I was saddened to here that KY was closing a trail they spent amssive amounts of money cutting and working on…(the jenny wiley trail) or perhaps it is already closed. Backpacking as a declining sport replaced by mountain biking and four wheeling was one of the reasons cited for the impending closure (along with devistation caused by logging vehicles. The same problem faces most of the multi day trails here (Alabama) I found out… while I often day hike my overnight backpacking trips have been limited to traveling to the smokies or returning home to hike roan mtn instead of looking in my own backyard. Personally I hate to think that the trails other than the AT and a few other heavily maintained and over used trails might be all thats left 10 to 20 years from now. So as an act of personally responsibility, and I hope others do this also, I mailed my membership check to the ATC and my local hiking club. Just a thought.
- lostsole
lostsole