[at-l] Permits to thru hike?

[Davis624@aol.com]

it would be a horrible nightmare if there were permits but i can see the need.
in a recent issue of atway news there was a listing of all the thru-hikers for
the last few years, each year a larger number and 97 was a whopper! i've
always heard a figure of 10-15% who attempt it make it but even if it was 50%,
100% start. by and large most folks go south to north and the "window" of
departure is short. the trail through georgia has all of those folks focused
at one time, its a heavy burden on the trail. as the yearly tide passes the
impact is obvious but the trail recovers with a little help. the farther north
on the trail you go 1.you get drop-outs 2.different paces spread the crowd.
both of these factors help to lessen the impact and make "crowd control" seem
unnecessary. i don't think we should run out today and place restrictions but
if the numbers keep growing at an almost exponential rate there will come a
day. it would be a good thing for those in charge to talk about it proactively
instead of a knee jerk reaction as they so often do.

ps..... "that other list" ? what, is there a rivalry?? 
zach
"see the city, see the zoo"
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