New ATC registration makes danger for hikers

imported
#1

I see that we now have about 50 Nobo thru hikers who have already signed in at Springer and many others out there who did not sign in. With this dangerous weather I wonder how many hikers will need to be rescued. One of the possible outcomes of the campaign to spread out the bubble by the ATC and others is to sell the idea of starting so early that more and more hikers will get in serious trouble with dangerous weather. By pushing the idea that NOBO thru’s should avoid starting at the Southern anchor point or if you do, between 15 March and 15 April could be bad. I expect that the Rangers in the Smokey’s are a little nervous right about now.

Francis

#2

The rangers are probably more worried about the weekend hikers and other short term groups who go in the mountains unprepared and have hard schedules that they reserved months ago. Thrus have started to get trail hardened by the Smokey’s and have their gear straightened out by then. Plus they do not have to be any specific place tomorrow so can sit out bad weather if need be.

Big B

#3

You’ve grown into a fine little trailforums troll, Francis. Why it seems like just yesterday you were dispensing what seemed like sage advice to a trusting audience. And now you have a full-grown agenda, paranoid hypotheses, and are quite the indignant little rabble rouser. Best of all, you are certified solution-free. Problem? What problem? Not me, not here, not us. Nope, it’s all on those bad, bad gubmint types running the show. Free market solutions for everybody. Let the hikers congregate in Francis-approved ever huger masses, cuz whatever ATC says hurts the trail’s infrastructure and aesthetics must actually make it stronger.

fern

#4

Sticks and stones can break my bones… The trail rulers are in fact working to spread out the bubble. That’s their stated objective. They started a hiker registration system with a built in quota, voluntary this year. That quota system plus a media push to sell it has in fact, intended or unintended, caused some hikers to depart earlier then they should have. Many of them are stuck in the snow right now. I hope it all works out. I thought all the cyber bullies were on WhiteBlaze?

Francis

#5

Every year people start early.always have .more hikers now so more people out in February. I don’t think its a larger percentage than before. Rabble rouser now that’s a great trail name. Own it

lazy