Is ATC the problem

[soilman]

Recently there have been posts in several threads stating that ATC is at fault for the increasing popularity of the trail, the increased numbers of long distance hikers, and the problems associated with these numbers. I have been an ATC member for 38 years, a life member for 34 years. I do not recall the ATC ever actively promoting long distance or thru hiking any more than they promote day hiking. To place the blame on the increased popularity of the trail on the ATC is misdirected. I think the increase in popularity is more than the result of selling t-shirts and coffee mugs with the ATC logo. Let's face it, there would be no trail and no ATC without hikers. So it is ridiculous to accuse the ATC of being responsible for challenges now being faced on and along the trail.

[ALLEGHENY]

NO. It's Al gore's fault

[Mags]

Social media, sites like WB, population growth, the AT replacing "backpacking Europe" as the cool/epic thing to do post-college, traditional media....

Not any one reason.

[Dad]

Am I confused about something? It would help me to know if we as a “trail community” want the trail to be a relatively well-kept secret or to promote it as a wonderful resource to be used and enjoyed by as many people as possible. Over the years of being a hiker and therefore involved in various online trail related sites, and also a member of the ATC, it seems that we are almost evangelistic about promoting the trail and ensuring its future by getting as many people as possible involved – think get-togethers, classroom programs, trail community programs, etc. Yet we have discussions about over use and “blame”. Really now, I’m not trying to be a smart alec about this – I just want to know.

We shouldn’t be surprised about springtime bringing thru hikers, and the vacation season bringing section and day hikers. We can’t have participation in trail maintenance and financial support without people knowing about it, but if they know about it and like it, they’ll want to enjoy it. Please help me understand.

[Starchild]

Partly yes, partly no. I believe the preservation of the wilderness is part of what is needed, it is also the oneness with humanity that is the heart of the AT (regardless of the initial conditions, things change and evolve).

The ATC has allowed such things at Appalachian Trail Communities and that is part of the evolution that the AT would become, that union of nature and us that brings out the best of humanity and spreads that to other areas of the globe once received.

So yes the ATC as assisted the evolution of the AT, and if you want wildreness solitude, you will not like this direction of evolution, but if you like a better kinder humanity then this evolution is and has always been in the right direction.

Do I believe ATC purposefully lead the AT there? NO, the AT lead the ATC there as that was the ultimate purpose of the trail.

Yes I take the trail as a living spirit and the hikers as 'her' children.

[full conditions]

Sooooo....if you actually take the time to look at the ATC's website and publications, there is nothing there promoting the idea of thru hiking the trail at all. Zero. Nothing. There are some interesting itineraries listed as alternate ways of thru hiking that simultaneously have the advantage of alleviating the crowding in the south in the spring while maximizing the hiker's enjoyment. These suggested itineraries are in no way an endorsment of thru hiking nor a way of encouraging thru hiking. For the longest time, the ATC did very little in the way of thru hiker recognition or record keeping - it was all pretty minimal and fairly ad hoc. And, to this day, they still have no interest in speed hikes or records. The primary interest of the ATC has always been in preserving the integrity of the trail and its environment. The ATC's biggest responsibility has been as a central command post to help coordinate the activities of the various trail clubs and as a liaison with the National Park Service. The change in names only reflects the ATC's commitment to insuring the well being of the mountains through which the trail runs. Anyone who thinks the ATC is some nefarious shadow group bent on world domination or lining the pockets of it's super secret directors or, is somehow responsible for the misbehavior of hikers in Baxter State Park, is just bat-crap crazy delusional.

[Coffee]

Also the post-2008 economy. There hasn't been much opportunity cost for a young person to take 5-6 months off after graduating from high school or college. Decent jobs except for specific skill sets have been nonexistent so the opportunity cost (in terms of lost wages) of taking 6 months off isn't very high for many people. So why not hike the AT instead? It is an entirely rational response. I suspect that an improving economy will act to somewhat lower thru hiker numbers, although this is only one factor of many so the effect could be swamped by other things.

[Just Bill]

So it is ridiculous to accuse the ATC of being responsible for challenges now being faced on and along the trail.

Yes 10

[colorado_rob]

... To place the blame on the increased popularity of the trail on the ATC is misdirected.

"Blame" implies that increased popularity is a bad thing. Not sure why folks keep saying that less is better for this fantastic pastime (long distance hiking). MORE is better, meaning more and more of us precious human beings are enjoying this thing. Sure, there might have to be a few adjustments to accommodate the increasing numbers, this is fine, and it sure looks like the ATC is on the "problem". Good for them.

[Coffee]

"Blame" implies that increased popularity is a bad thing. Not sure why folks keep saying that less is better for this fantastic pastime (long distance hiking). MORE is better, meaning more and more of us precious human beings are enjoying this thing. Sure, there might have to be a few adjustments to accommodate the increasing numbers, this is fine, and it sure looks like the ATC is on the "problem". Good for them.

I think that many people want the trails, infrastructure, and access that comes with a popular trail but without the people. And that actually can be achieved most of time time since the AT isn't crowded in most places most of the time.

[The Old Chief]

Also the post-2008 economy. There hasn't been much opportunity cost for a young person to take 5-6 months off after graduating from high school or college. Decent jobs except for specific skill sets have been nonexistent so the opportunity cost (in terms of lost wages) of taking 6 months off isn't very high for many people. So why not hike the AT instead? It is an entirely rational response. I suspect that an improving economy will act to somewhat lower thru hiker numbers, although this is only one factor of many so the effect could be swamped by other things.

I can remember questions about whether to hike while young or wait until retirement many times on this site. That decision has been made for many by the economy. And I also remember questions about health insurance while hiking, another problem taken care of now that you can remain on your parents health insurance through your 26th birthday. Like it or not the young don't have to grow up as fast as they did 30 years ago.

[Old Grouse]

NO. It's Al gore's fault

That's rediculous. It's Mark Sanford's fault.

[Mags]

I should add that I too, would not use the word "blame"...just saying there are multiple reasons for the popularity of the longer trails themselves and not any one reason.

Cheers!

[ALLEGHENY]

For me personally I blame Woody.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bphP7Hh_gxU

[soilman]

I should add that I too, would not use the word "blame"...just saying there are multiple reasons for the popularity of the longer trails themselves and not any one reason.

Cheers!

One definition of blame is "to hold responsible." What I was trying to say is that the ATC should not be held responsible for the increasing bad behavior of hikers because of the popularity of the trail.

[Lone Wolf]

i "blame" facebook, hiker journals and other websites where hikers show pics and write how they snuck dogs in, drank in hostels, etc

[QHShowoman]

I agree with Lone Wolf on this. I think that the popularity of thru-hiking the AT has likely increased due to the ease of accessing information on the Internet about thru-hiking, the AT, and backpacking in general. It's broken down a lot of the barriers that used to deter people from backpacking in the past.

[Dogwood]

Playing the blame game is a waste of resources. Don't feed into it. Cooperation among MANY is mandatory to enjoy anything that the AT might represent. The ATC, more than anyone, intimately understands this.

[canoe]

Popular books like walk in the woods, now in movie form, wild etc are extremely influential to making the trail the cool thing to do. I remember when the movie a River Runs Through came out the popularity of mountain trout fishing exploded for years. Where I used to fish all day without seeing anyone following the release of that movie there would be 5 people fishing. Its now been 25yrs since that movie was released and populations on the streams are returning back to lower levels. So with the releases of hiking movies we will increase numbers on the trail for many years to come.

[imscotty]

I blame Benton Mackaye, he started all this.