[pct-l] Trail Tread Conditions - get out and maintain it

[Barry Teschlog]

This thread brings up a good point about the trail.  It takes a lot of effort to maintain the PCT (and all trails in general) in a moderately decently passable condition.
 
I can’t recommend highly enough getting out and doing some trail maintenance with your local organizations, be it on the PCT or elsewhere.
 
Check the PCTA website (PCTA.org) for the e-mail address for the trail maintenance coordinators in your area if you’re looking to work directly on the PCT.
 
Here in Washington, much PCT maintenance is performed by the Washington Trails Association (WTA.org) in coordination with the PCTA.  They’ll be posting their multi day self supported maintenance trips (the so called Back Country Response Team trips) and their Volunteer Vacations, fully supported week long maintenance efforts, on February 8th.  Some of these will undoubtedly be on the PCT here in Washington.
 
Later in the year, they’ll also post their day work parties on the PCT.  These consist of about 4 to 5 hours of 'real' work after a safety briefing, tool talk, the hike in and back out, and lunch.  Typically you're back to your car no later than 3:00 in the afternoon after an 8:30am start.  
 
Last fall, they had several day work parties on back to back weekends brushing, doing minor tread repair and drainage work not too far south of Snoqualmie Pass.  I suspect there will be more this coming summer as this area sure needs it in places.
 
It’s satisfying to work on the trail and I can’t recommend it highly enough.  
 
You former thru hikers – just remember back to when you cruised along a recently maintained section of trail – wide and smooth, with no encroaching brush, and with a firm non-muddy tread even on a rainy day, and compare that to how you felt on those days where you were pushing through wet encroaching brush along an alternating mud bowl and rock filled ditch of a trail filled with running water.  It takes YOU to make the former happen.
 
TC
PCT '06