[at-l] Camping for the Gathering and the Use of Alcohol

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

In a message dated 9/30/2004 3:00:27 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
cedric_maxwell@yahoo.com writes:


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5 - Warren scheduling an illegal activity --- The Town of Hanover has a LAW 
against
jumping off a bridge - ALDHA says, "eh, nobody has gotten hurt, so who cares?"


         ***    Eh, I love people who pretty much vaporized WF and his AT 
concerns as a Trail entity who then start having the very problems he was 
outlining without registering that this was exactly what he was talking about. The 
only response you get to this is "parapacker" obnoxia. 

         The way I see this is that there's an increasing incidence of 
alcohol-related Trail problems existing out on the AT because of a trend towards 
seeing the Trail as a socializing entity (party place) rather than the wild 
hiking place it has always been. Food fests and feeds are new and so are the 
problems and Trail impacts associated with them, as is the new Trail ethic arising 
from this use profile. This is plain as day - ignore it if you want but it 
won't change. 

          I myself never liked the swimming restrictions in Harriman because 
they seemed counter to what the park was created for in the first place. In my 
younger days I even got wise with Tim Sullivan, the Chief Ranger who came to 
chase us from a beautiful lake. After working with Tim for several years in 
the Park I later came to respect him and appreciated his assistance for the AT. 
Never the less I still told through-hikers where they could swim and to look 
out for the rangers. Admittedly, it conflicted with my duties of trying to keep 
people from abusing shelters and mis-using the Trail - but one I believed in 
with respect and conscience. I would hate to hear someone trying to convince 
me their Trail misbehavior was no different than my swimming defiance. That 
wouldn't exactly be right.

                   


its this kind of attitude that I find infuriating! Its extremely hypocritical 
and
it has the real possibility of damaging ALDHA's relationship with Hanover. I
hear about a lot about how Hanover has gotten less hiker and ALDHA friendly.

       ***    Take care here. If you trace WHY Hanover is less friendly to 
hikers it probably isn't because of bridge jumping into streams. More likely the 
partying and its accompanying effects. I rarely completely agree with Jim, 
but here I do. I think it's a matter of better Trail conscience and having an 
ear to the AT...