[at-l] Loss of the AT thru-hiking "mystique"

[lucy@uia.net (Desert Nomad)]

At one time a thru-hike was looked upon as some sort of grand adventure
in which the individual needed tough-mindedness to overcome loneliness
and the rugged wilderness. Now, with the social atmosphere of the trail,
oodles of places(hostels especially) to get breaks from the trail grind,
switchbacks replacing tough climbs( coming out of Stecoah Gap for
example), trail magic, slackpacking, etc, the difficulty of completing a
thru-hike has been reduced considerably. Individual hikers are the ones
that contribute to the urbanization of the hiking scene by succumbing to
the temptation of taking the easy way out. Only by reducing the
utilization of creature comforts in your hike, will the number of
hostels and other urban presence be reduced from the trail corridor. The
"mystique" of the AT and the sense of accomplishment of completing a
thru-hike are in direct proportion to the remoteness and ruggedness of
The Trail.



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