[at-l] Enhancing the AT Blaze

[Bror8588 at aol.com (Bror8588@aol.com)]

In a message dated 3/17/04 00:40:31 Eastern Standard Time, RoksnRoots@aol.com 
writes:


> All in all, if a section is properly blazed you should be able to 
> shine a weak flashlight ahead and catch the white marker. It's usually only 
> a 
> problem in neglected areas or sections where blaze bearing trees have 
> fallen...
> 

Thanks for this well thought out answer to my question.  The original quote 
that I submitted was in regard to Harriman Park and it was suggested that Trail 
Maintainers had marked some of the trails so that they would be able to find 
their way as light failed at evening.  Some suggested that the reflective 
material was used by poachers and someone else suggested that some hunters use 
reflective trail markers to approach their hunting spot in the dark before the 
animals begin their daily activity.  That would not be true in Harriman Park as 
it does not allow hunting.

The issue of uniformity along the trail is well taken.  Reflective paint 
could become the uniform suggestion (if there was great interest in night hiking) 
or as you suggest, the trail already offers that with the white blaze in 
place.  

Someone else (sorry for not giving credit) suggested that reflective pins, 
paint, marker of some kind, would be useful in places where people routinely got 
off the White Blazed trail to obtain water at the end of a days hike. I 
imagine it would be very discouraging when, tired and thirsty and ready to cook an 
evening meal a hiker gets lost (even if briefly) attempting to find their way 
back to camp/Lean-to/Hammock and begins to wander about confused and perhaps 
concerned.  

Skylander