Tha’ts much higher than it should be. I smell a rat. Park leadership wants to limit the number of thru-hikers by requiring a permit. BSP has placed the Thru-hiker limit at 3,150. While SOBO thru-hikers are pretty much gone the NOBO bubble is spread out over New Hampshire and Vermont. The bulk of AT thru hikers are still well South of Baxter. Rumor has it that a group of local day hikers who climb the mountain many times each Summer has decided to sign in each time with park rangers as thru-hikers so as to run up the number. They collect the permits as a keep sake. In their minds it’s a way to take back the mountain from what they see as the “disrespectful invaders”. There is no control on signing in as a thru-hiker.
BSP reports 1500 AT thru-hikers so far
I can’t believe that they can’t tell the difference between a day hiker and a thru hiker. The condition of the boots, clothes and pack size. Never mind the scrapes and smells. Maybe we need to get a permit from Springer Mtn when we sign in there to turn in to climb Kathadin.
mouldsfn
#3
I think they know full well what is going on. This is all part of the on going conflict between thru-hikers and park leadership and their local followers over the crowding issue. Park leadership is seeking a solution to the impact of too many hikers on the mountain. When they see the ever increasing numbers of thru-hikers behaving poorly in celebration of finishing the trail they want do something. Punish the whole class for the offense of a few. They pushed with a new quota system and the results could well be met with push back by some of the thru-hikers. The hikers will find a way either to game the quota system or do other things to finish the journey. Smart rules are more likely to be obeyed than dumb rules.