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Re: [pct-l] Stop that museum thief!
Hello All -
I said:
>> If we don't start trying to get Dave G. on the PCT's "side" now
Dave said:
>I beg your pardon. What makes you think I am not on the PCT's side now?
...
>...Just because we disagree does not make me an enemy of the
>trail. If you think I am your enemy, you have it WAY wrong.
Point well made!
I must have misinterpreted your earlier posts (public and private) to mean
that you were unwilling to even consider the LNT message. IMHO, anyone who
is not willing to (at least) take a look at any and all possible ways to
help the PCT is actually an enemy of it. Debate (disagreement, even!) over
the many ways that we might be able to help the PCT is just fine...as long
as our personal goal IS to help in the long run!
If my opportunity to thru-hike first the AT and then the PCT didn't teach
me anything else, it convinced me that the PCT is comparatively an
exquisite (often) near-wilderness experience. Unfortunately, I also became
convinced that it ain't gonna last long...the PCT (while mostly well-built
to modern standards) is hit hard in triplicate by cattle,
commercial/private horse use, and wheels (both sweat and gas powered).
There appears to be NOWHERE near the AT-levels of dependable long-term
support infrastructure available.
The PCT is built...the hoards WILL come...
The AT is buried by hikers, many of whom neither understand how they are
damaging that beautiful national treasure nor make any effort at all to
reduce their personal impacts. These folks ARE enemies of the AT...no
matter how much of their hi-impact activity is done out of ignorance...the
damage is being done all the same. All that I know to do is to get the
"minimum-impact" word out as quickly as possible.
We know that "rule-based" backcountry protection systems don't work well
(lotsa historical evidence <f>). As incredible as it may seem, the feds
have come to EXACTLY the same conclusion and have decided to take the
gamble and to try an "ethic-based" protection system in the LNT program.
Coulda knocked me over with a (flicker <g>) feather!
If I were inventing something as complicated as an "ethic-based"
backcountry protection system, I would take at least ten logical steps:
1) Get the best research available to help determine how to minimize impacts;
2) Write up an understandable explanatory "framework" that ties it all together;
3) Educate;
4) Do more research;
5) Improve the framework;
6) Educate;
7) Do more research;
8) Improve the framework;
9) Figure out a way to repeat 3) thru 8) indefinitely; and
10) EDUCATE!
Short of hiring a Ranger to go behind every tree (or hanging up my hiking
boots), I don't know what else to do.
Dave, I am VERY glad to discover that you have all along been on the side
of truth, beauty, mom's apple pie, and the American way <VBG>. I hope
that, if we do get a bunch of Dave G. (or Charlie T.) clones on the trail
in the years to come...they will be too!
Trace No Leaves,
- Charlie II
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