[at-l] Lean-to Liability

[RoksnRoots at aol.com (RoksnRoots@xxxxxxx)]

In a message dated 7/5/2003 11:55:03 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
shane@theplacewithnoname.com writes:


> Ah, there's the rub then.  I wouldn't agree with that.
> 
> Shelters, are by definition, an artifact of civilization that infringe on
> the wilderness...
> 


        ~~~ In a pure sense Shane is absolutely correct. The obvious square 
angles and human-designed construction of a shelter are a direct intrusion into 
nature. 

      On Appalachian long distance hiking trails however, the lean-to is sort 
of an acceptable compromise. Its primitive open-sided look has become part of 
accepted hiking trail surroundings. It is a dumb structure set into the trail 
location as a simple means of shelter after a long day of hiking. 

      On high-use trails like the AT shelters serve a more functional purpose 
than basic shelter. They serve as concentrating points for overnight camping 
in a place where scattered camping could consume more wild setting than 
concentrated. In remote mountain areas they also serve as life-saving shelter on 
trails designed to be used by the general public.   

        If one were to step back and properly assess what exactly stood as 
the worst threat to the AT's wilderness quality, I doubt very much it would be 
the warm old trail icon in the form of the lean-to. More likely it would be 
encroachment and loss of the Trail's wilderness ethic by its users. Or, perhaps, 
focusing on the technicality of shelter intrusion over the much greater threat 
of litigation mentalities seeping into the wilds. Funny how persons who 
defend cell phone use in the wilds take a stand on shelters being incompatible. If 
compared, the changes to the AT's wilderness quality caused by the cell phone 
are much much more intrusive than that of shelters. I could list the 
differences if you like...







-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.hack.net/pipermail/at-l/attachments/20030706/d32aa4ed/attachment.htm