the down side of Scott Jurek's record AT hike-- Baxter state park condemnation

[jersey joe]

On that we completely agree. There seems to be much that indicates that Scott is a good guy. His silence is confusing. The timing of his latest post could be construed as a rebuttal to the littering charge. If so, it would seem to indicate the odds of him assuming any responsibility. His fans are trashing BSP. His silence is troubling.

His silence isn't troubling to me or confusing. His silence is him taking the high road and not stooping to the level of BSP.
His trash post is an excellent way of pointing out that he didn't purposely litter anywhere on the AT.
His hike is way bigger than just BSP.

[Donde]

I wonder, just how many of you who are calling for the AT to be removed from BSP have actually done a thru and/or summited Katahdin previously. I for one, have YET to make it up there, so I'm not happy about all this talk that it should end before the park.

Honestly, it kind of sounds like "well I've already been there, so shut it down".

Just wanted to chime in on the side of people who haven't made it up there yet.

Nobody is saying you can't climb Big K. What they saying is that you will have to make a reservation for a lean to or do day use out of Millinocket.....just like everybody else. BSP has given thru-hikers special treatment and some thru-hikers have responded by crapping all over BSPs rules.

[Donde]

His hike is way bigger than just BSP.

Yeah everybody's hike is way bigger than BSP or GSMNP or the rules for the Whitney Zone if you are out west. We all so darn special, and these rule makers need to get with the program and realize they are just making a cameo in our movie.

[Donde]

You (not you personally, of course) don't know who is a vet struggling with PTSD.
.

Therapy dogs are not the same thing as a service animal, and having one doesn't verify that stuff is legit. Some of the therapy dogs for vet orginazations out there are rife with fraud, and a PTSD dog is the accessory of choice for the stolen valor crowd. about 15% (per VA and millenium cohort numbers) of deployed vets have a diagnosis. don't beleive everything some guy with a dog and a patch tells you. Sorry for the rant, but I'm a little tired of people (not that you did this it just reminded me of it) assuming (especially in job interviews) I and all my friends must be mentally ill since I was a soldier.

[X-Pat]

Therapy dogs are not the same thing as a service animal, and having one doesn't verify that stuff is legit. Some of the therapy dogs for vet orginazations out there are rife with fraud, and a PTSD dog is the accessory of choice for the stolen valor crowd. about 15% (per VA and millenium cohort numbers) of deployed vets have a diagnosis. don't beleive everything some guy with a dog and a patch tells you. Sorry for the rant, but I'm a little tired of people (not that you did this it just reminded me of it) assuming (especially in job interviews) I and all my friends must be mentally ill since I was a soldier.

I don't disagree with you at all. Still, I'd rather let a fraudulent "Service Dog" owner slide than accusing a real one of fraud.

[rocketsocks]

Yeah everybody's hike is way bigger than BSP or GSMNP or the rules for the Whitney Zone if you are out west. We all so darn special, and these rule makers need to get with the program and realize they are just making a cameo in our movie.

Yup, the me crowd...You forgot this

[tdoczi]

Yeah everybody's hike is way bigger than BSP or GSMNP or the rules for the Whitney Zone if you are out west. We all so darn special, and these rule makers need to get with the program and realize they are just making a cameo in our movie.

beat me to it.

[BirdBrain]

His silence isn't troubling to me or confusing. His silence is him taking the high road and not stooping to the level of BSP.
His trash post is an excellent way of pointing out that he didn't purposely litter anywhere on the AT.
His hike is way bigger than just BSP.

So, BSP contacts Scott's team and communicates the rules. Scott and his team ignore said rules and this translates into him taking the high road. Furthermore his hike is way bigger than just BSP. Anyone else down with that logic?

[MuddyWaters]

So, BSP contacts Scott's team and communicates the rules. Scott and his team ignore said rules and this translates into him taking the high road. Furthermore his hike is way bigger than just BSP. Anyone else down with that logic?

I think the best thing SJ could do, is to publicly apologize for the actions of himself, his crew, and supporters, whether sincere or not .
He can blame it all on his abuse of alcohol, and say he will seek treatment, like all public figures do when caught doing something bad.

[BirdBrain]

Yeah everybody's hike is way bigger than BSP or GSMNP or the rules for the Whitney Zone if you are out west. We all so darn special, and these rule makers need to get with the program and realize they are just making a cameo in our movie.

This is why the AT crowd and BSP are on a crash course. These people actually think this stuff makes sense.

[BirdBrain]

I think the best thing SJ could do, is to publicly apologize for the actions of himself, his crew, and supporters, whether sincere or not .

Not a snowballs chance in hell this new ambassador for the trail has it in him to even make a fake apology. According to BSP via NPR this was a willful premeditated plan to violate the communicated rules. He obviously believes as his groupies believe that his hike is way bigger than BSP.

[Sly]

Yeah everybody's hike is way bigger than BSP or GSMNP or the rules for the Whitney Zone if you are out west. We all so darn special, and these rule makers need to get with the program and realize they are just making a cameo in our movie.

When I climbed Whitney in '99 there were a bunch of chill people up there spread over the summit when I saw someone approaching whip out there cell phone, and I thought now it's over. The next thing I hear is a very loud, "You'll never guess where I am?" My wilderness experience was over, and I headed down.

Now nearly everyone carries a cell phone and can post online to Facebook, and YouTube. Wilderness has taken a hit, and BSP may be fighting an uphill battle they can't contain, even after throwing out AT Hikers.

[Donde]

When I climbed Whitney in '99 there were a bunch of chill people up there spread over the summit when I saw someone approaching whip out there cell phone, and I thought now it's over. The next thing I hear is a very loud, "You'll never guess where I am?" My wilderness experience was over, and I headed down.

Now nearly everyone carries a cell phone and can post online to Facebook, and YouTube. Wilderness has taken a hit, and BSP may be fighting an uphill battle they can't contain, even after throwing out AT Hikers.

I was fortunate to have an excellent summit in time for sunrise and the dozen or so folks up there didn't make a sound for about 30 minutes. However back down in lone pine bunch of PCTers who came down cottonwood, talking about going up Whitney Portal and wouldn't even go down to the visitors center and try to get a permit (which wasn't hard to do), at least three of them said if they got caught they would tell them they were thru hikers. Several people were also gettin' tossed from motels at the time. This was about 3 weeks ago.

[imscotty]

When I climbed Whitney in '99 there were a bunch of chill people up there spread over the summit when I saw someone approaching whip out there cell phone, and I thought now it's over. The next thing I hear is a very loud, "You'll never guess where I am?" My wilderness experience was over, and I headed down.

Now nearly everyone carries a cell phone and can post online to Facebook, and YouTube. Wilderness has taken a hit, and BSP may be fighting an uphill battle they can't contain, even after throwing out AT Hikers.

Thank you for your post Sly. I've been sectioning the LT lately. My experience on Camels Hump vs Mount Mansfield was night and day. The summit of Camels Hump, which you have to earn, was a beautiful reverent experience, even though I shared it with a dozen other hikers. The summit of Mansfield, where they gave a gondola, was filled with boisterous and rude people, incongruous with the setting.

Part of HYOH is making sure your hike does not distract or infringe on the hike of others. I have a JMT hike scheduled this summer. I hope that other hikers allow me to enjoy the sanctity of that place,

[TheCheek]

BSP has given thru-hikers special treatment and some thru-hikers have responded by crapping all over BSPs rules.

or, in some cases, crapping all over the trail itself.

http://bangordailynews.com/2015/07/0...-with-success/

A shame they'd even have to tackle this kind of problem in the first place. Of course, not sure how much of this is due to the AT....

[jersey joe]

So, BSP contacts Scott's team and communicates the rules. Scott and his team ignore said rules and this translates into him taking the high road. Furthermore his hike is way bigger than just BSP. Anyone else down with that logic?

His hike is literally bigger than BSP.
His statement didn't address littering in just BSP but rather the entire AT(including Baxter).
"I packed out ALL my trash on the AT..."

And breaking the rules isn't taking the high road. If he did in fact break any rules, he's got to own up to that.
Not responding to the embarrassing and petty FB post by BSP is taking the high road.

[rocketsocks]

His silence isn't troubling to me or confusing. His silence is him taking the high road and not stooping to the level of BSP.
His trash post is an excellent way of pointing out that he didn't purposely litter anywhere on the AT.
His hike is way bigger than just BSP.

So, BSP contacts Scott's team and communicates the rules. Scott and his team ignore said rules and this translates into him taking the high road. Furthermore his hike is way bigger than just BSP. Anyone else down with that logic?

Went to bed not knowing how to respond to this one, woke up...and I'm still shaking my head in disbelief.

[rocketsocks]

His hike is literally bigger than BSP.
His statement didn't address littering in just BSP but rather the entire AT(including Baxter).
"I packed out ALL my trash on the AT..."

And breaking the rules isn't taking the high road. If he did in fact break any rules, he's got to own up to that.
Not responding to the embarrassing and petty FB post by BSP is taking the high road.

lets review...

lit·ter
/ˈlidər/
noun

1. trash, such as paper, cans, and bottles, that is left lying in an open or public place.

   synonyms:

   garbage, refuse, junk, waste, debris, scraps, leavings; More

2. the group of young animals born to an animal at one time.

   synonyms:

   brood, family

3. material forming a surface-covering layer, in particular.
4. a vehicle containing a bed or seat enclosed by curtains and carried on men's shoulders or by animals.

   synonyms:

   sedan chair, palanquin, stretcher

verb

1. make (a place) untidy with rubbish or a large number of objects left lying about.
2. provide (a horse or other animal) with litter as bedding.

So, dumping a liter of fermented grapes would seem to fall into the catagory of untidiness...hey...blame Webster.

[rocketsocks]

lit·ter
/ˈlidər/
noun

1. trash, such as paper, cans, and bottles, that is left lying in an open or public place.

   synonyms:

   garbage, refuse, junk, waste, debris, scraps, leavings; More

2. the group of young animals born to an animal at one time.

   synonyms:

   brood, family

3. material forming a surface-covering layer, in particular.
4. a vehicle containing a bed or seat enclosed by curtains and carried on men's shoulders or by animals.

   synonyms:

   sedan chair, palanquin, stretcher

verb

1. make (a place) untidy with rubbish or a large number of objects left lying about.
2. provide (a horse or other animal) with litter as bedding.

My bad, this seems to fit better.


and as far as his hike being bigger than BSP, well, still shaking my head. trying to figure out what that even means.

[Offshore]

His silence isn't troubling to me or confusing. His silence is him taking the high road and not stooping to the level of BSP.
His trash post is an excellent way of pointing out that he didn't purposely litter anywhere on the AT.
His hike is way bigger than just BSP.

Not sure if its the high road or just waiting/hoping for it to blow over. One thing you can be sure of is that if he does comment, any comments would have been vetted by his sponsors. They have a stake in the public's perception of this event and any effects on their brand - especially now that the story seems to be gaining legs and is being covered outside of specialty sites and blogs.