FYI - Hiker Heaven closing

imported
#1

FYI - Hiker Heaven is closing…
The following is a FB post by Donna L-Rod Saufley:

“This is a sad day for Hiker Heaven. It has come to our attention from a respected source that our existence as trail hosts is causing a bottleneck on the trail, and problems for hosts and towns upstream of us. This is something that we take quite seriously, especially in light of the ever-growing popularity of the trail and increasing numbers. We have always sought to be part of a solution, not cause anyone a problem of any kind. We tried as much as possible through every means to not impact others, only asking the same in return, but alas. We regretfully announce that Hiker Heaven is henceforth closed and will no longer host hikers (except for Trauma and Pepper who I already told okay). A lot of people have gone to a lot of effort to make this place run (more on that later), and I really can’t ask them to continue if it contributes to issues on the trail. That would be against my principles, without which I am not who I am. I know that Jeff and my family will find this decision to be a great relief, and I look forward to spending the time instead with my new grandson, horses, and bikes. It’s been a grand 18 years, and changed my life. I thank you all for the gift of your friendship, and letting us be a part of your adventure. I will be taking our website down, and recommend hikers send their boxes to Acton Post Office, which is where I will forward any boxes received. You can camp at the Acton KOA ($15 per night). Wishing you all the best.”

A sad day, indeed…

Jim (PITA)

#2

Donna and Jeff. Kindest people on the planet. Period.

bowlegs

#3

I blame Wild.

toots

#4

More likely due to the constant and ever growing PCT hiker bubble caused and encouraged by the PCT groupies who put on the PCT kickoff. Since at least 2008 they refused to consider timing and impact on the real workhorses uptrail (trail angels and places like Hiker Heaven).

Apparently holding court and selling their wares was more important to the kick off committee than was the health of the trail.

Kick offs are a horrible idea on any trail. The PCT especially given the first section (700 miles) already encourages a herd movement due to water and resupply options.

Maybe some of the kick off organizers can go back to graffitti’ing up other trails. I am just ending my Te Araroa walk and noticed none of the huts along the trail have super-duper-famous hiker names scrawled all over them. What an opportunity for the who’s-who of hiker land!

Jason

#5

Well then the Saufleys could have used the PCTKOP as leverage, arguing for its dissolution or at least relocation to Kennedy Meadows. I never understood why, if the need is primarily to have a party and vendor opportunity - AND actually help the hikers too - KM wasn’t considered a better locale all around. The Sierra entry is the place you actually want a bit of a herd to help fortify the ranks in advance of challenging terrain and snow ahead. Everyone arrives on their own schedule, and the date is set around the time of the current KO based on yearly Sierra snowpack tallies. Seems like a no-brainer to me. And presumably they could host this “Kennedy Meadows Conclave” in a more flexible way, without the current need to schedule so far in advance (their current excuse for making it late April each year regardless of the snow situation).

toots

#6

Good idea Toots but sadly similar options have been offered and the PCT kick off refused to budge. What the kickoff wants (and by that I mean its organizers, one in particular) is maximum audience. I went to it in 2008 not realizing how bad it was and how bad it would become. The kick off wants to sell as much stuff as possible and in 2008 I noticed how a small subset of PCT groupies enjoyed celebrity status.

It was all the opposite of what the kickoff was orginally started for.

Trail Days on the AT does a better job (but I avoid it too, too many wippies!).

Your points above are all excellent, problem would be finding the land to use as I think most of KM is private or not setup for large scale use). Then you have the hurdle of the outsized egos of the Kick Off crew to overcome.

Did you know the AT had a kick off too? It’s been arpund longer and doesnt create a herd (tradition creates that on the AT) but the AT kickoff is still a bad idea.

I would have much rather seen the end of the PCT Groupie, err, Kick Off then the end of a great service like Hiker Heaven. But the kick off does it for themselves, Hiker Heaven did it for the hikers.

If you search the internet you’ll find out who is the real problem here.

Jason

#8

Nothing inherently wrong with a herd - the issue is where the herd gathers at night. And the PCT folks are nothing compared to southbound JMT hikers in Aug. Laura, the then resident ranger at Tyndall Creek told me a few years ago she counted over seventy hikers camped around the bear box one Aug night. Another local example - between Mulkey Pass and Onion Valley, I’ve camped at 38 different sites over 25 years - only a couple of which were dry camps. Perhaps the published PCT gurus might point out that with bear canisters, one can camp almost anywhere along the high-pass section of the trail. For the section referenced, most PCT hikers would channeled to only Chicken Springs, Rock Creek, Crabtree, Wallace Creek, Tyndall or Vidette Meadows, mainly because of bear boxes.

booger