[pct-l] alternate route for thru-hikers heading north in a bid to complete the 2, 650-mile Pacific Crest Trail

[csxii at schizoaffective.org]

Friday, Sep 08, 2006
Detour ahead on the PCT


The Methow Valley Ranger District yesterday announced an alternate
route for thru-hikers heading north in a bid to complete the
2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail. About 40 miles of the PCT, from Windy
Pass north to the Canadian border, has been closed due to the Tatoosh
and Tripod fires. In addition, all of the Pasayten Wilderness is
currently closed due to fire danger. Information on trail closures and
the Tatoosh fire can be found at InciWeb.

Tripod fire from the airAccording to Laurie Dowie, wilderness ranger
for the Methow Valley Ranger District, the alternate route begins
about 5.5 miles north of Methow Pass. Hikers can either take trail 756
over Mebee Pass and down Boulder Creek Trail 729 to the junction with
Chancellor Trail 754. Alternately, hikers can take the Mill Creek
Trail 755 from the junction with the PCT over Azurite Pass and down
Mill Creek to the junction with Chancellor Trail 754.

The route continues west on trail 754 to the East Bank Trail on the
eastern shore of Ross Lake. Thru-hikers can then continue north on the
East Bank Trail and the Lightning Creek Trail to Hozomeen campground
and the Canadian border. The road from Hozomeen connects to Highway 3
in British Columbia west of Manning Park.

Dowie said in an e-mail that the alternate routes have been posted at
Agnes and Rainy Passes. The Forest Service said it had sent rangers to
alert hikers currently on the trail, and has also dropped messages by
helicopter. For current information on trail closures in the Okanogan
and Wenatchee National Forest visit this site. For current information
on PCT and Pasayten closures, call the Methow Valley Ranger District
at (509) 996-4003.