And just so that DUG doesn't think that I don't understand what it means to be on the other side of the fence.....

One or two years back, George made a comment in one of the threads about PCT through hikers leaving messes in bear boxes and fire rings in the wilderness...I was mortified. I identify with that community, and I speak yearly to about half that group leaving from the southern terminus about mountaineering techniques.

So, if they are doing bad things, it is MY FAULT. I spoke at length with another partipant, AsABat. We went through the typical 5 stages of grief:
-Denial "it can't be the thru hikers"
-Anger "what are those idiots doing, and who is it"
-Bargaining "I know it is wrong, but the challenges are so great"
-Depression "I'm so sad, why bother with anything"
-Acceptance "I can't control people, but I can at least educate people as to how their actions ARE noticed, and affect others

Are things better? I dunno. I hope so. It is not an organization, with hierarchy and responsibility, but I hope that some people find that knowing things alters their actions.