Bill Hawley is our North Cascades Regional Representative. He's in charge of the PCT from Rock Creek in southern Washington to the Canadian border. His regional office is located in North Bend, Wash. Bill was out hiking the PCT “back before it was the PCT,” and has been a life-long devotee. He was an active volunteer before joining staff.
Blasting has long been a basic tool in road and trail construction throughout the west. I recently spoke with Debra Davis, the lead blaster for the Okanagan/Wenatchee National Forest, and her counterpart in the Mount Baker/Snoqualmie National Forest, Bridget Wisniewski. Both told me that there is a lot more to ... Read more
By Bill Hawley and the PCTA North 350 Blades
In 2010, volunteers formed the PCTA Chapter – North 350 Blades to maintain the northern 350 miles of the PCT, from Chinook Pass to the Canadian border. Each year the group strives to clear the mass of fallen logs and overgrown ... Read more
On May 19, six volunteers from the North 350 Blades and I traveled to Chelan, Washington, and caught the Lady of The Lake, a boat that travels the deep, blue waters of Lake Chelan. After enjoying the scenic ride, we were met at the dock in Stehekin by Aaron Robinson ... Read more
Trail threats come in many forms and the PCTA staff is constantly on the lookout for new ones. Typically threats come from plans to log or develop property near the PCT. So we were a bit surprised last summer when the U.S. Army proposed night helicopter exercises along the trail ... Read more
Major storms in 2003 and 2006 washed out many spots along remote Suiattle River Road, the only access to the Pacific Crest Trail in central Glacier Peak Wilderness. As a result, PCTA volunteer maintenance crews could not easily access the trail for more than a decade in this area.
The ... Read more
This spring, as part of Bellevue College’s Wilderness Skills Certificate program, 14 students taking a Hiking & Orienteering course joined their instructor, Peter Prescott, and me for a day of trail maintenance. Prescott serves as Bellevue’s Wellness Center Program Manager, Fitness Center Director and faculty member. This is the second ... Read more
On Saturday, March 21, Trygve Culp, President of Back Country Horsemen of Washington, signed a new Letter of Partnership with the Pacific Crest Trail Association and the U.S. Forest Service. This document represents two years of discussions that now clearly define how our trail-advocacy organizations and the Forest Service will ... Read more
Welcome to the blog of the Pacific Crest Trail Association. Check back often for news about the trail.