[pct-l] Lunch time on the AT ???

[Montedodge@aol.com]

 I don't think the AT would eat my lunch. I have climbed most all the peaks 
in the west  of any height and kayaked  all the major rivers. The AT offers 
me little to draw me away from the west. I would like to see Maine in the 
fall, but thats about it. Why hike the AT when so many other trails offer so 
much more? To me , it would be a waste of boot leather ( or korean plastic 
nowdays) I can go out the door and be hiking in the Olympic Mountains in less 
than a hour which offers as rugged and wild of country as there is. As I only 
get 4 weeks of vacation these days, I can only section hike here and there. 
If given a chance to hike for half a year, I would hit the CDT over the AT 
every time. ( as I have already completed a PCT trip )  If I lived in the 
east, I would hike the AT as well because its close, but being from out here, 
I don't look at the AT as any kind of wilderness. We have large variety of 
wildlife here not found back east. If a want a steep trail, I only have to go 
one hour to Mt. Rainier and hit the Wonderland trail which is only 95 miles 
around the Mountain ,but climbs 20,000 ft. in elevation on it's way, up one 
canyon, down a canyon and repeat. ( plus all the Elk, Mountain Goats, deer 
and bear you want to see )  I guess I'm just spoiled here. ( verses the AT 
where the scenery is some inbred hillbilly making moonshine like something 
out of deliverance in some coal mined out foothill 3rd generation forest )
* From the PCT-L |  Need help? http://www.backcountry.net/faq.html  *

==============================================================================