[pct-l] Training in So. Cal.

[NlsScott at aol.com (NlsScott@xxxxxxx)]

Dear Christine and Lonetrail:
    I must confess that I am a volunteer staff member of the Wilderness 
Travel Course.  I suggested the course as a way to get outside and increase your 
experience with navigation and travel beyond what a normal backpacker might face 
in their first few years.  It is also a great way to meet people to go on 
trips with.  (By the way, there is a sister course in San Diego.)  I don't know 
of anything else comparable in this area. 
    I took BMTC back in 1978 and I mainly did it to get exposure to snow 
camping.  I too, really valued the ice ax training.  Alas...WTC can no longer 
teaches ice ax or climbing with ropes due to insurance restrictions.  In about 
1982(?) the Sierra Club forced to stop these more "risky" activities because they 
were paying an arm and a leg in insurance and not that many people (out of 
the total Sierra Club Membership) participated in those particular activities.  
That brought the end of BMTC, and in a couple of years the WTC was started 
with some of the old staff and a somewhat restricted curriculum.
    I think Lonetrail's criticism of the lack of lightweight approach is 
valid.  The course was founded by mountaineers and in many ways is preparation for 
mountaineering and off-trail hiking year-round in the Sierras.  I too, learn 
about the light way to do things from this list and other books and websites.  
Some of us chime in with lightweight ideas and the momentum is growing.
     It is oriented  to "weekend warriors"  because that is the reality of 
the participants and the staff.  Being in Southern California, we are lucky to 
have mountains for day hiking and the Sierras for weekend trips.  The course is 
not tied to any retailer.
    WTC is not a perfect course for the aspiring thru-hiker, but I proposed 
it as an economical way for some folks to build their skills.  You hear these 
stories of folks starting a long hike who have never dealt with bad weather or 
a map before in their lives.  Maybe if some of these folks had some training 
ahead of time, they would be safer, more confident, and avoid some hassles.
    Scott Nelson