PErhaps, just perhaps, people through hike with no environmental agenda whatsoever. I'd hazard the guess that the vast majority of through hikers ARE such people, interested in the hike or the journey and not on any kind of crusade toward any end other than self discovery.

This poll has no good answer, as far as I see it. And how does hiking a trail through help save the enironment? Hell, hiking the AT in parts of NJ, NY and PA (DelWaGap area specifically) has caused one hell of a lot more harm than good to the trail over the past couple decades. (improvements being made all the time of course). Perhaps those that are hiking the lesser know trails, those less charted are more 'environmentally' conscious than others.

There's always hiking for the sake of hiking ya know.

you forgot a category:they are just people going out for a walk.

If you've got the time why not? Though given there are hundreds of people at any given moment on any of the various through hiking trails like the PCT, CDT, or AT, any message will be lost in the noise. If you're serious about spreading awareness, do something different. Like through hike the world.

If you've got the time why not? Though given there are hundreds of people at any given moment on any of the various through hiking trails like the PCT, CDT, or AT, any message will be lost in the noise. If you're serious about spreading awareness, do something different. Like through hike the world.

If you've got the time why not? Though given there are hundreds of people at any given moment on any of the various through hiking trails like the PCT, CDT, or AT, any message will be lost in the noise. If you're serious about spreading awareness, do something different. Like through hike the world.

x - They are just out for a walk/challenge/experience/journey

Newsflash! They are just normal people with no agenda at all. They just like to get off their ass and do something they can be proud of.

Jeez, it's really bumming me out that a lot of you guys think that through-hikers are a little out there!!! Whoa.

And yes, long-slog hiking is very much about dealing with the self - self improvement, self esteem, health (mental & physical). But if there were no hikers, there'd be no demand for trails, and less of a demand for wild lands to stay wild. And that, people, is why ALL hikers are helping to save our wilderness environment!

Just hiking won't help I guess. There can be people who hike just for fun and don't contribute to environmental cause at all. They may be harming it by dumping thrash in the wild. So unless hiking is accompanied by some activity (like recording the biodiversity, environmental impact etc.) which supports a cause I won't be very excited about it.

QUOTE: Perhaps, just perhaps, people through hike with no environmental agenda whatsoever. I'd hazard the guess that the vast majority of through hikers ARE such people, interested in the hike or the journey and not on any kind of crusade toward any end other than self discovery.

Bingo. I'm pedalling the TransAmerica Trail next year, for pretty much that very reason.

Yep, agreed with many of you folks..

a) They's just out for a walk, with no agenda except to enjoy themselves. (generally speaking)

b) They're probably doing more environmental harm than good via the impact of park rangers/employees maintaining trails with vehicles (usually ATV's) and landscaping tools (which use gas or other fuels). Also, in order to maintain hiking trails park employees often have to build roads too so that vehicles can access the hiking trails for maintenance.

c) The destruction of trees, plants, animal habitats, and possibly the animals themselves, to CREATE and maintain these trails.

d) Hikers are definitely not the reason why governments go out of their way to conserve nature. In fact, most serious conservation projects BAN hikers from the conservation area in order to protect it.

The thing about this survey that caught my attention is the grammar in choice number three.

The word "then" needs to be replaced with "than".

You guys are starting to sound like the people at slashdot: nitpicking every detail of every post that goes up, complaining about whether or not a post is treehugger enough, adding nothing positive to overall post and just generally bringing down the class of this site with all of your negative comments. I thought trehuggers were better than that, but I guess not.

What a disappointment.

treehugger,
You misspelled "treehuggers" in your last post.

The fact that they are spending 8 months not driving is one benefit to the environment. They are also promoting the idea of self-powered travel. People need to be reminded that walking is healthy, driving (however convenient) is not.