PCT Sections E, F, and G

[christabrews]

I have a different take on the PCT situation described in this report. While the resilience and optimism of the OP are really commendable, the conditions encountered on the trail are depressing: a needlessly and heedlessly polluted lake, abandoned fishing line, disruptive and disrespectful behavior by (large) numbers of hikers/campers and trashing a hotel (to the detriment of all). These are depressing and sad commentaries on the "wilderness ethic" a significant section of the public seems to have adopted.

The people swimming in Reese lake I do not believe were thru-hikers. I mean, one of them had a friggin folding lawn chair! That's not something that thru-hikers would carry.

Also it's pretty uncommon for thru-hikers to bother carrying a fishing pole and trying to fish. I certainly didn't encounter any. I'm as avid as they come in terms of fishing, and I could not justify the extra weight. I think this was left by a careless weekender.

It is very sad about what is happening at Timberline Lodge. Maybe I am being overly optimistic, but like I said, most of the people I met were doing the right things and were very considerate. I never actually observed any of these misdeeds at Timberline, just heard about them from an employee.

[keithcomess]

True about many/most through-hikers on the trail. But, behavior in the hotel tars all PCT users...at least in some minds like the Timberline Lodge person you interacted with.

One major problem is that wilderness areas can be so easily accessed from so many drive-in areas. The Timberline Trail is a good illustration of my point.

Regardless, absent significantly increased funding for the USFS and creation of many more protected areas (both seemingly unlikely), the problem isn't too likely resolve itself and more likely to get worse.

Thanks for your interesting and detailed report,

Keith

[christabrews]

Agreed, the USFS is horribly underfunded and not at all equipped to deal with the hordes of people going into the woods these days.

[keithcomess]

A final point: Washington State (at least) permits hunting in wilderness areas. Last time I hiked Lilly Basin (in the Goat Rocks) we came on a large camp, complete with a metal stove pipe, a pile of wood and heaps of supplies just off the trail. There were a couple of people in camo carrying rifles in the camp. Surprisingly, within about a mile down the trail, we encountered two USFS Rangers. They told us, "Yes, that's legal and we can't do anything about it. Hopefully, they won't shoot across the trail."

[bobcat]

Hunting is permitted in wilderness and always has been. Right now, there are several hunters' camps inside the Indian Heaven Wilderness, for example. I don't find this a particular problem - the same rules apply: wear bright colors and be particularly conspicuous and noisy around dawn and dusk, perhaps avoid off trail jaunts at these times also. Because wilderness hunters are the more rugged, experienced backcountry types, I trust them more than those who hunt in certain other areas, which I give a wide berth to in hunting season.

[retired jerry]

I saw bow hunters near Cairn Basin on Mt Hood a few years ago. The next day I saw them carrying a deer.

I just saw some bow hunters on Mt Adams

[christabrews]

I don't have a problem with hunters as long as they are following the rules and behaving safely. Those guys in camo I encountered near the creek with the AR-15 were clearly not hunters though. I was hearing gunshot after gunshot. They were target shooting. Why they needed to do that there, right next to a water source and not far from a trail, makes no sense to me. Couple of yahoos.

The bowhunter my boyfriend and I met in Three Sisters Wilderness a couple years ago wasn't doing anything wrong except being overly chatty I think we were the first people he'd seen in days! We just kind of wanted to get on our way and he kept talking.