[pct-l] Water Caches?????????

[carlito at gmail.com (Carl Siechert)]

> Personally, I would like to see the return of an era without the constant bombardant
> of others attempting to insert themselves into my hike, be it water caches or ADZ's.

As a thru hiker from long ago, I agree that, in many respects, the
trail experience was better when there weren't as many kind souls
along the way to make the journey "easier." But no trail angels I know
attempt to insert themselves into anybody's hike; they're merely
offering assistance to those who choose to accept it. You're free to
hike on by without so much as a friendly wave.

My point is this: You can argue that ADZs, water caches, and Post
Holer sites degrade the experience for others because they bring more
people to the trail. But I don't think it's reasonable to suggest that
any hiker is being constantly bombarded by "others attempting to
insert themselves into [one's] hike."

> Don't feed the hikers,

Here's what I wrote in 2001: "Did we feed them? Of course not! Like
bears, once thruhikers become habituated to real food from
backpackers, the problem becomes increasingly worse. They raid other
backpackers' food caches and sometimes even make bluff charges.
Eventually, the problem thruhikers must be relocated or even
destroyed." Excerpted from this page:
http://pct77.org/adz/archive/class_of_2001.htm

Cheers,
Carl