[pct-l] PCT-l and flame wars

[Tim Umstead]

Some do not realize how long time list has been around.  I joined this list
after my first PCT thru-hike in 1996 and it had been going before that.  I
have seen flamer come and go.  As has been noted most problematic people
move on after awhile, that leaves us die hards.

I too dislike FB, but not because of the people who cause problems, its
because of the companies data mining practices on their members.  I have
never had a FB account and I do not go to their public web pages.  If a
link goes to FB I move on.  When my family and I hike the PCT in 2015 we
were flamed on FB because we had to use our Spot device.  Other hikers
spoke up for us, but I never saw any of it.

I find the people on this list to be more in tuned with what is going on
along the PCT and, for the most part, more helpful to the current hikers.
In 2015, when we got to Cascade Locks a fire started on Mt. Adams.  I had a
number of other thru-hikers come and ask me what we were going to do.  I
told them I was going to sit and wait for a reroute that someone on this
list would come up with.  It took a half a day and we had a new route to
follow.

I do hope this list continues as a place where people can come and receive
help and encouragement on hiking the PCT.

The Ravens
PCT 96, 15
CDT 17