Fwd: Washington Pacific Crest Trail

[Nancy DuPont <Htrails@Earthlink.net>]

I am passing this on to those of you who are interested in the condition
of the Pacific Crest Trail in Washington State.


> From: "David Foscue"
> <foscue@techline.com>
> To: "Nancy DuPont" <Htrails@earthlink.net>
> Cc: "Bob Ballou" <director@pcta.org>, "Reuben
> Rajala" <trails@pcta.org>,
>         "Lynn Sprague"
> <lsprague@fwenc.com>
> Subject: Washington PCT
> Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2000 22:24:50 -0800
> X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2314.1300
>
> Nancy, 
>  
> Bob forwarded your E-mail to me.
>  
> The Washington PCT is being maintained for stock, but it is
> difficult.  As you know, one tree can stop a horse trip and we have
> lots of trees here.  Imagine trying to maintain the trail through
> the Sierras if there were thick forests with trees 150 - 200 feet tall
> and 10 feet thick that suffer through 50 to 80 feet of snow each
> year.  In places there is a fairly narrow snow free window.  I
> remember my first plan to hike in the North Cascades on the PCT (it may
> have been the Cascade Crest then) in the early 70's.  We couldn't
> get within 8 miles of the trail head because of 20 feet of snow on the
> ground on the Fourth of July.
>  
> I have planned rides on the PCT in Washington terminated by
> winter caused slides.  However, I've been lucky with the blowdowns -
> there was a trail crew cutting away at one impassable downed tree when I
> arrived.   At another I was able to unpack and unsaddle my
> horse and get him to scrunch enough to get under a tree across the trail
> on a steep slope.  
>  
> Except for such problems, I have found the PCT to be
> maintained for horses.  Well there is one problem bridge near
> Glacier Peak that seems to get wiped out by avalanches fairly regularly
> and It seems to take several years to get replacement funding.  When
> the bridge is out it is "impassable to stock" but some make it
> through.  As I write, I think of another area I had trouble - there
> was a an area south of Snoqualmie Pass that had been logged 10 or so
> years before.  The trail just kind of petered out in a series of
> game trails.  Hikers were having the same troubles riders were with
> the area.  
>  
> Anyway, I did not find that the PCT in Washington was being
> maintained for horses at a lower level than in Oregon and California, as
> a rule.  I haven't ridden all or Washington recently so I may not be
> aware of new problems --- but I do try to keep my ears open.
>  
> I would appreciate knowing what stretch of the trail your
> correspondent had trouble with.  We can see that the area gets
> attention this year or put some heat on the particular forest to do its
> work.
>  
> See you in DC?
>  
> David Foscue
>

Nancy DuPont, Executive Director

Heritage Trails

1350 Castle Rock Road

Walnut Creek, CA 94598

Our Mission: To preserve and protect trails and answer the question, "Where are you going to ride your horses, and where are you going to keep them."

Telephone (925)937-7661 FAX (925) 943-7431