Trail angels are wonderful people who aid thru-hikers on their treks by bringing them food and water sometimes miles into the wilderness so they don't have to exit to get replenished. What makes them extra special is that they usually do it out of the kindness of their hearts, and usually they are backpackers themselves or retired backpackers. What's cool is that since they are only backpacking for one day usually, they tend to bring thru-hikers long-yearned for junk food and soda, and sometimes beer. I saw a documentary where a trail angel humped a pretty good sized plastic ice chest up to a junction on the John Muir Trail one season (he might have done it multiple seasons, he nor the documentary film makers specified) and then brought up beer to fill it with. He kept them cold by keeping the ice chest filled with snow, and chatted up the hikers who stopped for a beer (or two, or...).
I've had experiences with trail angels and I agree with a couple of the people interviewed in this Pacific Crest Trail trail angel documentary trailer that they reflect what humanity is suppose to be (paraphrasing them), which is people helping people. An experience that stands out because of a forum post I saw recently is my 2011 John Muir Trail jaunt through Independence when I attempted to continue on after a couple days of healing. When I took a shuttle to Independence from Lone Pine, I intended to hitchhike up to Onion Valley where the Kersarge Pass trailhead leads to the JMT. I ran into a trail angel named Uber Bitch that told me I could wait at her and her husband's motel while she waited for more hikers destined for Onion Valley. A little later we all took a ride up to the Onion Valley campground, which was about a 15-20 minute drive up into the Eastern Sierras, and had a barbeque and campfire and plenty of cold ales throughout the night before beginning on the trail again the next morning.
I was reminded of this because this JMT forum post informed readers that a motel in Independence was recently purchased to specifically be converted into a hiker destination. I assume it will be made to resemble the hostel in Lone Pine that caters to thru-hikers and Mt. Whitney hikers. As stated in the PCT documentary trailer, transportation is provided to and from trailheads and houses are offered for rest time and showering, but trail angels buying a motel for hikers is truly awesome and takes the philosophy of "people helping people" to a new level.
Interesting idea…I can’t say that I have ever heard of a trail angel, but hey free beer and food for struggling hikers is a great cause. I have a friend who recently hiked the PCT (I am not sure that he finished it), but I’ll have to ask him about the philanthropic phenomena of trail angels. Again, Illya, I have to say, you have created another enlightening blog.
ReplyDeleteI had no idea what a trail angel was before reading your post. That's amazing! It's very refreshing to hear that there are still people out there that will go out of their way to help others for no reason other than to help. You don't hear many stories like this anymore. Perhaps most of these trail angels are retired backpackers like you said, so they know how hard it is to get through a particular point without refreshments. I'm glad you decided to share this experience. This was a very encouraging post.
ReplyDeleteI think I remember you mentioning "trail angels in one of your non-fiction pieces. I love this concept, it almost seems fictional! People truly do that? How lovely, although I might be wary in guzzling down beer after beer knowing I had to move--at all--the next day. Still, how awesome that trail angels exist! I clicked in your JMT link but but it didn't work. Perhaps it was my computer. Anyway, would you ever consider being a trail angel and if so, what kind of goods would you provide? Blog nicely done, sir. I really enjoyed this aspect of your hiking ventures.
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