[pct-l] Fair to Mountain Bikers??

[Ken Murray]

My stance will be incredibly unpopular, but here goes:
The PCTA is tasked with preserving the trail. They do 
so with the support of thousands of dollars and hours 
of volunteers' time. IF hikers were to collectively 
band together and agree to suspend all contributions 
and hiking on the trail for a year or two - pending 
the outcome of the review to consider wheeled access
 - well, it's called voting with the pocketbook. 
I know - easy for me to say, as I wasn't planning to 
thru-hike for a few more years.

Just a thought. 
==========================

Heather, I am puzzled by your suggestion.  It appears
to be severely punative to a bunch of people dedicated
to the PCT, just because an outside group has suggested
something.

You might consider that the PCTA has put together a very
effective team that has taken years to build, and has 
developed personal relationships and trust with agencies, 
landowners, users......that is not something you do overnight.

Your suggestion would throw those people out of work, 
and destroy the network they've developed.

They also coordinate and fund trail maintenance on the PCT.
That would come to a screeching halt.  Just the thousands of
trees that fall on the PCT each year would start to accumulate.
By the time of your hike, you may find it impassable.

The PCTA has taken a leading role in facilitating volunteers
getting trained in various trail work skills, even being a 
major partner in the big change in national saw training for the 
USFS about to be rolled out.  You can't do a variety of work 
on the trails, unless you have the credentials and expertise
to do so, and the PCTA has greatly facilitated that.

Ken Murray
volunteer ranger
USFS Crosscut C-certifier