The question no one has asked: Are we loving the trail to death?

[Wendigo]

Though I've not been directly on the trail in recent years, following various news sources and blog posts has caused me to become concerned about increased traffic on the A.T.. I am gathering opinions and views for an article and appreciate any input from hikers here. Your views would be strictly anonymous. Here are my questions:

1) Are we loving the A.T. to death; if so, how?
2) What, if anything, should be done about it?

Thanks in advance for your input, and good, safe hiking to everyone!
Wendigo

[Malto]

I am shocked by my answer........ No, having seen the series life after man I am certain that the trail will return to nature when we are done.

[Lone Wolf]

social media.

[Slo-go'en]

That question was first asked back in the late 70's and it's still here...

[Connie]

The trail could return to overgrowth, not the original dignity of the forest.

The damage is done. It could be made worse.

[Wolf - 23000]

I don't believe so. Sure there are a lot of hikers on the trail but that doesn't mean they love the trail. To many hikers are focus on carrying their cell phone, electron journeys, blogs, needing their name out there for the world to see. It all takes hikers away from just being out there and being part of nature. Anyone doesn't believe me, ask yourself the question have you ever seen a deer talking on a cell phone? Or Yogi bear post blogs about their hike or wanting a news article on their hike?

Wolf

[Sarcasm the elf]

Nope, certainly not when you compare the trail in it's current state to the condos, mcmansions and strip malls that would have been built in it's place. To keep this corridor of open space in the middle of the East coast of the U.S. Is nothin short of amazing, todays hikers are tomorrows conservationists and where some see "loving the trail to death" I see voters and activists traveling on foot and learning to love and protect nature.

[Carbo]

The AT may never die, but its appeal will fade for those of us who have known it for many years as a wilderness. I don't think anything can be done about this. The public awareness will increase (movies, books, this site, etc.), regulations, rules, permits will expand in the name of "preserving" the trail. Yes, we will preserve it, but not love it.

[Connie]

Sarcasm the elf, Have you seen the AT end-to-end? It is not a thru-trail.

The PCT and the CDT are not thru-trails eitther, not with all those road-walks.

The PNT has road-walks. I am hoping the "Bigfoot Trail" in Northern California has no road-walks. Maybe, maybe not. In fact, I am looking for a long trail to hike that has no road-walks.

[DavidNH]

I agree.. the AT will always be there but it is becoming a different trail than it was originally intended to me. There are to many hikers and would be thru hikers who don't really care that much about the wilderness they travel through or the impact they have, especially the youth. When I hiked the trail in 2006 I was shocked at the level of party atmosphere including binge drinking and chain smoking I found among a lot of the "thru" hikers.

Wolf-23000 is absolutely spot on in his post.

There is also a problem of simply too darn many people hiking the trail. all those trail festivals aren't helping matters either. I will say though.. one thing I really loved about trail days is it took most of the youth and party crowd off the trail for a week or two and I was able to enjoy a foot path through the wilderness as it was meant to be.. and I cherished every moment in Virgina when it was like that. Of course.. the festival ends and the kids all came back.

[Sarcasm the elf]

Sarcasm the elf, Have you seen the AT end-to-end? It is not a thru-trail.

The PCT and the CDT are not thru-trails eitther, not with all those road-walks.

The PNT has road-walks. I am hoping the "Bigfoot Trail" in Northern California has no road-walks. Maybe, maybe not. In fact, I am looking for a long trail to hike that has no road-walks.

I'm well aware that the trail has road walks. That doesn't change the fact that a near continuous corridor of conservation land stretching across 13 states on the East coast is nothing short of amazing. To quote Matty: "IT AINT PRISTEEN WILDERNESS IF YOU HADNT NOTICED. its a thin strip of lovingly kept hope" ...I really miss Matty's posts.

[jawnzee]

I don't believe so. Sure there are a lot of hikers on the trail but that doesn't mean they love the trail. To many hikers are focus on carrying their cell phone, electron journeys, blogs, needing their name out there for the world to see. It all takes hikers away from just being out there and being part of nature. Anyone doesn't believe me, ask yourself the question have you ever seen a deer talking on a cell phone? Or Yogi bear post blogs about their hike or wanting a news article on their hike?

Wolf

for a loooong time people have written journals. for even longer we have shared our stories with others. our means of communication have indeed changed, and are unsurprisingly different than that of a dear or a cartoon bear.

[Jake2c]

Yup, it is a concern but short of over regulation, I don't see a solution. It's sad that some who walk the trail don't respect it.

[shelb]

Your question shows the epitomy of love for the trail!

Unfortunately, we are "loving it to death" - as a whole. We can't police the ones who abuse, pollute, tarnish the trail and its reputation; however, we can try to be the ultimate "other side," and protect, clean, maintain, and respect the trail.

My challenge - Don't be a Bystander!!! Show the Power of One to step up and speak out when you see someone doing something that is harmful to the trail. It takes each of us....

----think of the show - WHAT would YOU DO???

[brancher]

I agree.. the AT will always be there but it is becoming a different trail than it was originally intended to me. There are to many hikers and would be thru hikers who don't really care that much about the wilderness they travel through or the impact they have, especially the youth. When I hiked the trail in 2006 I was shocked at the level of party atmosphere including binge drinking and chain smoking I found among a lot of the "thru" hikers.

Wolf-23000 is absolutely spot on in his post.

There is also a problem of simply too darn many people hiking the trail. all those trail festivals aren't helping matters either. I will say though.. one thing I really loved about trail days is it took most of the youth and party crowd off the trail for a week or two and I was able to enjoy a foot path through the wilderness as it was meant to be.. and I cherished every moment in Virgina when it was like that. Of course.. the festival ends and the kids all came back.

Great discussion --- and exactly why some of us (myself included) are leaning toward flip-flopping this year. To help out the wear and tear and also to sort of avoid some of the chaos. It really has changed a bit, and that change seems to be accelerating....

[Lone Wolf]

the pics and vids are all over facebook posted by the 20 somethings mostly of partying at trail days, big feeds and shelters. and pics of folks blatantly breaking rules and bragging about it.

[LoneStranger]

the pics and vids are all over facebook posted by the 20 somethings mostly of partying at trail days, big feeds and shelters. and pics of folks blatantly breaking rules and bragging about it.

That last bit is what will do the most damage. With BSP putting out that letter you just know this year there will be a lot of competition to see who can bring the most dogs to the summit or toss the most trash off the top of the mountain.

[10-K]

If you want to hike one of the long trails now is the time to do it. The AT has changed a lot in just the last 5 years since I finished it. I hiked the PCT last year just in time - this year they're trying to schedule starts by permit to avoid overcrowding.

The last frontier is the CDT - starting in July - just in time because now there's a guide AND a Guthook app.

[Connie]

Yup, it is a concern but short of over regulation, I don't see a solution. It's sad that some who walk the trail don't respect it.

I am convinced most of the self-agrandizing people do not actually hike-walk it; they only say they have.

Don't advertise the AT. Sideline online journaling to link only from the photo section and signatures, no section heading, and no more "hussle" to get people to the AT.

Have all the long trails have equal headlines, and separately listed further down after day-hikes, overnight hikes, and 4-5 days and 7-10 days hikes discussing places, access, faciliries nearby, available maps.

Keep the prominent section for gear, food, preparing food.

I especially like the forum thread topics asking about a beautiful hike of n-number of days available. I would like to see that a prominent topic for each length of days hikes section.

Include other countries, adding section by section labelled for that country as people participate: day hikes, overnight, stay out 4-5 days or 7-10 days. Long treks.

Why not restructure the forum topics to encourage out-and-back hikes, elsewhere, encourage overnight hikes, elsewhere, always about hiking into beautiful places to get away from "the rat race" and gain experience and gear up for longer hikes of 4-5 days out at a time, elsewhere, that would encourage more people to love the natural environment.

The fact is, the AT is "linked hikes" of about 4-5 days at a time with resupplies; put those thread topics in a category: hikes with resupply, listed by state.

Encourage people, rather, to ease into backpacking with "easy hikes" that involve a natural environment: share those places.

[Traveler]

The AT remains an enigma. I really liked the quote Elf provided from Matty:"IT AINT PRISTEEN WILDERNESS IF YOU HADNT NOTICED. its a thin strip of lovingly kept hope". It may not be pristine, but it is a living testimony to a very small number of people who have worked, and continue to work very, very hard to keep this footpath a very special place. Its also a high example of what a few people can accomplish in America, despite the ever present lobbying efforts of monied interests to destroy what they have managed to set aside. If only 5% of those who walk more than 100 miles of this "hope" will donate a year of their lives to help the Trail in some way large or small, it will survive long past the youngest poster currently on the WB. In my view, this should be the end message of any promotional piece written about it.

There are as many reasons people walk the AT as there are people walking it. For some the AT is an inward journey made more meaningful by the solitude the trail can offer. For others, its the joy of being away from home without supervision or responsibility for the first time made more exciting by the party atmosphere the trail can offer each night. Neither is the "wrong" perspective, though one clearly has less impact. Each can be the experience(s) that develops wisdom, maturity, and hopefully, a sense of stewardship towards the trail and others like it around America. One volunteer out of 20 solitary hikers or 20 party types would be worth the wear and tear of both.