[pct-l] food along the trail

[David Hough on pct-l]

When the deer and then the Indians and then the trappers and then the 
miners and then the
shepherds came to the high country, they followed the paths that were
there before them to find their way over the passes and across the deserts
that divided one habitable place from another.

They did not go for weeks along crests or deserts where there was not
enough food.     There was no economic incentive to do so.     If asked
"can you be self sufficient hiking the crest?" they'd probably reply
"why bother?"

But when the recreationists got organized and started thinking in terms
of trails for scenery rather than transportation, they discovered they
had to construct most of the trails in the high country including the
predecessors of the PCT:   JMT, TYT, OST, CCT.     The deer had often
chosen easier, less scenic routes.     Cross-mountain routes and crest
routes are pretty orthogonal.

Even today, crest routes are a challenge, because except in very rare
instances, they shouldn't cross any water.    Every time you stop for
a drink, you're off the crest route.      Likewise the camping tends to
be a lot better below the crest than on it.