[pct-l] Disrespect of the PCT

[Elizabeth King]

As a newbie to the trail (NOT a thru-hiker.... yet...), this conversation
is very disheartening.

1. Because all of this seems like common sense. When you're in the
backcountry hiking and backpacking, you should more or less expect to rely
on your own preparation and wits. However, how beautiful to have a
community where the members love the experience and the land so much that
they are willing to help make the experience possible for others who* want
to take the experience seriously,* and treat the land with respect. Just
reaching out to this list has been so tremendously helpful with planning,
and I hope I've adequately expressed my gratitude and followed the proper
etiquette guidelines in my requests for help.

2. On my short, first hike, I am hoping for a challenging, enjoyable *learning
experience*--this conversation is making me think I am likely to encounter
a bunch of grouches who feel I have no right to set foot on the trail and
wouldn't help me find north if I were dead lost, or a bunch of frat boys
whose moms read Wild. It can't all be bad... right...? This list alone has
shown me there's plenty of great folks.

3. I'm troubled by all this talk about entitlement. Technically, all US
citizens are "entitled" to the trail. So I think that creating a discourse
of an exclusive community belonging only to the most hardcore backpackers
who started hiking before some of us were born is unfair. However, I agree
1000% that to expect and even demand free help from perfect strangers is
out of control. I suspect that those in this conversation have been
referring to a sense of an entitlement to certain benefits of the community
(including the extremely generous assistance of TAs and others willing to
help), that have to be earned by displaying respect, etc.

Now, I'm coming from a place where I am hoping to be let in to this
community, and want to learn it before I claim to be a true member, so I
hope I am not speaking out of turn. I haven't seen the trail change over
the years, I haven't seen it at all yet! But I would hope that some out
there have faith in those of us who really believe in Leave No Trace and in
common courtesy to others. I can at least promise that my 2 travel
companions will be hoping to learn, and will maximize our respect of the
trail, fellow hikers, all who help, and a general ethics of human decency.
We DEFINITELY will not be leaving errant trash bags.... good grief.


On Thu, May 22, 2014 at 8:35 PM, Matt Signore <mpsignore at gmail.com> wrote:

> Many of the hikers that attend the ADZPCTKO are anywhere from a hundred to
> 700 miles North on the PCT in low snow years.  They have already been to
> 3-4 angels homes already and acting however they act without the ADZPCTKO
> as the excuse.  So, I'm not sure that the ADZPCTKO is the cause of the
> entitlement.  Bad upbringing maybe, but at some point you have to stop
> blaming someone's parents.  Some people are just twits.  The entitled
> individuals showed up to the monument with the entitlement ingrained in
> them already.  For me it isn't worth getting all worked up trying to put
> the toothpaste back in the tube.
>
> Personally I don't necessarily agree with water caches either.  However,
> that is how some people stay connected to the trail.  They like putting
> water out for hikers and reading the registers to see who came through
>  These people want to help others.  Who am I to say they can't?  These
> angels do it out of enjoyment.  They are volunteering.  If their volunteer
> efforts become a burden it is up to them to stop the activities that cause
> the distress.  I am a skeptical person, and I don't believe everyone will
> do what is right.  The people that are takers and not givers are not my
> friends.  I won't hang out with them for guilt by association reasons.
>
> Also, I have cached water for myself on other trails that are much drier  I
> mean 50+ mile carries between unreliable water sources.  The PCT doesn't
> NEED caches, but they exist.  So, it isn't a supported less pure hike
> scenario for me.  Just that I will be damned if I am going to have someone
> spend all Spring caching water for hikers just so I don't have to walk 10
> minutes off the PCT for a natural water source.
>
> This is where you start to lose me
>
> "The natural filters that weeded out the unfit and undeserving in the past
> are
> being eroded as time goes on"
>
> What trait makes a person fit and deserving to walk across the country?
>  Sounds kind of like "get off my lawn you pesky kid" mentality.  All the
> Triple Crown trails are getting more crowded.  Us "old timers" need to
> adapt.  Personally I find more remote trails far more pleasant than the
> more crowded trails.  If you are losing your love for the PCT it may be
> time to find other trails you enjoy as much.  Hopefully you find a happy
> place.  Because the PCT is not going to go back to the way it used to be.
>
> >
> > Matt Signore
> *http://www.yogisbooks.com/ <http://www.yogisbooks.com/>*
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