Page 1 of 5 1 2 3 4 5 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 98
  1. #1
    Registered User jdc5294's Avatar
    Join Date
    06-23-2011
    Location
    Fort Carson, Colorado
    Age
    32
    Posts
    247

    Default will Wild ruin the next couple hiking seasons?

    This is actually something that was brought up in one of the AT forums. If you don't know there's a movie being made based off of Cheryl Strayed's book, and some people are thinking it'll cause an influx of people who have no business being out there trying to hike the PCT anyway. Thought it would make a good discussion.

    Before I give my thoughts, I'd like to mention another movie called The Way, which in short is about a man hiking the Camino de Santiago. While it was (in my opinion) a fantastic movie it didn't get a lot of exposure and I don't think it caused a huge glut of people on that trail either.

    First off I think this movie seems like it might have a larger audience, more blatantly a thing of self discovery and adventure which will appeal to more people. Nothing wrong with that, it's just more accessible. But in the end I think that a lot of people entertain the thought of doing something like this without actually doing it, and just seeing a movie with Reese Witherspoon in it won't push too many more people over that line who wouldn't have done it anyway from reading about it and doing research. And of that small group, probably an above average amount won't be adequately prepared and drop out near the beginning. Anyway, would like to hear your thoughts.
    There's no reward at the end for the most miserable thru-hiker.
    After gear you can do a thru for $2,000.
    No training is a substitute for just going and hiking the AT. You'll get in shape.

  2. #2
    ...Or is it Hiker Trash? Almost There's Avatar
    Join Date
    10-01-2005
    Location
    Woodstock, GA
    Age
    49
    Posts
    2,454
    Images
    17

    Default

    You might have more people start, but I think the desert will knock a lot of people out early...my biggest worry would be people stealing water caches, but even that I don't think you have to worry about. Walk in the Woods increased traffic on the AT, but there are also more towns, people, social experience. In the end, you might see an uptick but I don't think it will be anything serious...the romance of the adventure is quickly quashed for most, especially the ill-prepared.
    Walking Dead Bear
    Formerly the Hiker Known as Almost There

  3. #3
    PCT, Sheltowee, Pinhoti, LT , BMT, AT, SHT, CDT, TRT 10-K's Avatar
    Join Date
    10-30-2007
    Location
    Erwin, TN
    Age
    62
    Posts
    8,492

    Default

    Hard to say but if I had to guess I'd say that barring a heavy snow year next year it's almost certain that more people will attempt to hike the entire PCT than previous years and the movie Wild will be one of the reasons.

    I think one of the reasons more people are hiking this year is because it's a low snow year.....

  4. #4
    Registered User
    Join Date
    06-10-2005
    Location
    Bedford, MA
    Posts
    12,678

    Default

    "Wild" was published a couple years ago, wasn't it? I liked "The Way." I mean, nothing much in common with the AT except the pilgrimage and the camaraderie aspect. It's just walkin... I stayed at my share of youth hostels in Europe (what, 40 years ago?) so no need to do that trip again.

    Possible that the "Wild" will do for the PCT what Bryson's did for the AT, who knows? Bryson's hike was almost 20 years ago. Time flies.

  5. #5

    Default

    "A walk in the woods" caused an increase in AT hikes after it was published. After a documentry about the AT was aired in Germany, there were a lot of Germans on the AT last year. The Way might have inspired more then a few to travel to Spain and hike the Camino.

    So, a main stream film about hiking the PCT would no doubt have a noticable effect on the amount of traffic on the PCT too.
    Follow slogoen on Instagram.

  6. #6
    Registered User
    Join Date
    02-04-2013
    Location
    Washington, DC
    Posts
    4,316

    Default

    Wild (the movie) is going to inevitably boost interest in the PCT for the 2015 season. Whether this comes in the form of thru hikers or section hikers is the big question. We should remember that Wild is not an account of a thru hike at all but rather a long section hike. Will the movie portray it that way? Or will the details be glossed over? I don't know but we will soon find out.
    HST/JMT August 2016
    TMB/Alps Sept 2015
    PCT Mile 0-857 - Apr/May 2015
    Foothills Trail Feb 2015
    Colorado Trail Aug 2014
    AT: Rockfish Gap to Boiling Springs 2014
    John Muir Trail Aug/Sept 2013

  7. #7
    Wanna-be hiker trash
    Join Date
    03-05-2010
    Location
    Connecticut
    Age
    42
    Posts
    6,922
    Images
    78

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Slo-go'en View Post
    "A walk in the woods" caused an increase in AT hikes after it was published. After a documentry about the AT was aired in Germany, there were a lot of Germans on the AT last year. The Way might have inspired more then a few to travel to Spain and hike the Camino.

    So, a main stream film about hiking the PCT would no doubt have a noticable effect on the amount of traffic on the PCT too.
    I'm preparing to brace for the onslaught on the A.T. once the "A Walk in The Woods" movie comes out in 2015 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1178665/
    Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.

  8. #8
    PCT 2013, most of AT 2011, rest of AT 2014
    Join Date
    11-27-2011
    Location
    Tucson
    Age
    36
    Posts
    778

    Default

    The book pulls no punches in making the PCT sound utterly miserable most of the time; it's not ha-ha funny like A Walk in the Woods. Also there is a near-rape scene, which is every solo hiker's worst nightmare. If you've never been hiking before and all you know is Cheryl Strayed's book, you would not get a positive impression of thru-hiking. Obviously someone with hiking experience will know that a) with the right planning and research and gear, you won't be miserable out there and b) you're very unlikely to be raped, but like I said, you won't know that otherwise if you've just read the book.

    I don't think the book alone is driving up traffic more than the natural growth in the popularity of long-distance hiking is. I didn't meet anyone on the PCT who said they hiked even in part because of the book (although maybe no one would ever admit it if they did). Most people had never read it, which is saying something because it was in the top 5 in nonfiction bestsellers for over a year and spent a long time at #1. Most of the ones who had read it liked it but recognized that it wasn't much of a reflection of a 2013 thru-hike. Then there were the people who hadn't read it or gave up after 20 pages (like they probably do with most books that have big words) and fixated on how they heard that Cheryl Strayed had sex with someone on her hike and so she MUST be a whore. But that's a whole different kettle of cats.

    It would be nice if the upcoming movie adhered to the book's spirit of abject misery and pain to scare people away, but it will probably soften the edges a bit. I believe the movie will be much more responsible for driving up traffic on the trail. Whether you think that's a bad thing depends on your perspective.
    "Hahk your own hahk." - Ron Haven

    "The world is a book, of which those who do not travel read only a page." - St. Augustine

    http://www.scrubhiker.com/

  9. #9
    CF97 > Everything Else.
    Join Date
    09-09-2011
    Location
    Freeport, IL
    Age
    35
    Posts
    291

    Default

    *Gets popcorn*
    "... I know it is wrong, but I am for the spirit that makes young men do the things they do. I am for the glory that they know." --Sigurd Olson, Singing Wilderness.


    AT '12, LT '13, CT '14, PCT '15

  10. #10

    Default

    + A movie site I was looking at the other day had a survey on it. Of 1,200+ respones, only 240+ said they would see the movie "Wild".

    + Fox Searchlight is the production company for Wild.

    + There has been no release date stated other than "2014" and it's April already.

    All of these things suggest to me that the move will be a total non-event. It might be a big hit within the cloistered environment of the hiking community, but I'm strongly suspecting it will be a big *yawn*. Further, I wouldn't be surprised to see it released straight to DVD or after a very, very limited theater release.

    -postholer

  11. #11

    Default

    "and some people are thinking it'll cause an influx of people who have no business being out there trying to hike the PCT anyway"

    Not sure what this means. I will be charitiable and assume you mean unprepared. Yes, there will be more unprepared people. But I don't see how that ruins it.

  12. #12
    Registered User lonehiker's Avatar
    Join Date
    11-18-2005
    Location
    Cheyenne, WY
    Age
    60
    Posts
    1,440

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by jdc5294 View Post
    ....... and some people are thinking it'll cause an influx of people who have no business being out there trying to hike the PCT anyway.
    It's always "some" people.......
    Lonehiker (MRT '22)

  13. #13
    Registered User
    Join Date
    01-16-2011
    Location
    On the trail
    Posts
    3,789
    Images
    3

    Default

    There are already hikers hiking the PCT this year due to the book. I have read at least two accounts that reference the book as a major reason they are hiking the PCT. This will be pretty easy to spot in the numbers. The "wild" effect will likely affect many more women than men. We will see if the ratio of men to women goes down in coming years.

    now, to the original question. No way will it ruin the hiking season. May be a slight annoyance but there are so many ways to avoid the "crush" of wild hikers. Don't start the week of kickoff, same strategy as today.

  14. #14
    Registered User
    Join Date
    02-04-2013
    Location
    Washington, DC
    Posts
    4,316

    Default

    Does anyone think that PCT permit quotas are on the horizon if the trail gets much more popular? The permit process is easy today. No quotas, no worries, but the various land management agencies may start to see an influx of PCT hikers and tighten down. I'm thinking specifically in SEKI and Yosemite.
    HST/JMT August 2016
    TMB/Alps Sept 2015
    PCT Mile 0-857 - Apr/May 2015
    Foothills Trail Feb 2015
    Colorado Trail Aug 2014
    AT: Rockfish Gap to Boiling Springs 2014
    John Muir Trail Aug/Sept 2013

  15. #15
    Registered User
    Join Date
    08-08-2012
    Location
    Taghkanic, New York, United States
    Posts
    3,198
    Journal Entries
    11

    Default

    I was looking at the increase of interest in hiking the PCT as a positive. For me it's not and never will be about just a person's long journey through nature, but a community traveling thru nature.

  16. #16
    Getting out as much as I can..which is never enough. :) Mags's Avatar
    Join Date
    03-15-2004
    Location
    Colorado Plateau
    Age
    49
    Posts
    11,002

    Default

    I know three people who are hiking The Colorado Trail because they were inspired by Wild. Definitely in the demographic: 30 and 40s, female, professionals.

    For various reasons, this book really inspired certain people to get out there and hike.


    Personally I think there will be more people attempting the trail(s), not necessarily completing it. The first few hundred miles may be busier than normal.

    We'll see what happens in 2015 and 2016.
    Paul "Mags" Magnanti
    http://pmags.com
    Twitter: @pmagsco
    Facebook: pmagsblog

    The true harvest of my life is intangible...a little stardust caught,a portion of the rainbow I have clutched -Thoreau

  17. #17
    Registered User
    Join Date
    05-28-2007
    Location
    east
    Age
    77
    Posts
    696

    Default

    This will be my 4th season section hiking the PCT. Last year I thought more young (20-35) women were hiking. Saw "mother goose" in big bear hostel holding court and offering advice.

  18. #18

    Default

    Less people and more of a wilderness experience is the main reason i decided to hike the PCT, For some reason i feel other trails is gonna be more effected than the PCT, I have already meet a dozen females on the AT this year because they read the book WILD, I think the Section-Hiking aspect of it have more of an influx than Thru-Hiking, but now i am thinking a SOBO Canada-Mexico is the direction i should go in 2015.

  19. #19

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by RN-PCT2015 View Post
    Does anyone think that PCT permit quotas are on the horizon if the trail gets much more popular? The permit process is easy today. No quotas, no worries, but the various land management agencies may start to see an influx of PCT hikers and tighten down. I'm thinking specifically in SEKI and Yosemite.
    I think the PCT would need to see about the same numbers as the AT before they would start some kind of Quota system.

  20. #20

    Default

    I don't think the issues will be in the Sierra since so many thru-hikers are going in much earlier then the summer crowds and you have had 700miles to weed out the less committed. The issue will be in SoCal; especially in the Wilderness areas and perhaps State Parks. You have to remember just how many wilderness areas the PCT goes through and all of them have rules about how large a party can be and some have TH quotas. If the amount of traffic starts to very noticeably impact the wilderness experience, you may see some of the public land agencies opting out of the one PCT permit to rule them all scheme. All one has to do is see a couple of the large hiker camps that sometimes form to see the potential harm in a wilderness area. The potential for this is one of the reasons Donna Saufley has been anti-kickoff for many years since more hikers start in a smaller time frame then they might perhaps do otherwise.

Page 1 of 5 1 2 3 4 5 LastLast
++ New Posts ++

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •