In late autumn, as the days shorten and the first rain and snow arrives, many of us put away our outdoor gear and begin dreaming of spring. But for anyone willing to prepare and give it a chance, the coming winter promises a new way to experience the Pacific Crest ... Read more
Many of us have been on the Pacific Crest Trail and heard the percussive roll of a woodpecker, seen swallows darting overhead at dusk, or watched from a high ridge as hawks soar thermals below. Whether you’re new to birding (the preferred term for “birdwatching”) or an experienced birder, the ... Read more
By Dana York
During the summer between 11th and 12th grades, I trekked 800 miles of the PCT with a high school acquaintance. It was 1979, and we were armed with a stack of 15-minute topographic maps, a PCT guidebook and a pack as large as a Volkswagen! We started ... Read more
The children in the ExCEL summer school class at Cascade Locks Elementary know that where they live, the Columbia River Gorge, is a special place. They also know their town is within a national scenic area. When a photo of Oregon’s iconic volcano flashes on the screen, they can immediately ... Read more
The majestic Pacific Crest Trail through the Goat Rocks Wilderness provides the backdrop for this year’s top photograph in the Pacific Crest Trail Association’s annual photo contest. Photographer Clare Major titled the picture “Thru-rider on Knife’s Edge,” but the image ... Read more
(Editor’s note: This story was original printed in the spring issue of the Pacific Crest Trail Communicator magazine.)
When a wildfire ripped through the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area last summer and fall, the big question was: “How bad is it?
The river is the dividing line between Oregon ... Read more
Thankfully rain has arrived in some places, but there still are major wildfires burning on or near the Pacific Crest Trail in Northern California, Oregon and Washington.
Thick smoke and safety concerns have forced PCTA volunteer leaders to cancel several maintenance projects scheduled for late summer and early fall. The ... Read more
... Read more“Nothing can be done well at a speed of forty miles a day …. Far more time should be taken. Walk away quietly in any direction and taste the freedom of the mountaineer. Camp out among the grass and gentians of glacier meadows, in craggy garden nooks full of Nature’s
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