Over the years, I’ve written a lot about the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). I’ve asked you to get involved by letting your senators and elected representatives in Congress know how important this program is to the Pacific Crest Trail and public lands and how much these amazing places ... Read more
Central Cascades Wilderness Strategy, Willamette and Deschutes national forests
What is this new permit system all about?Visitation to the Central Cascades has increased dramatically in recent years, resulting in overcrowding and impacts to the landscape. The Willamette and Deschutes National Forests, spanning the area roughly between Eugene and Bend, ... Read more
Are you planning a long-distance hike or horseback ride on the Pacific Crest Trail in 2020? Good for you!
The PCT Long-distance Permit is an interagency permit, for trips of 500 or more continuous miles, that allows you to travel through areas where local wilderness permits would otherwise be required. ... Read more
September means we’re getting hints of crisp autumn air in Sacramento. Up the hill toward Lake Tahoe, we’ve had more than a few snow flurries in the Sierra. As the seasons change, so does the work volunteers tackle along the PCT.
Before winter’s here in full force, let’s look at ... Read more
(Reprinted from the summer 2019 issue of the PCT Communicator magazine.)
In April 2018, PCTA Land Protection Director Megan Wargo told me about a property that had just come on the market that included 1.2 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail.
The Picayune Lake property, as it has come to ... Read more
The work that volunteers put into the Pacific Crest Trail each season is astounding. They dedicate time and energy to clearing brush, creating new tread, sawing logs and, occasionally, building bridges. Although bridges are not a common PCT volunteer project, this year we have had a few dedicated groups with ... Read more
The new alignment of a 6.5-mile stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail in northern California’s Sierra Buttes has been years in the making. We’ve celebrated many milestones, notably, opening a newly constructed 3.9 miles of trail that passes by the gorgeous Tamarack Lakes in 2017.
This year, PCTA staff members, ... Read more
We’re excited about the 2020 season on the Pacific Crest Trail and we hope you are too. Some of you will be taking very long hikes or horseback rides on the trail next year. This information is for you.
The 2020 permit season opens on October 29, 2019, for trips... Read more