[pct-l] The 2018 permits season opens on November 1, 2017. [ TODAY ]

[Brick Robbins]

On Wed, Nov 1, 2017 at 4:39 PM, Paint YW <paintyourwagonhikes at gmail.com> wrote:
> Thank you for explaining the ins and outs of the permit process in the
> first 700 miles or so. You do it each year, right around the time we apply
> for permits, providing a check and balance of sorts, on the overall permit
> requirements. [ You rebel ]

The new permit quota system is fairly recent and only started with
"Wild" and is being mis represented to the thru hiker community as a
requirement. I was at least tangentially involved in the the creation
of the PCTA thru hiker permit many years ago, and at that time it was
seen as way to resolve a dispute between Region 5 and Region 6 of the
USFS. I feel the need to let people know the truth.

The way it is being used now is simply wrong, and is not backed up by
law. But the PCTA is not a government organization and they can do
what they want.

If you want to get a permit because "it represents in your goal to
hike the PCT" then go for it. But someone aught not to give up their
desire to thru hike simply because they didn't navigate the PCTA s
system.