[at-l] Thru-hiker count

["Stewart Holt" <Stewart_Holt@csi.com>]

The Walasi-Yi Center reports 1900 to 2000 northbound thru-hikers had
come through Neels Gap, GA as of 5/21/99, and the staff member I talked
to expected that the count will reach 2000 by the end of the season.
Last year's end-of-the-season count was 1400; that puts us over
40% above of last year.

I would estimate that approximately 2,400 thru-hikers started at
Springer, assuming that roughly 20% of the hikers dropped out before
Neels Gap or were not seen by Walasi-Yi staff.

In Harpers Ferry, we had seen 109 northbound thru-hikers as of
5/21; last year on the same date 34 had come through. This is
probably a combination of higher numbers of starters beginning
earlier. Weather has generally been much more favorable for
northbound thru-hikers this year than last, when there was a
lot of rain. However, water levels are low, and marginal springs
will likely be drying up soon unless we get a significant amount
of rain.

Laurie Potteiger - ATC




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