A Radical Proposal

[Bearpaw88]

The posting of this idea is intended to create a discussion among hikers. This is not intended to offend anyone, but possibly open the minds of a few....

Radical Proposal:

-close all hostels
-cancell all hiker rates
-end all trail magic
-tear down all shelters
-cancell all hiker shuttling
-urge all to never pick up a hiker hitcher
-end all amennities of any kind to hikers
-reprimand abusive hikers more seriously

I understand that this will never happen and for very good reasons, but what if it did? Do you think it would improve hiker behavior, make it worse, or have no affect at all. How do you think it would change the type of people that are attracted to the trail.

Again no offense. I do not really want any of this to happen, but I do think it is an interesting idea. What do you think?

[Jim Adams]

I really don't want to cause waves either but I think most thru hikers wouldn't try it. The hard core here on WB would talk about how much better it would be and how the thru hike would return to be as it was first meant to be. Then 99.9% of those hard core would attempt a thru, quit by Erwin and proclaim that anyone out there trying a thru is just a "looking for attention elitist".

geek

[bigcranky]

That trail already exists -- I think it's called the CDT.

Me, I like meeting people -- hikers, locals, -- and that's one of the reasons I like the A.T. so much. So the hostel owner, the guy who gives me a ride to town, the local restaurant owner, the people down at the grocery, the day hikers on the trail, the trail maintainers, other long distance hikers, all those people make my hike a lot more satisfying.

So your proposal would make me unhappy

[Ox97GaMe]

Hmmm. it isnt the parts of the CDT that I have hiked. I have found trail magic in the Rockies and hitches into town have been relatively easy as well. As a CDT section hiker, maybe it is because of the time of year that I am out to the Rockies. Maybe it is my pleasant demeanor. Maybe it is just that good things happen to good people who put forth good vibes.

Ive even been fortunate to receive 'magic' on road trips before.

'A man with many friends must first himself be friendly.' Good things happen if we but only allow them to be presented upon us.

[hoz]

Out west, where help could be miles away and population thinned out, people are generally more helpful than back east.

[Mags]

I could be wrong, but I think the OP meant "trail magic" of the organized kind as opposed to the spontaneous act of kindness that is found less on the AT (and, to a certain extent the PCT) and more so on other trails. Call it Trail Magic as opposed to trail magic if it makes it easier.


The AT is known for its well organized cook outs, stocked coolers, etc.

On the other trails, it is generally less organized.

Whether it is good or bad is a moot point for me. I just hike, smile and enjoy each of the trails for what they are..not what I want them to be.

[ZeroC]

Though one of those should be put in place and that's reprimanding abusive hikers. Fine the litterers, vandals, etc... We could use some PR to show that hikers are just dirty hippies and bums.

[ZeroC]

Err, AREN'T just dirty hippies and bums.

[bigcranky]

I liked the original better...

[Lemni Skate]

Take away those things and you look at 40 completions per year instead of 400.

[yaduck9]

Take away those things and you look at 40 completions per year instead of 400.

Would that be such a bad thing?


Not trying to be a smart ass, just posing the question...

[Lone Wolf]

The posting of this idea is intended to create a discussion among hikers. This is not intended to offend anyone, but possibly open the minds of a few....

Radical Proposal:

-close all hostels
-cancell all hiker rates
-end all trail magic
-tear down all shelters
-cancell all hiker shuttling
-urge all to never pick up a hiker hitcher
-end all amennities of any kind to hikers
-reprimand abusive hikers more seriously

I understand that this will never happen and for very good reasons, but what if it did? Do you think it would improve hiker behavior, make it worse, or have no affect at all. How do you think it would change the type of people that are attracted to the trail.

Again no offense. I do not really want any of this to happen, but I do think it is an interesting idea. What do you think?

is this cuz running a hostel has opened your eyes? more Aholes than good folks?

[Kanati]

I think the vast majority of us long to have things pure, clean and wholesome but the fact is those days are gone. We have too many people in this country to hope for any change back to the way things "used to be". We have to adapt and do our part, plus some, to make up for the negativity of the slobs in our ranks. And simply not worry about it.

I just returned tonight from working all week in Vancouver, WA and while there I talked to some of the customer guys I was working with who also hike. They tell me that many of the trails on Mr. Hood and other places have been permanently washed away by heavier than normal rains in recent years and the FS has no plans to reopen them because they do not have the resources. When these guys hike they carry saws to open up as much as they can.

[Reid]

I smell whatcha cookin Bearpaw. Smells good too, I don't think I've ever experienced any of those except for the shuttles. But it is a free country and those people who are often nusiances are Americans and geared up and planned their trips just like the rest of us so I guess they have their rights to do as they please. I think an aspect of your idea is kind of an end game, what's going to happen over time when things get out of hand and the limits are pushed too far.......I think we will all suffer.

[emerald]

Shelters are a resource protection tool, a concept many apparently fail to grasp. Otherwise, the proposed changes sound fine to me.

[emerald]

More people should recreate closer to home and work on developing and maintaining trails in their own communities, rather than travel to far-flung places to take a hike.

[drastic_quench]

More people should recreate closer to home and work on developing and maintaining trails in their own communities, rather than travel to far-flug places to take a hike.

That's a false dichotomy. Your options aren't exclusive, and I'd wager the vast majority of AT hikers do utilize and aid their local trails and parks.

[gypsy]

It's just amazing... People are just way too high maintenance these days. Sadly, your view of hikers does change when you are in the service industry. I don't know, there's this weird entitlement/apathy virus that is, has and continues to affect millions of people no matter what their station in life; it's something so foreign to me.

[fiddlehead]

Lots of trails in the world.
If you don't like the AT, there's options you know.

To the OP: you need to go hiking. Way too much time on your hands.

[emerald]

That's a false dichotomy. Your options aren't exclusive, and I'd wager the vast majority of AT hikers do utilize and aid their local trails and parks.

I'm not seeing where I claimed they are exclusive. I'm thinking of time and resources spent on travel and what might be accomplished were those resources redirected.

I believe the time will come when ordinary Americans will not have the resources to travel all over God's creation and will come to appreciate more what's in their own communities and work with their neighbors to protect these assets provided options remain. We will have better communities as a result.

I'm finished with my comments in this vein as they are at least somewhat off-topic.