Hiker box etiquette

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From reading the journals of PCT hikers, for a number of years, the items in a hiker box are abandoned; take it and use it. Hiker boxes, on the PCT, are, from time to time, purged of their contents. Purging is done by emptying the hiker box into the trash. If ‘you’ do not take what’s in the hiker boxes, the contents will be added to the landfills or the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Interesting topic this - hiker box etiquette - Thoughts -

The hiker box - a place where thru hikers freely share unwanted items - ideally, a convenient, centrally located, "take only what you need, when doing the trail" food/gear stash. Why needed? - too much food sent, weight, bear/critter food lost on trail, sent  food-box not at the Post Office, broken gear/ replacement, etc ...lots of legitimate reasons. The operative words here though are "thru hikers" and "trail". There's the rub.

Not really sure if their are "hard and fast" rules on etiquette - how hiker boxes operate. Generally, the "share; do what's right" theory works best, but... Depending on how popular the trail, time of year, if establishments are even willing to put up with all the hassle, real hiker need, retail competition, room, trash...each hiker box venue has slightly different rules depending on who's in charge.

In Tuolumne, especially when the PCT bubble came thru...20 - 50+ hikers a day, fresh from hiking over Donahue, soon find themselves standing in line at the Post Office, first collecting their pre-sent food parcels and bounce boxes, then spreading out on the tables, drinking beer, and repacking depleted backpacks. You should see it - It's a backpacker's zoo, a gear explosion... boxes, tubs, food, and backpacks strewn everywhere. Right here is where the critical food decisions are made...what food fits and soon to be packed up in bear cans, what is eaten immediately, and... whatever else is then first deemed "garbage."...as in "Anybody want any garbage?"  "Garbage" in TM, a local hiker term meaning prime picking time, where the good stuff is...and the first-shared option among the real trail dirt bags. Sit among them, bring a six pack, a smile, and good karma,...join in, trade, be affable. A true but poor thru hiker can easily re-supply in an afternoon right here.

Semantically, at this time, these "garbage" pickin's are still considered pre-"hiker-box". Only after the swaps, trades, offers to friends, bartering... then whatever is left unpicked may go into the hiker box. Much of what makes it in are the usual - mashed potato, pasta, rice, and oatmeal packages, chocolate/ powdered milk, trail-mix, dried fruit, trail-bars, maps, partially filled peanut butter/nutella...not much in the desired freezer-bag meal category. Many donations are in ubiquitous un-labeled baggies. Much is not/should not even be allowed in the box as open, crushed, moldy, or too trashy.

The general rule is, once in the hiker box, if the hiker  box is accessible, then anybody can put in/ take out anything within reason. Some hikers seem to think that the hiker box items are their right of passage. Put in trash/ take out anything. Not so. The hiker box (and the local rules governing its use) belongs to the establishment, as they will be responsible for keeping it clean, critter-safe, and for ultimately disposing of any end-of-season refuse.

Unfortunately, many found depleting the hiker box are not trail hikers but turds...free-loaders, not hikers, party-goers, no money, hangers on...living off of others, bums. In Tuolumne, the hiker box is under the control of Mike, the Postmaster there. He tries to limit free access to early mornings, when the real hikers, those who might need help, are having a last hot breakfast, getting ready to leave. If encountering someone obviously not hiking (been hanging out for a week), he does his best to not allow them first access...a tough decision this.

Some PCT stops have been known to re-sell hiker box items too. All hiker boxes are different.

just my 2¢

Interesting! New subject matter for me.