Trail Magic.

[MadRiver]

My wife and I are AMC trail adopters and have recently switched trails with our section leader and now maintain a section of the AT. Our section is the beginning of the Webster Cliff Trail that crosses route 302 after emerging from the Pemigewasset wilderness.

Given the various opinions on trail magic that I have read on a number of hiking boards, I was wondering what the consensus would be if my wife and I placed a cooler of soda and fresh fruit long the trail while we did trail maintenance. It would be self-serve so if you found trail magic to hinder your “wilderness experience” you could simply ignore the offering and continue your hike. If, however, a cold soda and fresh fruit would be of your liking, then help yourself. Any thoughts?

[Jack Tarlin]

I think this would be a kind and generous thing to do, as long as you made sure to retrieve the empties and any other trash that might accumulate.

There are those who dis-approve of such things, but Trail magic, if done at or adjacent to a Trailhead, and done in such a way that it doesn't interere with anyone else's enjoyment of the woods or Trail, can hardly be considered a bad thing.

Anyone who's not interested in your kindness can simply disregard your treats and keep hiking. Others will bless you.

Oh, last idea. Along with the cooler, you might want to include a small register in a ziplock bag.....I think you'll enjoy hearing from some of the folks who happily discover what you've left for them.

P.S. I expect to be in that neck of the woods sometime in late August or early September, so if you do follow thru on this, thanx in advance!

[Alligator]

It would be responsible to make your container critter proof, in particular, bear proof.

Anyone partaking in trail magic should be responsible enough to carry out the resulting trash.

I was thankful for two instances of trail magic on my last hike. To whoever maintains the truck box (bear proofed) just over the top of Pochuck Mt., THANKS for the juice pouch.
and

MANY THANKS to Desperado for the soda and fruit pie, got a chance to meet him as he was making his rounds. 400 calories and some caffeine woohoo :clap .

[Rain Man]

My daughter Grass is in VT, about to enter NH within the week. Spoke to her yesterday and a bright part of her report was some soft drinks left in a cage in a stream, with a sign.

You betcha... the hikers I know of out there in the woods LOVE an unexpected cool soft drink. Fruit too.

You got my vote, on behalf of "Grass."
:banana
Rain Man

.

[Chip]

Great Idea !!!! My wife & I maintain the section from Garenflo Gap to the Deerpark Shelter (just south of Hot Springs, NC). We carry Snicker bars with us to give the hikers we meet as we work on the trail. Those candy bars go fast !

Thanks for the great idea !
Chip :)

[Jack Tarlin]

Rain Man--

If Grass or any of her friends need anything or have any problems when they get to Hanover, have them get in touch, I'm fairly easy to locate. Lemme know when you think they're actually arriving in town and I'll keep an eye out for them.

[Rain Man]

If Grass or any of her friends need anything or have any problems when they get to Hanover, have them get in touch, I'm fairly easy to locate. Lemme know when you think they're actually arriving in town and I'll keep an eye out for them.

Thanks so much for the offer, Jack. She'll almost certainly be with Uncle Ben.

I spoke to her on the morning of the 29th. She was at the Back Home Again Commune & Hostel in Rutland. She had made it to Killington on the 28th and hitched to Rutland. She was to be back on the trail that afternoon.

She and Uncle Ben plan a ZERO day in Hanover at the home of a friend of Longshot's. Don't know if that helps you or not on when and where she'll be, but it might be right about now. If you'll PM me a phone number or how to contact you, I'll email it to her, in case she checks her email.

If she calls, I'll give her your message.
:clap
Rain Man

.

[ffstenger]

I have come across various forms of trail magic on my section hikes, both along the trail or from other hikers or humans near the trail. These are some of the most charished memories of hiking the AT. I am amazed at how such a simple item or gesture offered can have such a profound impact on ones emotions. We hike on the trail living with just the basic necessities and oh how we learn to appreciate lifes simple pleasures. When I start a hike, when I'm ending a hike, or during a hike if the opportunity arises I try to impart a little trail magic to whom ever I chance to meet..... bring on the magic!!:cool:
Showme

[Jaybird]

MadRiver:

Thank You & your wife for your hard work & diligent efforts in maintaining the trail...whatever section you're on.

as for the "trail magic"...it's ALWAYS appreciated!
Thanks Again! :D

[MOWGLI]

Given the various opinions on trail magic that I have read on a number of hiking boards, I was wondering what the consensus would be if my wife and I placed a cooler of soda and fresh fruit long the trail while we did trail maintenance.

MadRiver, I think that you are an example for others. Help maintaining the trail is probably the best form of "Trail Magic" that you can offer to the hiking community. I have fond memories of an ATC Crew building a series of rock steps in Maine, and passing out bags of M&Ms to the passing thru-hikers. Similarly, RAT is a Trail Magician and a trail maintainer for the Carolina Mountain Club.

For those of you thinking about performing some sort of trail magic, please give some consideration to spending a day or a week working with a trail crew to help maintain our trails. If you have a cooler with you and pass out cold beverages or a piece of fruit to passing hikers, that is a nice gesture that will be appreciated by many.

Here in the SE it takes alot of work to "brush out" the trails during the summer months. Vegetation just grows & grows down here. Most NOBO thru-hikers don't see that because you're out of the SE before the heat & humidity get ramped up.

Little Bear

[TakeABreak]

Trail magic is always cool, I lived in Cullowhee, NC (near Franklin)before my 2000 thru hike, and afterwardss for a year. I did as much trail magic as I could and the hikers all enjoyed it very much. As people above said, I always removed the trash and hung a bag from the mirror on the side of truck (at the trail head while hiking or doing maintenance) for hikers trash.

I would carry different types of candy bars or sweet from the bakery, every hiker I met was absolutely gratefull for the treat. especially since that area was not the easiest resupply point and they were trying to stretch what they had left.

While doing my thru hike the trail magic always seemed to come just when I needed it most. Although I do not drink soda pop, people left oranges in springs, and fanny pack left peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in a cooler at stream with soda's. He put a HUGE rock on the cooler to keep critters out.

Don't be surprised if you find coins or dollar bills in a zip lock stuck in the cooler. I know you do not expect anything from the hikers, but I like the hikers I was playing leap frog with, would leave change or 1 dollar bills in the coolers to help offset their cost and say thank you.