2.4 Consider User Requirements Will the trail be used for different activities? Plan the trail to meet the needs of the anticipated user groups. Visitor surveys may provide a visitor profile, but there is rarely an "average" visitor in reality. Plan for a full range of visitor types within the use criteria set for the trail. Plan for access by disabled people, but not all trails need be accessible to everyone. Use discretion and the availability of other special use trails in the region to decide what design criteria are important. Trail user surveys suggest that few hikers penetrate more than 8 km into the backcountry. Cross country skiers tend to prefer even shorter outings. Plan to provide a suitable recreation experience by matching trail design and management to the type of recreation setting sought. Users seeking wilderness solitude have different expectations from those seeking a short interpretive walk. Review the Recreation Opportunity Spectrum system used by the B.C. Forest Service for more information on matching recreation experiences to specific outdoor settings. Consider user requirements such as ease of travel, comfort and safety, and aesthetic enjoyment. Design trails for experienced hikers in a different way than those for users needing a high degree of comfort and safety, such as family groups or special needs users. Plan interpretive trails with the audience in mind. Assess public safety and liability. Develop a visitor rescue strategy as part of the trail plan. Consider the "limits of acceptable change" approach to meet user requirements. Use of this approach helps define objectives for both natural and social conditions in the park environment, leading to improved planning and management decisions. The L.A.C. method is outlined below.