[pct-l] Thru-Hike, Explorer Style

[eric at ericwichman.com]

As for LNT...

Bears poop in the woods, big cats kill deer, pigs root around, moose  
stomp all sorts of holes, wolves kill prey animals. All sorts of other  
animals and fish crap and pee in and around the waters that we drink  
while on the trail.

Hikers, hunters, (humans and all animals) leave traces all over. A  
permanent shelter is a trace, a campsite is a trace, a food/water  
cache, fences, signs, trail markers, footprints, and trash gets left  
on the trail etc. All traces.

While I support the "idea" behind LNT, it's not possible, and the  
millions of animals (us included) will still leave a trace regardless  
of what we do to prevent it.

Hundreds, if not thousands of animals are killed by predators every  
single year, in the forest and parks. Some die of natural causes, some  
are killed by the weather, starvation, disease, or predation, etc.  
Animal corpses and bones are lying and rotting all over the forests  
RIGHT NOW as we speak. But most people never wander off trail or get  
outdoors long enough to see it.

Blah blah blah...

We could debate all day, and into the week, and next month, and next  
year, about LNT and we would NEVER all agree 100%.

Again, I support the idea behind LNT, but it's impossible, not  
realistic, and should simply be "Leave as little trace as possible."

Perhaps the most obvious point to make is that the PCT itself is a  
2650 mile long 'trace'.

~Eric

P.S. I'd actually rather talk about my original question of whether  
it's possible to do an Explorer/Survival style thruhike with no  
resupplies.

BTW fishing is open year round in most waters in CA, looking into OR,  
and WA now.

Foraging for herbs, berries, and veggies is also and option. I think a  
combination of all the above, hunting, foraging and fishing might be  
enough to make the trip possible.





Quoting Dan Jacobs <youroldpaldan at gmail.com>:

> The recent change in the law regarding the possession of firearms in
> National Parks allows people to carry or possess firearms according to
> the laws of the state they are in at the time. This does not allow
> firearms in federal buildings that prohibit them. Makes things as
> clear as mud for some folks, eh?
>
> If you see a feral pig near the PCT and kill it, kind of takes away
> from the Leave No Trace idea, don't it? Unless you eat all the bones
> and guts, too? If you need lots of calcium, entrails, and brains in
> your diet, I'd say go for it! Watch out for those teeth, though. Might
> be hard to chew those things that are made for, well, chewing.
>
> Leaving no trace for at least the last couple of days ;-) ,
> Dan Jacobs
> Washougal
> --
> "Loud motorcycle stereos save lives"
> Motorcycle to hike, hike to motorcycle
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