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[pct-l] Celluloid Heroes, Guns, and Peanut Butter

RE: Filming the PCT  (slight rambling rant)

I hope a film on the PCT doesn't have a negative effect on the trail.  Films
or media coverage tend to skyrocket participation in certain things.
Remember how Air Force enrollment went up after the "Top Gun" movie?
Remember how after the 1996 Everest tragedy, the guide servies were flooded
with people who didn't know you could simply pay a fee and climb Mt. Everest?

As much as I hate to say it, the PCT is going to keep getting more
popular...it won't just be "our secret".  In the grand scheme of things, the
PCT is relatively unknown in the mainsream world.  There is a big paradox
with the PCT.  On one hand, the increased numbers of hikers will help keep
the forests standing along the trail, and keep other lobby groups (i.e. Dirt
Bikes) off the trail.  The downside of the increased numbers is what happens
to anything when it becomes mainstream...it becomes commercial and
"polluted".  A PCT journey would be quite different if there were 2000 thru
hikers every year.  If you use the figure (a PCT lister's)... that 10% of
any group are arseholes, there would be your littered beer cans, soap in
your lakes, disgruntled townspeople, and Dorito dependent chipmunks for you.

Things like PCT planning programs, guidebooks, and photo journals don't
bother me.  They help out the hiker.  Things like daily airlifted resupply
drops (I'm not kidding) and features on the Regis and Kathy Sweatshop Show
attract the wrong element.  Not to say that I'm better than anyone, but
watch the commercials during any episode of "Cops" or visit a shopping
sprawl mall and you will see what I'm getting at.  Some people would welcome
a Mt. Whitney McDonalds with open arms.

To whoever was filming the PCT, keep in mind it has already been done...on
video at least.  

RE: Roger C's post about Guns

> A long distance hiker
>is exposed to such things as weather, fording creeks, falls from steep
>trails or mountains, avalanche, equipment failure, accute illness, and the
>list goes on.  Your personal safety is not guaranteed out there on the
>trail! 

Amen, you couldn't have said it better.  Warding of hypothermia was a bigger
problem for me than any animal I might need to shoot.  For the extra POUNDS
that a gun requires, those extra pounds could be better utilized in the form
of extra warm clothes and food.  There were three times on the trail where
my body fat was so minimal (and I was exhausted) that I thought I was going
to freeze to death.  This is not when I was thinking "oh, I'm cold", but was
when the paranoia would start to creep in.  This is not fun by any means.


Ken Marlow wrote:

>Craig, I used the same technique of covering my pack in chunky style Skippy 
>at resupply points. It worked great. I take it you didn't use this tactic in 
>bear country.

If you are going to cover you pack in peanut butter, I'd recommend using
creamy style peanut butter, it spreads much easier than chunky.

Craig

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