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RE: [at-l] wilderness?

At 03:41 PM 4/15/98 -0700, you wrote:
>Saunterer >> The subject of whether the AT is really wilderness came up on
>the ATML last
>year and most seemed to agree that it was not. I'm now reading "THE NEW
>APPALACHIAN TRAIL" by Ed Garvey in which he describes his 1990 thru-hike.
>In the book he states that in 1990 the AT is more of a wilderness than when
>he did his 1970 thru-hike because so much of the trail was road walks in
>1970. It's interesting how our perseptions are often a matter of
>perspective.<<


The section in the shenandoah national park in Va. sure isnt wilderness. So
many cars and people from DC Baltimore Md. and N.J. down here on weekends
you might as well stay in the city. Actually most of the Trail in Va. is
like that.  Thats why I mainly go to W.Va. During peak leaf season its
terrible. So many people up their trashing the parkway and trails off of it
including the AT. Last time I was up there at that time of the year I
picked up two pockets full of trash on the AT in a 3 mile section. So many
people I went back to my car and went home. It also seems that the SNP is
becoming a dumping ground for murdered bodies from the DC area. Someone
mentioned carrying a gun backpacking..... May not be a bad Idea up there
now a days. Thats why I like wilderness areas. There is a better class of
people in them. When roads make things accessable for every Tom dick and
Harry then you get too many people who are up to no good coming in.
Backpackers may not agree on everything especially politics but at least
you can leave your gear in camp and go for a day hike without fear of it
being ripped off although I'm sure that happens once in a while.  Take care
!! and happy hiking. 





                           Daryl Cline WB4YEX
                            Harrisonburg, Va.
                  Web page: <http://www.cfw.com/~clines>
          Outdoor pictures:  <http://www.cfw.com/~clines/outdoors>

                               
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