get by in "groups" where one or two hikers do all of 
the route finding, while the sheep follow blindly.
Most make out O.K., some...not so much.
Last year, in the Sierra, I ran into two seperate hikers on the same day 
(north of Whitney) who were without maps-hopelessly lost- and blindly 
following footprints across endless snow fields.
By the end of the day I had gone from a solo hiker responsible for only 
my own safety to a mountain guide...a service that I was happy to 
provide, but shouldn't have had to.
One fellow even regained his confidence and struck out ahead...it took 
him three tries to find the right "notch" at Kearsarge Pass.