[pct-l] We need you

[Barry Teschlog]

I hear you Hacker.  What has been cut so far was some of the worst.  It's just 
that its so consistently bad in that area.....Tahoma's statement is understood 
as a legitimate frustration at the poor condition of this part of the trail (at 
least, poor in relation to what it SHOULD be if it were up to proper National 
Scenic Trails maintenance standard).  I'd acribe the window dressing statement 
to the fact that it IS so cruddy in this section for so many miles, especially 
compared to other parts of the trail.  Add to that, the part that has 
been cleared, is in fact only a tiny fraction of what needs to be brushed, and 
it's easy to see where his frustration came from.   And it doesn't help that it 
is often raining when the thru hikers come through this section in September, 
which he got in full force.  It's a crappy combination that I've suffered 
through many times, so I know exactly where he's coming from.

You're spot on Hacker - 'tis a labor of love doing trail work.  But that said, 
it IS satisfying to look back at the end of the day and see what was once over 
grown, is clear.  Or what was once a rocky ditch, is now smooth tread.  Or what 
was once a bermed, sloughed tread, ripe to channel water into a slimy stream of 
a trail, is now properly outsloped, scraped down to mineral soil and well 
drained.  There was a section of trail between Agua Dulce and Mojave that had 
just been maintained back in '06 during my thru - it was a thing of beauty.  The 
tread was perfectly smooth,  clean bare mineral soil, perfectly outsloped.  Dang 
it was a pleasure to walk on.  It was so nice, I took a picture.  In my mind, 
the whole trail, or at least as much as is practical, should be that way.

I hope all who can, choose to come on out and do something about it.  There is a 
pair of loppers and a helmet waiting for anyone willing to pick them up (we'll 
hand out McLeod's and Pulaski's later - LOL). 

I still need 2 volunteers for this coming Saturday the 25th (Snoqualmie Pass, 
WA area).  With 3 people, the brush saw can be brought out and another 400 to 
600 feet can be cleared.  Everyone who wants to, gets a crack at operating the 
saw - power tools rule.  There has been zero interest so far.  Weather is 
supposed to be good - no rain, mid 60's.  Plenty of huckleberries to eat (right 
before you cut 'em down and toss 'em off the trail).  The only thing that is 
needed to start fixing this part of the trail is labor - the PCTA has provided 
the tools and organization, the Forest Service has provided the direction.  The 
only thing that is missing is you, the volunteer.

Contact me off list ASAP if you can help.

Barry
aka
Token Civilian




\
Message: 3
Date: Wed, 22 Sep 2010 14:09:15 -0400
From: <abiegen at cox.net>
Subject: [pct-l]  We need you...
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Message-ID: <20100922140915.SC2GS.987683.imail at fed1rmwml44>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8



SNIP:
"Not much to say other than today was without a doubt the most consistently
miserable day of hiking in my entire life. "
"The trail: muddy, slippery scree, pools of water, a flowing creek, take your
pic. Huge portions of the trail are overgrown with huckleberry, ferns or other
shrubs guaranteeing that in spite of your umbrella, your clothes and shoes will
stay perfectly soaked. There was a section about 50 yards wide on either side of
a logging road, as well as close to Snoqualmie, where brush had been cut aside
perhaps for window dressing."
END SNIP

As someone who has done extensive trail work in the back country of Santa 
Barbara (oh, you don't realize how well groomed those Washington trails are) I 
understand what is going on with this. I'd go out and cut the worse overgrown 
parts of the trail. A lot of work when you have miles and miles that are not 
good. My goal was that people could get through without crawling on their 
bellies and not get lost. I would work my butt off and on the walk back I would 
cut a little more.

Some time later I would run into someone who hiked the trail and they would tell 
me how terrible it was. Well, what happens is that the worst part is gone 
because I cut it and now what used to be the bad part is the worst part. The 
hiker coming later didn't get to see how bad it really was. What had looked 
nominally okay to me, looked horrible in his frame of reference.

I have hiked part of the PCT in Washington and I know what he is talking about. 
I got a "brush bath" too. But I also know that there is little value in spending 
a great deal of time cutting annuals that will just grow back next year. You 
have widen the trail quite a bit to make it last for more than one season. Our 
motto used to be, "If everyone would carry loppers and cut every time they went 
out, it would all grow back next year." That's meant as a joke not as 
resignation.

Hopefully everyone will realize that the short section that was cut was not just 
"window dressing" or some kind of joke. Trail Maintenance is a labor of love. 
You know that you are helping people. You hope that some will appreciate it. You 
know that those who never worked a trail will probably be underwhelmed. But you 
still do it because you know it is for the greater good and some will be amazed 
that people working with only hand tools and limited equipment are able to keep 
four feet clear through over 2600 miles. It is really an achievement and the 
heroes who plan it and carry it out deserve our thanks.

Charlie Hyde has gotten pretty damn far based upon the work of those heroes.

Best,

TrailHacker

"I can't think when my feet hurt."
Abraham Lincoln