[Aztec]

[sarbar]

Lunchbox73.....my kid was fatherless from birth to age 5 and he learned plenty about the outdoors in that point. It has nothing to do with dads. It is more about having one adult in a child's life that takes an active intrest in the child, teaching and showing them new things, broadening their experiences. Many kids never learn about the outdoors simply because they don't know anyone who likes it. As for those on the trail..well, I am 32. I see plenty of people my age out there, and some younger. Still a heavily dominated area for men..and men are not as likely to haul out their kids but once a year for family time. But another thing.....what you see is more dayhikers, and overnight backpackers-people just don't have the time to do one or two week trips very often. People are busier, if they have kids they have to compete with the kids activities. So you see popular trails clogged in summer-because while many wish they could be in the North Cascades for 7 days, it isn't going to happen if they want to pay their bills.....

[quilter]

For us, it was pretty easy to get the young kids out on the trail, but much harder in the teen years. By that time, they have their own schedules. It's more like coordinating 4 adults than a family. I'd say our family is about an unscheduled as you can get, and it's still hard to get everyone out at the same time. Then add a dog that can't hike to the mix. I have to kennel him for every overnight, and weekend reservations have to be made months ahead. Not meaning to whine, but these middle years - not a lot of nights to be spent in the woods. Last weekend, our family went on our first 10-mile hike, to Dorothy and Bear lakes. I asked my sons (12 and 15) if they had any sturdy friends that would want to go with us. Both said they didn't know anyone that could make it! I don't think that's true, but that's their perception. One of the weird things going on is teenage health. Yea, they are healthy, but it's like they are going through preschool all over again. More colds. New allergies. Broken bones. Braces. Skin stuff. Changing bodies I guess. This last weekend, my youngest had a cold and an itchy arm rash. He went on the hike, but I have to admit he was pretty miserable. Then the other one developed a major runny nose on the hike, and used up everyone's kleenex! Next week we're off to the Seven Lakes Basin in the Olympics for a few days. Wish us good weather and no colds!

[Stefan]

[WTCrocker]

I see fewer people on the trails now, but that may be partly because I avoid the 4 Star trails and seek out waytrails and abandoned trails, even gated double-track. I am still suffering from culture shock from 1970. Before I went to VietNam, I felt crowded if I found a footprint, after that I had to bring my own bush from home in order to pee. I am sure glad that boom has peaked.

[Dante]

FWIW, my perception is more people at the popular trailheads with write-ups in trail guides and good signage, roads and trailheads to them and the same number of people (or fewer) at the out of the way trailheads or off the "official" trails. For example, on my last Tank Lakes loop, we were the second car at the end of the MFK. We saw no one on the way into Williams. We saw one person in the Necklace Valley. Williams was mobbed when we came out, but no one was at Tanks.