[at-l] hiking poles' efficiency...

[ellen at clinic.net (Bob C.)]

>"...Maybe we're doing the edges of the trail a favor by loosening the soil for
nice little plants to grow." suggests anklebear.

The evidence of that happening in the real world is pretty slim. The evidence
that the loosened soil is washed down the hillside by every significant rain is
enormous. Let me suggest an experiment. Lets all search for a bit of bare ground
on a slope reachable by a garden hose.

For those that can find same, wash the bare ground with a sprinkling attachment
and observe the result. Then chew up an adjacent patch with the tips of a Leki
-- not one hole, but something akin to 3,000 thru hikers poking a hole with
every step during a couple of month period -- and run the hose again.

Weary