[pct-l] DANGER! Trail Homegeniety...

[bdf37 at yahoo.com (Brian Frankle)]

...Without them, the hiker is on his/her own.   If it
means in certain years some sections are unhikeable,
well so be it.

I can't imagine a hiker heading into a 4-5 month
thru-hike thinking they will not be on their own in
some respect. It is not anyone's responsible to be
responsible for a hikers experience other than
themselves. If they are turned off by the hordes, they
should have the foresight to consider starting
earlier, later, or in the opposite direction. This is
a great year for a SB hike, yet the #'s clearly
indicate a NB flip-flop preference. 

Too think that the PCT was somehow "unhikeable"
pre-water caches is ridiculous. Water Caches are the
bane of the PCT's current and future demise. Why are
hikers trying to make the "inconveniences" of the out
of doors manageable instead of embracing the
difficulty that a situation presents and adapting
their strategy accordingly? I hiked the PCT in '99.
Some caches were available but most of the hikers I
met were carrying enough water regardless of the
existing caches --- #1 rule in the desert: Never rely
on water availability. Did we all hike 30+ miles with
no water? Absolutely. Did anyone die? No. Were we
dehydrated? Absolutely! I think the greatest threat to
the PCT in future years is not the increased #'s of
hikers, but the seemingly inevitable consequence of
'trail homogeneity.' In the other words, the 
AT-afication of the PCT. Embrace the differences that
every National Scenic Trail represents and if your
inclined to help out, think about doing it in a manner
that does not jeopardize the unique challenges and
difficulties a given trail represents. 

Brian

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