PCT hikers and the shutdown

[littlefeet]

seems so unfair to spend so much time/effort and have to face TWO deterrents at the end!

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2013 ... g-journey/

[Bosterson]

The trail section that crossing through North Cascades National Park is closed — along with all national park lands — because of the government shut down.

This is so idiotic.

[romann]

After a storm early last week dumped several feet of snow in the Cascades, at least four through-hikers became lost and had to be found by search-and-rescue teams.
...

A Japanese hiker who was rescued in Snohomish County was being followed by a large bear.

Looks like Japanese hiker Guy and Chiyoko met on Mt. Hood a couple of weeks ago (+ the timing seems right being half way through WA). It's amazing he made through at least couple of feet of snow on Mt. Adams and Goat Rocks.

[Guy]

Closing visitor Centers in national parks is one thing, but closing the parks & trails entirely & preventing PCT through hikers from passing is total BS just designed to make it hurt! It costs more to close these trails that it does to leave them open.

Yesterday there was a news story about a bus load of pensioners who were locked in their hotel at Yellowstone & not allowed out to look at old faithful while they were there. When some of them got off the bus as they were leaving the park to take some photos they were immediately told to get back on the bus & to stop "Recreating" - what a joke!

A Japanese hiker who was rescued in Snohomish County was being followed by a large bear.

We have kept in touch with Youshi by way of Facebook since we met him at Timberline, it wasn't him but he knows of at least 2 other Japanese through hikers out there. He set out from Trout Lake last weekend but decided to give up on Monday & return to Trout Lake. The final straw was not only the snow but hearing that the trail was closed ahead because of the shutdown.

He is now also road walking to Canada, he said quite a few of them are meeting up & doing this.

[Grannyhiker]

This is by no means the first year that late-arriving thru-hikers have been caught in deep snow. The general advice given to PCT thru-hikers (lots of it on the PCT-L which I occasionally look at) is to make sure they finish by mid September. This means not being too leisurely in the earlier part of their hike (less zero days, less partying in towns). Those coming later need to be prepared to bail out short of their goal. Some things, such as human lives, are far more important than finishing. The late-comers who ignore weather forecasts risk not only their lives but the lives of the SAR folks who have to search for them. The trail will be there next year, and the PCTA doesn't care how many years it takes to finish when issuing completion certificates.

There were government shutdowns almost every year in the 1980's, but the national parks didn't close their trails. I remember doing several weekend dayhikes at Sunrise during the shutdowns back then. There was nobody at the White River entrance station but no barricades, either. I'm not going to make a political statement (it might be unprintable) except that I agree with the previous poster.