[pct-l] Giving back with trail maintenance

[Eric Lee]

Last Saturday I joined a trail maintenance party with the North 350 Blades
(PCTA volunteer crew for northern Washington).  We cleared out about half a
mile of brush south of Snoqualmie pass (power tools, w00t!).  During lunch
we got to talking about the miles we'd each hiked on the PCT and of the
seven of us, the person with the fewest miles still had over 300, then I
think it was ~700 miles, 1,100 miles, three completed thru-hikes, and the
last person I don't recall exactly but I think it was most or all of the
trail.  That's a lot of miles hiked!  It was really cool to see
long-distance hikers giving back to the trail that we've all enjoyed so
much.

 

If you've completed a thru-hike, a section hike, or even day-hikes on the
PCT and you appreciated the quality of the trail you got to walk on, please
consider giving that same experience to someone else by volunteering with a
trail maintenance crew.  Pay it forward!

 

If you live near the PCT then by all means turn out for your local crew, or
if you live somewhere else, find a trail in your area and help support it.
Even if you're not local for day-trip PCT work, longer (several day) work
parties can make for a great vacation experience!  I know that the
maintenance season is winding down now in many locations but it's never too
early to start planning for next year.  Make it happen!

 

Eric