[pct-l] horses on the PCT

[CMountainDave@aol.com]

I've been weighing how I feel about horses on the PCT. I have met many 
horseriders and have found them to be a good group of people. I guess I feel 
that they have a long history of helping out with the maintenance of the PCT 
and other trails and have therefore paid their dues and certainly have a 
right to be riding on these trails. True, I have seen some trail damage from 
their use, but not enough to truly upset me as those dirtball dirtbikers do. 
I guess my only two objections is when I encounter trail apples polluting 
water sources and damage to truly sensitive areas such as wet meadows , but 
I'm convinced that this is caused by a small minority of horse riders. In all 
honesty trail apples along the trail don't bother me at all. However, I'm 
undecided about the commercial use of horses on the PCT because while they 
have the potential for causing more harm to trails due to overuse, they also 
provide access to the wilderness for people who, for one legitimate reason or 
another, cannot hike. Within the group size limit, of course. So I guess my 
opinion is that the responsible horse riders have the legal and ethical right 
to be on the PCT, but that the irresponsible ones should be heavily fined and 
banned. Also, truly defined sensitive areas along the trail,(but not ON the 
trail) should be identified and placed off limits to stock. A compromise in 
keeping with the Wilderness Act of 1964 is in order. Seems to me that's the 
way it is now.
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