[pct-l] re:Trail Markers

[calliger at infolane.com (calliger@infolane.com)]

I think a few very discret wooden or the deep rusted metal 
markers on the clearly indecisive trail junctions are ok..
for example (there are much better but I can't think of them
at the moment..)but you could spend a 1/2 day going off towards
McLoughlin to the left instead of the PCT to the right
because the map (at least then for me) did not have this
junction nor was the azimuth definitive because the trails
paralled each other for a bit...

I found the little signs great moral boosters after being 
"lost" for a hour or so...

R


On Sat, 12 Nov 2005 21:25:12 -0800 (PST), kmurray wrote
> In reference to Scott's note, cited below:
> 
> Scott, there is certainly a conflict in approaches.  Some feel that there
> is no place for signs, at all, in wilderness.  Certainly the 
> philosophy of the Wilderness Act would indicate that signing should 
> be the minimal that is neccessary.
> 
> Currently, there is someone or several, who is making a practice of
> tearing down trail markers in the Angeles National Forest.  They 
> leave a note saying "No signs in wilderness!!"
> 
> Others would say that the PCT is not really a wilderness experience,
> anyway.  There is a tremendous effort to do work on the trail, each 
> year. Some times that involves dynamite, it certainly involves 
> thousands of workers.  (the High Sierra Volunteer Trail Crew 
> (www.trailcrew.org), with whom I work, takes care of only about 30 
> miles of the PCT, and has about 300 volunteers, by itself).   There 
> is a very conscious policy of the various agencies to do some of the 
> work in such a way that you can't tell work has been done (methods 
> of pruning, for example).  To many experienced hikers, the PCT has 
> the appearance of a superhighway!  Is this really wilderness,
>  considering the volume of traffic?
> 
> Also is the issue of what actually happens out there.  One cannot follow
> this discussion forum, without being impressed by the number of people
> (including EXPERIENCED people), who go missing.  Inevitably, there 
> is debate about whether they missed "that confusing junction".  Some 
> of those people never turn up.  Huge Search and Rescue efforts 
> ensue.  If a few, unobtrusive, well-placed signs would avoid all 
> that, I'm not sure I could argue against that.
> 
> Ken Murray
> 
> Scott Parks wrote:
> 
> David's appreciation of the PCT's beauty is quite evident in his comments..
> However, promoting/financing the marking of trail intersections 
> would seem a small step towards erasing the spirit and beauty of the 
> what the PCT is all about.
> 
> Anyone who has done large portions of the PCT will tell you it is a very
> easy trail to navigate. While I have no in-depth knowledge of PCT 
> policy, is further marking of the trail in the best interest of the 
> trail? Is it in the best interest of the bulk of the users of the trail?
> 
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