[pct-l] pct hiker lost n found

[wandering_bob at comcast.net (Bob Bankhead)]

I'd agree about the March start date - especially this year, and after all 
the discussions on this forum (which he probably didn't read).

I'll cut him some slack on getting lost.  I've seen several PCT trailheads 
and trail junctions along the PCT that are really confusing masses of 
use-trails, dirt roads, cow trails, and dirt bike tracks that can easily 
throw off your direction-finding. Murphy says these traps are usually just 
far enough along the trail that your transportation will have already left 
the parking lot before you can get back there. Really puts a damper on your 
enthusiasm. And then there's the joy of the active clear-cutting operations 
and the omnipresent over-grown meadows without posts.

Having Bubba and his beer-swilling buddies shoot up the trail signs for 
"grins" only adds to the confusion (ever notice how much they love those 
highly flexible, brown fiberglass slats with the PCT insignia on them that 
are so common in California?). And then there are the extremely helpful 
types who seemingly love to turn trail signs around for you or pull them 
down altogether.

Misplacing the trail isn't all that difficult to do; much less so if you're 
carrying the current Guidebook trail descriptions. I am especially 
susceptible to spots where the trail deadheads into a dirt road and 
disappears. Absent any signing, my years of experience deciphering the 
sometimes-humorous and at times devious nature of the PCT trail-building 
crews tells me the road and trail are now one, BUT....... in which direction 
and for how far? If The Book of Lies is silent on the issue, I look for 
bootprints and go where they went.  Misery loves company and there may be 
extra dehydrated food lying around their bleached bones. This tactic usually 
works for the direction, but distance requires a watchful eye and much 
slower pace lest I walk right past the cleverly disguised trail tread 
leading off to one side or the other (usually at a steep back-angle so as to 
be almost invisible unless one turns around often and looks back up the 
road). I've spent many an hour "wandering" on explorations like that. I 
suspect most of us have too.

Wandering Bob


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Judson Brown" <judson@jeffnet.org>
To: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Sunday, April 03, 2005 12:03 PM
Subject: RE: [pct-l] pct hiker lost n found


> sounds like he ain't the sharpest knife in the drawer... not only getting
> lost, but starting in March?