Bad Boys, Bad Boys, Whatcha Gonna Do

[attroll]

This was passed on to me originating from the Georgia AT Club.

There is allegedly a group of thru-hikers headed north on the A.T. that may be using methamphetamines. If A.T. maintainers would check shelter registers they are passing for any mention of this type activity and record the comments (not remove the registers), particularly Trail Names, real names, comments, complaints, dates, etc. the information may prove useful in their apprehension.

_________ asked if volunteers could check the southerly trail registers. There may be information that identifies the drug using group or perhaps there will be citizen complaints about the activity and participants. I don't think it is practical or expedient to make a special trip to check the registers but if maintainers are heading to their shelter, can you ask them (through the club) to be on the lookout for such information; trail names, real names, complaints, etc. Nor do I think maintainers should pull the registers but ask that they write down any suspicious comments. If needed for evidence (unlikely), then we would ask for selected registers to be gathered.

[FatMan]

They should be easy to find. They are the ones "Speeding" past the others

[DeoreDX]

This was passed on to me originating from the Georgia AT Club.

There is allegedly a group of thru-hikers headed north on the A.T. that may be using methamphetamines.

On a similar but unrelated note... we passes a couple of hikers going down Blood Mountain towards Neels Gap last weekend and these two guys were obviously stoned off their rockers. They didn't even notice us approaching them until we passed them on a straight wide section of trail. Hiking down Blood Mountain is not something I'd want to do with my faculties impared.

[steve hiker]

There is allegedly a group of thru-hikers headed north on the A.T. that may be using methamphetamines.

Excuse me for being somewhat naive about this, but does speed make users especially erratic or dangerous? Or is it just an internal high, like pot, that should bother nobody?

Unless these people are using substances that will cause them to act dangerously or violently toward others, I think its very foolish to turn them in or notify law enforcement. Do you really want the cops searching your pack at every road crossing and staging surprise searches at shelters?

[okpik]

Excuse me for being somewhat naive about this, but does speed make users especially erratic or dangerous? Or is it just an internal high, like pot, that should bother nobody?

Methamphetamine (“meth,”
“speed,” “crystal,” and “ice” are
among its more than 170 street names)
is a powerful central nervous system
stimulant. A synthetic form of amphetamine
that is chemically similar to
adrenaline, it can be smoked, snorted,
orally ingested, or injected. It produces
an initial feeling of alertness and elation,
along with a variety of adverse reactions.
High percentages of methamphetamine
users have reported such problems as
paranoia, hallucinations, and violent
behavior.
The “rush” and “high” the user experiences
are believed to result from the
release of high levels of dopamine into
areas of the brain that regulate feelings
of pleasure. One reason for meth’s popularity
is that its effects are longer lasting
than those of cocaine. Long-term, the
drug can lead to addiction. Abusers
often experience delusions, anxiety,
convulsions, extreme paranoia, mood
swings, hallucinations, and homicidal
and suicidal thoughts. Injection can
increase the risk of transmitting hepatitis
B and C and HIV. Prolonged use may lead
to brain damage or death.
U.S. Department of Justice, National
Institute of Justice, May 1999 (NCJ 176331);
and 1998 Annual Report on Methamphetamine
Use Among Arrestees, Research Report,
Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice,
National Institute of Justice, 1999 (NCJ
175660).

I wouldn't want to fall asleep and snore and piss off one of these live wires who ain't goin' to sleep and never wake up. A wrong look to a paranoid is deadly. Things go bump in the night and hallucinations cause reactions. I also doubt if these gents are unarmed. Just my 2 cents

[steve hiker]

This was passed on to me originating from the Georgia AT Club.
There is allegedly a group of thru-hikers headed north on the A.T. that may be using methamphetamines.

Thanks for the info okpic. But I have a more basic question, based on the above quote from attroll. Is there any evidence that there is a gang of meth heads heading north on the A.T.? Who, according to you, are no doubt armed?

DeoreDX thinks she saw a couple of stoners at Blood Mountain last weekend. Okaaaaaay .....

I really don't want to see the peace and solitude of the A.T. disturbed by undercover and uniformed cops, perhaps for many years to come, because of erroneous reports of armed bad boys that "may" be out there.

[smokymtnsteve]

They didn't even notice us approaching them until we passed them on a straight wide section of trail. Hiking down Blood Mountain is not something I'd want to do with my faculties impared.

May I ask a question were you coming up from behind them??

I am almost deaf and can't hear folks coming up behind me, maybe that is why they didn't notice you.


and another question....other than thinking that there my be some meth-heads on the trail ..have thier been any reports of other trouble from them???
or just that they are using meth? have thier been any altercations? do we have an approximate location???

[oruoja]

Having been myself in law enforcement for 23 years and now done with it I can understand the concern of some folks over others being "doped up." However, unless there are serious reports of harassment, theft, etc. by alleged "druggies" I say let them be. Unfortunately, many law enforcement folks could take this generalistic complaint as a "warrant" to roust any hikers who might happen through their jurisdiction. My apologies to any of the common sense oriented and decent cops out there who actually follow solid probable cause doctrine before pushing buttons, but I have seen way too many of the other kind who would salivate uncontrollaby to be able to "jack up" anybody for a "bust". Also, folks remember that many times it's not the average officer's idea to be assertive, but many departments suffer from poor management which really puts the screws to the rank and file to "perform or else". I know, I regretably worked for such an agency. Just remember while on the trail to use your own common sense and if someone or something doesn't appear right, just push on. Trust you instincts and don't worry about being politically correct as your gut feeling feeling could keep you out of harms way. Better safe than sorry!!

[DeoreDX]

DeoreDX thinks she saw a couple of stoners at Blood Mountain last weekend. Okaaaaaay .....

First off I'm a he...

and I've been around stoned people enough in my life to know when a couple of guys are lit up on pot. The visual signs... and smells were all there. I'm not saying it's a bad thing or good thing., I personally do not care what someone else does it's their life. I know I wouldn't want to scramble down a pretty rocky trail high on dope. I had a hard enough time sitting in a chair after using the stuff.

[DeoreDX]

Oh... I've seen plenty a folk sitting around a camp fire with a bowl or a joint... but after lunch descending 1500' in less then 2 miles with a couple of large well loaded external frame packs? One of the guy's sleeping bag had become unrolled and it was dragging along the ground behind him barely clinging to his pack. I told him that his sleeping bag was falling out. He turned around and looked over his left shoulder, the turned and looked over his right shoulder, and then repeated the act a couple of times trying to look at the pack on his back. Not seeing anything he continued on with his sleeping bag dragging the ground precariously attached to his pack by the hood. It was like a scene straight out of a bad sitcom.

[okpik]

I really don't want to see the peace and solitude of the A.T. disturbed by undercover and uniformed cops, perhaps for many years to come, because of erroneous reports of armed bad boys that "may" be out there.

If you are doing nothing wrong, why should law enforcement agents of any kind bother you? These, if they exist, are not pot heads. They are on a very serious drug with all the complications I already mentioned. Armed or not, and I'm sorry for over dramatizing, they are prone to erratic behavior which can be violent. Hike your own hike as the saying goes but why shun help because of some ilbegottened attitude about "The Man"

Besides, the likelyhood of them staying true to any hike is nil, they, like this thread will be gone in no time.

[Lone Wolf]

Meth is a major problem in and around Damascus. Last Wednesday, Federal, State, County and local cops raided a house 4 doors down from me. The idiots were "cooking" as the cops busted in. I hate dopers.

[smokymtnsteve]

First off I'm a he...

I know I wouldn't want to scramble down a pretty rocky trail high on dope. I had a hard enough time sitting in a chair after using the stuff.

and the good part of this deoreDX is that NOBODY is going to make you scramble down a pretty rocky trail high on dope..

isn't freedom wonderful!

[smokymtnsteve]

and another question....other than thinking that there my be some meth-heads on the trail ..have thier been any reports of other trouble from them???
or just that they are using meth? have thier been any altercations? do we have an approximate location???

these are very serious questions .... has anyone heard of any information of problems or altercations by this supposed group??? anyone have any location information?

[bluelight]

I spoke with the law enforcement ranger at Amicalola on March 10th and he said that they were in the Smokies.

[smokymtnsteve]

thanks bluelight...any reports of altercations between this group and other hikers?

[Appalachian Outfitte]

thanks bluelight...any reports of altercations between this group and other hikers?

I heard some hikers were drinking in the Paddlers pub got drunk and went hiking!

[Kozmic Zian]

..........

[Brushy Sage]

I'll probably get slapped around for this: The AT does not offer a free-for-all environment; it is a linear national park, ultimately under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. Some behaviors are seriously illegal; I think meth use is one of them. To me it is in quite a different category from weed (also illegal). Seems to me we might be interested in supporting the law enforcement people wherever possible, and get those hikers off the AT; they are only giving us, and the trail, a bad reputation.

[Blue Jay]

The key word in all this is "allegedly". The last thing we need is a thruhiker Witch Hunt.