These markers really got me thinking! And I kept asking myself the same question. Has the PCT gone commercial?
(Staff hiking PCT section in Southern Oregon)
Now, do not, and I repeat, do not get me wrong. I have a great deal of respect for anyone that treks the entire PCT. It is physically demanding and a great accomplishment. But at this point, to me, the mental aspect of it seems extremely dummed down to the point where anyone can do it.
(PCT in Southern Oregon)
What's the challenge? There are books that outline what you need to pack, how much time you need, the gear you should buy, the locations of where the next shower is, the addresses you need to ship your food to, the shops along the way, the what, why, and how is all done for you. To top it off you don't even have to worry about getting lost because the markers lead the way.
(PCT in Southern Oregon)
Isn't half the fun of an adventure like the PCT planning and figuring out all the details? How is just showing up fun?
(Staff hiking PCT section in Southern Oregon)
Now, I know some readers will ask, well have you hiked the PCT. The answer is no, and I know that I lose some credibility because of that. But the truth of the matter is that I currently have zero interest in hiking the PCT with the hundreds of other hikers that are out on their field trip. For me there are better adventures. Ones that are still pure and haven't been dummed down for the masses. If I run out of idea's and creative adventures in my lifetime then I will hike the PCT.
(Staff hiking PCT section in Southern Oregon)
I think that occasionally we get become so passionate about our activities and hobbies that all we want to do is share them other people. We want to see more and more individuals also feel passionate about what we do. In order to do this we have to make the activity accessible. This is both fortunate and unfortunate. Again, I find myself asking the question, are we commercializing an activity like hiking the PCT to much?
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Well Trav, you're a good guy, but I'll argue the other side here.
ReplyDeleteThe PCT experience is a far cry from being totally taken over by the commercial world. And its better to have people to stay on the trail rather than wondering off in to someone's private land. Or in the case of local mountain bikers, people creating their own trails through the watershed and unnecessarily increasing the erosion into the water supply.
The line between what is commerical and what is not all depends where you're coming from. It also has to do with what levels of risk are appropriate and the situations you've been exposed to in the past.
What if I told you that you should take the shocks off your moutain bike, because it makes your ride less authentic? I would argue that the gear helps you have a more authentic experience and helps you enjoy additional scenery that you would not otherwise be able to include in your route.
If I'm a long distance runner, I want the trail shoes that work best for my bio-mechanics. As a result, I'll be less prone to injury and be able run more trails for longer.
There's no such thing as a "pure" experience anyway. Most of our ideas about nature, the wild, etc are social, emotional, and mental constructs. When you think you're experiencing some aspect of wildernss that seems untouched and untrammeled, then you're probably looking at something that man has somehow influenced. Nature does not operate in a vacuume and humans have shaped it over thousands of years.
There are some frontiers that I agree are truly wildernesses and therefore maybe these places would generally be more interesting . Those are places that have not yet been explored by people. Many places on the bottom of the ocean would fit this category. Deep, unexplored caves into the earth are another example. Outer space is another place that I would say really has not been explored.
If I grew up in a small village and had never been to the big city, going to the New York would be like having a "wilderness" experience.
If your goal is to finish the entire PCT and you have the $ to pay for those trail "conveniences" then by all means let them buy AOS gear and give people like you jobs. No amount of conveniences or dimond markers makes finishing the trail an easy task.
On the note of the trail markers, I can assure you that even the best of navigators would end up losing the trail at some point, expecially in the snowpack. I think keeping people on the trail as much as can be expected is a good thing. You have to remember that many of the people on the trail are city slickers and surburbinites, and this PCT experience is life-altering without constantly getting lost, trampling through sensative areas, and costing the taxpayers money (Search and Rescue situations). Not to mention that the trail passes through many easements on private land. As a private landowner, I'd want the hikers to stay within the easements and stay off the rest of my land.
Its true that an established trail is different from bushwacking on steep, unmarked trail in the Kalmiopsis. But thats a different type of experience and perhaps one that you would enjoy more. It also carries more risk. Most of the trails have been significantly impacted by the Biscuit Fire with many sections that have eroded or have become nearly impassible. I was on the Biscuit Fire in 2002 with the Rogue River Hotshots and learned that a man hiking in the Kalmiopsis may have been been trapped and burned by the fire. I don't think anyone ever found the body, but I'm pretty sure thats what happened.
I would argue that it is appropriate, and in fact best, if we have a continuum of trail experiences available.
As long as you pack out your shit and considerate of the fragile eco-systems that you're traveling through, then I'm fine with people hiking a marked trail from Mexico to Canada.
Anonymous - Thank you for your response. I appreciate the feedback, and you have a valid argument with a lot of good point. Hopefully you will keep reading my future posts.
ReplyDeleteTrav