[pct-l] Is WILD good for the PCT?

[Eric Lee]

Sasha wrote:
>
I'm curious though as to how seasoned hikers like many of you have perceived
the book and if any of you have noticed an effect from these "Wild hikers".
>

I could be wrong but I don't think there's been a huge spike in the number
of PCT thru-hikers as a direct result of that book.  The number of thrus has
been trending steadily upwards for a very long time now and while I hear
that this year's class is the biggest ever, it probably would have been a
record-breaker regardless.

The thing about Wild is that it didn't really make long-distance hiking
sound fun, exactly.  More like torture.  I'm sure it fired up some people's
imagination and got them out on the trail but probably fewer than you might
expect.

Yes, every year some people start without much (or any!) hiking experience.
Some of those people learn from others, adapt quickly, and become old pros
faster than you'd believe possible.  Others give up and go home after the
first 100 miles, or the first 50, or the first 20.  That's just the way it
is.  Of course I think it's smart to be prepared and experienced before
jumping into a thru-hike but there's no one checking certifications at the
Campo monument and I'm glad that's the case.

Eric