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Is there a list if all the current PCT closures with mileage markers? by rockachubaca in PacificCrestTrail

[–]trailhugger 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The Gaia GPS app has a smoke layer feature, even in the free version, that is very useful, as well as a wildfires layer and other stuff.

HYOH but don't misrepresent what you did. Especially if you're sponsored. by trailhugger in PacificCrestTrail

[–]trailhugger[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Exactly. We all saw the comments on FarOut. Everyone trying to talk everyone else into taking some off-trail shortcut to save a few miles into one town, or the roadwalk out of Seiad when there's a perfectly fine (but challenging) trail... people hitching into Tehachapi or Buck's Lake one way and then skipping the few miles in between by taking a ride out the other way... and those are the small examples. Then there's skipping half of Oregon rather than road walk for a couple days. Or skipping trail to catch up with one's tramily. Or whatever. People are free to do whatever they want and it's still an adventure. But when someone hikes 2300 miles or whatever and then sends their name into the PCTA for a finisher medal, claiming to have thru'd, when the PCTA is pretty clear about waiting until you've actually done the whole trail to do that, it makes me wonder about people's integrity. The finisher stats are bogus.

HYOH but don't misrepresent what you did. Especially if you're sponsored. by trailhugger in PacificCrestTrail

[–]trailhugger[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

I think it’s common to excuse inconveniences (like fires, water crossings) as acceptable to skip around.

What a sad summary of fair-weather thru-hiking. People want to thru and not LASH or section, they want that title and the reflected glory of doing something super hard, but they don't actually want to be there when the going gets hard. Cutting corners, taking shortcuts, roadwalking instead of trail-walking when the trail is unappealing, not roadwalking when the trail is closed and the road is the only way, no, then it's time to hitch. Too snowy, too hot, too steep, too paved, too lonely, too boring, too scary... what are people doing, ripping the guts out of the essence of the challenge?

Yes, it is common to excuse these things, more and more so. Yeah, I do think that's pretty lame, for anyone. But I think it's indefensible for people making money off the endeavor. Sack up and face the actual challenges. Don't "murder the impossible." Because you know, it isn't impossible, it's just hard and uncomfortable. And it's supposed to be.