[pct-l] Being Daniel Boone

[mulligankevin@yahoo.com (Kevin Mulligan)]

I apologize. In my rush to type e-mails, when I am supposed to be working, I
often don't choose my words carefully. No insult was intended. I am just
trying to play devil's advocate. I do appreciate your civil response and I
don't want to beat this issue any more than it already has so I will shut up
after this.

Having spent two weeks, this past August, hiking in the Brooks Range of ANWR
I have experienced the difference between trail hiking and backcountry
hiking. There's no comparison. This is especially more true when backpacking
in Grizzly country and being forced to realize that humans are not always at
the top of the food chain. Furthermore, I know what a pain in the butt LNT
can be. e.g. What do you mean I can't use the nice soft moss to wipe with?
How fragile can it be? No joke, after discovering the joys of moss I was
told by an LNT master that I should stick to less fragile plants and leaves.

I was merely trying to make the point that what may seem like an innocuous
small act (e.g. spitting toothpaste out) to one has the ability to become a
huge mess when magnified by many users.

I don't expect to feel like I am the only person on the PCT. However, on the
other hand, I want to take comfort knowing that the others there respect the
land as much as I do and will do everything in their power to tread lightly.

-Kevin Mulligan
PCT 2002



-----Original Message-----
From:	pct-l-admin@mailman.backcountry.net
[mailto:pct-l-admin@mailman.backcountry.net] On Behalf Of
CMountainDave@aol.com
Sent:	Thursday, April 12, 2001 12:24 PM
To:	pct-l@backcountry.net
Subject:	[pct-l] Being Daniel Boone

I'd like to respond to the person who objected to seeing toothpaste spits in
a more civil manner. Sure, most of us desire seeing pristine wilderness with
no visible impact by man, and I'm certain that 99.9 percent of the people on
this list practice LNT. But the trail itself, which provides us easy access,
insures there will be some impact to confirm that we aren't the first person
to ever visit sites along it. Just meeting other people along the way
dissolves this well placed fantasy. So does established campsites.
    So may I suggest off trail travel. The Wind River range of Wyoming is a
prime example of a place you can visit where you can definitely feel that
you
are the first to be there (If you go off trail.) There are thousands of off
trail lakes that you can easily access across relatively flat, brushless
terrain. All you need is a little orienteering knowledge (or a GPS). It's
almost a certainty that yours will be the only party there. And take a
fishing pole or two because the wise folks that manage the Jim Bridger
Wilderness don't seem to care too much about introduced species and have
stocked virtually all the lakes with about 6 different species of trout.
(Sorry Jeffery about letting your secret out)
_______________________________________________
PCT-L mailing list
PCT-L@mailman.backcountry.net
http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l