Re: [pct-l] If there were no horses...

[Bighummel@aol.com]

Brick writes:

<< Perhaps the problem is NOT the horses per se, but the overuse by the 
 commercial enterprises given carte blanche to use the trails.  >>

I agree that overuse by the commercial enterprises is the issue.  But that 
isn't the problem.  I don't blame the packers for taking advantage of what 
has been made available to them and trying to protect their position.  The 
problem is that they have been allowed to overuse the trails by the Forest 
Service and Park Service.  

On private use, just because there are few of them doesn't excuse the damage 
that they do.  The Forest Service would laugh me out of the meeting if I were 
to suggest that I should be allowed to bring my three wheeled, non-powered, 
equipment buggy (for example) into the wilderness areas because there was 
only a few of them and they only do a little bit of damage.  You are right 
that there aren't many around and therefor they do little damage.  But, a 
little damage from a few horses is unacceptable as would be me causing a 
little damage to a high Sierra meadow by lighting a small fire in the middle 
of it.  You can argue that the effects of the fire will be wiped away after a 
few winters but it is still not acceptable to the authorities.

IMHO,

Greg "Strider" Hummel

PS  I like how you opened this subject and then slyly try to shut the door 
behind you.  ;-)
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