[at-l] Trail Conservation

[greyowl@rcn.com (greyowl@rcn.com)]

In my pervious post I shot off of the hip and I need to restate my 
position.  First off the total number of through hikers were less than 
5000 people this year.  The estimated number of people who use 
the AT for day hikes etc. is approximately 5 million.  The trail from 
Approximately Wind Gap to the Conneticutt boarder is less than 
1.5 hrs away from New York City.  Only the residents of that city 
would believe that the AT is trully wild.  I know, because I have 
counted over 200 cars from New York on any given day, in the 
summer at the Delaware Water Gap.  How can a trail that is only 
50 ft off the road in the Cumberland Gap or has road walks through 
Duncannon and Oil City be considered wilderness?   The trail is 
hunted on (It goes through State Gamelands in PA). logged in 
Maine, and utilizd in a number of various ways.  The ATC sets out 
guidelines and goals and congress has appropriated money to help 
the ATC goals.  However the ATC goals may run contrary to the 
local communities needs. The ATC needs to be sensitive to these 
communities needs. I used to be upset about a cell phone tower.  I 
now see the need for them and have watch as the newer designs 
are put in place.  Power lines and pipelines need to be run.  I see it 
as an advantage if two different functions can use the same space.  
For one thing there is more money.  

If one wants to approach something like wilderness on should go to 
Canada and Hike on Crown Land.  In PA we have a number of trails 
that approach something of the wilderness experience.  Every 
State has them, but in the end one can hike only a few miles 
before one hits the road.

Finally I want to talk about the through hiker attitude.  I have meet 
many wonderful people on the trail.  Unfortunately there are a lot of 
jerks in the world and th US has its own fair share of them and a lot 
of them sem to hike the AT.  Pissed because you can't camp 
someplace.  Know why.  It takes only one stupid stunt from one 
individual to ruin it for everyone else.  Too many (thru)hikers think 
that this is their hike and they can do what they dam well please.  
To quote Felix's boss 'It is not what you say but what you do'.