[at-l] Trail Etiquette

[nealb@midlandstech.com (William Neal)]

As to privacy: 
I don't believe it's so much a "Privacy" issue as it is a way of spreading
the amount of "potential damage" over a wider area.  Put X amount of people
in an area, say, 10 feet square, and you get X amount of damage.  Put X + X
amount of people in the same area, and you're liable to get not just X+X
amount of damage but X+X+Y -- sort of a synergestic effect.  Put X at one
site and the 2nd X at a site farther down the trail, and you only get 2 X
damage.  Also, spreading the people out over an section of the trail gives a
campsite time to recover.  If you want an analogy, imagine walking 1 mile
everyday of your life.  Now imagine walking 2,000 in 3 months.  If you're
50, you will have walked over 18,000 miles, but it won't be as stressful as
the 2,000 mile journey.

As to shelters:
The shelters were originally meant for non-tent hikers.  Else, why build
shelters for people who carry tents?  Why carry a tent if you mean to use
the shelters?  Since some people don't carry tents (for various good and bad
reasons), the shelters should be for them and for those who have a "special"
reason for "sheltering" -- I had a cold one time, and I stayed in the
shelter because I did not have the strength to pitch a tent.  Hell I
couldn't even cook anything.  But, some "good" people shared, and a couple
of good guys who made it to the shelter first moved out to where they
tented.  I've done the same.  Shelters should be for those who for one
reason or the other have a greater need.

Further, I would think that the original reasoning behind thru-hikers
getting preferential treatment was due to the fact that they had to put up
with a lot more and suffer a lot more than the average weekend camper.
Today, tents and equipment are better and lighter, and MORE people are
declaring themselves to be on a thru hike.  And more people who should have
stayed home and camped on the couch are out hiking.  So it's probably better
for the average thru-hiker to get away from the shelters.

William the Turtle

-----Original Message-----
From: Chase Davidson [mailto:wb4pan@mindspring.com]
Unless shelters have a reservation plan like the Smokys I believe they are
on a first come basis no matter how far you hiked or extend to hike. It is
your duty to welcome others to stay as they arrive, until there is no more
room to lay down. Some folks say you must welcome everyone that arrives, to
stay as long as there is room to stand. This is silly. Why even stay in a
shelter if there is no room to lay down? Everyone should bring alternative
shelters for themselves. No one should rely on sleeping in a shelter. If you
get to a full shelter and are not prepared then you can crawl under the
shelter for cover or go back where you came from. hahahah People that come
to a full shelter and plead there feeble case on how they are going light
and its raining and they only have a tiny tarp etc. They really piss me off
LOL.
	Sometimes you have to allow for your fellow hikers momentary
stupidity and certainly for incidents that are out of ones control. Yes I
have left the shelter and set up my tent or bivi to let some worthy dummy
sleep in the shelter. I slept in a shelter once on my two week hike. There
where 4 snores all at different rhythms. And of course there was those folks
that arrived late and still set up a tent in the shelter.... so they would
be warmer hahahah. Kept poking me through the tent wall all
night. I thought everyone knew the ground is warmer than a shelter, even
snow is warmer than a shelter floor with colder air underneath it.  
	Yes campsites are private. One regulation in the Shenandoah is to
not backcountry camp in sight of another tent. Difficult sometimes on those
narrow ridges. Check out the situation to make sure you are welcome, wait
for an invite before camping close to another party. The sole purpose of
their hike may be to be alone! Then again a lot of folks believe in safety
in numbers :-).

chase