[pct-l] "Wild" (1000+ thru-hikers at kick-off?)

[Paul Mitchell]

> The second part was that it introduced me to the PCT, which I had never
heard of.  Over the next weeks and months of reading hiker's journals and
doing other research I became impassioned with the idea of hiking the PCT,
altho I have never backpacked at all.  

Others have thought that because the trail was only somewhat incidental to
her story, and/or because she had such a rough experience, that it wouldn't
have a big impact on numbers on the trail, but my guess was that your
experience with the book leading you to the trail is going to prove to be a
somewhat common story and it's going to have a pretty big impact on the
trail.

The PCTA "2600-Miler List" for 2012 featured 342 names, which is already a
pretty significant increase from past years.  I'd guess that means five or
six hundred at least must have set out from Campo.  I wonder if sometime in
the next couple years we'll see that double?  Hard to imagine 1000+
thru-hikers all starting around the same time; going to make for some
crowded camps, hotels, trail angel yards, etc.

Just to be clear again so as to hopefully avoid further "then do the trail a
favour and don't hike" comments, I'll just say that I sincerely wish
everyone who sets out on the trail well, I don't feel entitled to an empty
trail and when I'm in a crowd I recognized that I'm part of it - I just have
a sense that about 300 hikers each year may have been the sweet spot - a
large enough group for there to be an amazing sense of community, but not
large enough to overwhelm trail angels, resources, and just generally make
for a somewhat crowded trail experience. I'm just nostalgically lamenting
that the trail can't stay the way I remember it, that's all.

Best of luck, Dwane.  It's an amazing trail and a life-changing experience.
:)

- Potential178