Since the December release of the Hollywood hiking film Wild, an unprecedented number of enthusiastic hikers have applied for permits to trek along the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail, .
The film, starring Reese Witherspoon, is based on Cheryl Strayed鈥檚 memoir of hiking the PCT as a recovering drug addict and recent divorcee in an effort to find solace. The backpacking route stretches from Manning Provincial Park, Canada, to Campo, California, near the Mexican border.
In November, 国产吃瓜黑料 noted a 30 percent bump in long-distance hikers on the PCT following the 2012 release of Stayed鈥檚 book. Earlier this month, Pacific Crest Trail Association trail information specialist Jack Haskel told the AP that 鈥渢he movie seems to have had a much bigger effect.鈥 Whereas 300 people attempted to walk the entire route in 2006, more than 1,000 hikers set out on a thru-hike in 2014. About half made it.
鈥淭his past December, compared to last year, our website traffic went up 300 percent,鈥 he said. 鈥Wild聽is the largest media event ever for the PCT, and millions are hearing about it now and are being inspired.鈥
With Strayed鈥檚 support, the Pacific Crest Trail Association has launched a campaign to promote 鈥渓eave no trace鈥 practices, including burying human waste, building safe campfires, and packing out trash. The campaign uses the hashtag #responsiblywild on Twitter.
鈥淭here are a whole lot of people that are going to be inspired to hit the PCT because of Wild,鈥 Haskel said. 鈥淲e really care about making sure that people are traveling safely.鈥