[at-l] RE: Group Hiking Query

[jsmith at wate.com (James N. Smith)]

Chase:
Just to be clear, I didn't say anything about breaking laws. I certainly did
not mean to imply there was any justification for that. I simply said
keeping the group to six was not always practical.

We have not found a wilderness area that limits a group to just six, but we
would certainly comply with that regulation if we wanted to enter such an
area.

In a previous post I mentioned that there is an eight-person limit in Great
Smoky Mountain National Park. As a result, our scout troop does not take
groups into the park unless we are able to divide up small enough to comply,
which is rarely the case.

As an example, we recently took a group of seven on an AT/Smokies thru-hike
from Fontana to Davenport Gap -- 70 miles in four days. Permits were
obtained for all shelter stays.

We had intended to take a group of younger scouts on a more moderate trip in
the Smokies, but when the group grew from eight to nine, we changed plans
and took them to nearby Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness, where there are
no group limits.

-jns


chase wrote:

	The Jefferson National Forest has adopted LNT. Some of the laws (not
suggestions) are "No group larger than ten shall enter the forest" and
"No group larger than 6 shall approach the Shelter area". They have
made some attempt to contact Scouts and Groups such as Churches and
advise them of these laws. I know of two places they are clearly
posted at trail heads. Still a lot of groups choose to ignore these
laws that were passed by folks who are wiser than me I hope!

	But we all choose to break some laws and so we teach our children
that its ok to exceed the speed limit, disobey LNT laws, leave camp
with fires still burning etc.!


chase