paul wrote: ↑Wed Nov 15, 2023 10:28 am
Enjoying your trip report so far.
About those junior rangers in the parking lot demanding your permit and lecturing you. I guess it's good they are checking for permits but yeah it would be better if they did it in the backcountry camps instead of the parking lots. I also have had some young rangers lecturing me about not leaving my socks hanging at camp because an animal will
definitely take it. I know that it's possible but I have yet to have that happen in all my nights in camping.
Agree it is good they are attempting to enforce the regulations, but some common sense would go a long way. I'm sure there was a lot of CDT pressure given the time of year, but one look at me and you could tell I'm no CDT'er (overweight, clean shaven, heavy pack, etc). It was annoying because I just got settled with the heavy pack on, mentally locked in and started my hike - like just getting started on a treadmill then getting immediately interrupted. More than that, it was just a general disappointment as I perceived the rangers I spoke with there had zero practical experience, especially the ranger at the backcountry desk whom I would speculate has never been in the backcountry. A lot of deer in headlights looks. To your point, the anecdotes are all to familiar, along the lines of 'this one time at backcountry camp ...'. I don't think having rangers play entrance ticket cop is helping attract good candidates, retain them and train them either.