[pct-l] Washington section

[cmkudija at earthlink.net (cmkudija@earthlink.net)]

John,

I echo Strider's comments and have something to add: Next week the American
Hiking Association sponsors "Hike the Hill Advocacy Week" in Washington D.C.
I'm joining a small herd of PCTA folks to hike the Hill to inform various &
sundry Congressional reps about the PCT and advocate for funding
opportunities.  It will be my first experience there, and I'm looking
forward to it.    Incidentally - all of us (except PCTA staff) go on our own
dime.

Seems to me that we'll do the best we can, and the best thing to expect for
this year is a different route around Glacier Peak.   After having hiked
that section a year and a half ago, I can sympathize - but I think that the
views of Glacier from any direction are magnificent, and the joy is, in
fact, in the journey - not whether or not you go over Fire Creek Pass.

Incidentally, I do hope that you've contributed to the PCTA in addition to
your contributions to the Communicator.  And if you can't contribute money,
see if you can contribute some time to a trail maintenance project in the
future.   You'll help the organization & help the trail.

Christine "Ceanothus" Kudija
PCT partially '94

-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net
[mailto:pct-l-bounces@mailman.backcountry.net]On Behalf Of Bighummel@aol.com
Sent: Monday, February 23, 2004 9:46 AM
To: sierra_marmot@yahoo.com; info@pcta.org
Cc: pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Washington section

John,

I'm pleased to your passion for the trail and concern for thru-hikers this
year.  However, before sending this note, I think it would have been wise to
check with the PCTA and read the most recent Communicator article by Tim
Stone,
the USFS PCT Manager, on section K.  I think that you are expecting a lot
from
the PCTA and perhaps that would be appropriate if you were suggesting
specific
solutions.  Get involved in the PCTA and you will get a much better
appreciation for all that they do, with the meager resources they have and
attract.

There is a certain amount of panick in your message, as though, this is the
single greatest obstacle that a thru-hiker could ever experience.  Many
thru-hikers will testify that there are many, much larger obstacles on the
trail,
some of the biggest right in your own head.

You'll be dissapointed in your organization if they don't warn the 2004
hikers of section K's status?  They already have warned them!  There have
been
several posts to the PCT-List that I have personally forwarded on this
specific
subject.  There are notes about it on their website.  There have been
articles
in the Communicator.  What else do you expect from them?  Are there other
avenues of communication that you recommend?

I look forward to your involvement to help find solutions to this temporary,
rather insignificant problem considering it is only 30 miles out of 2,650
miles (just a tad over 1%).

Sincerely,

Greg Hummel


In a message dated 2/20/2004 7:01:38 PM Pacific Standard Time,
sierra_marmot@yahoo.com writes:
Hi, I'm a PCTA long-timer and contributor to the Communicator.   I'm
forwarding you a discussion thread with another member of the pct-l group.
It's my
opinion that the PCTA should advise 2004 thru-hikers of the potential
dangers of
section K in Washington State and not skirt the issue.  Further, I believe
it's the responsibility of the PCTA, as the sponsor of the annual thru-hike,
to
make preparations for a re-route from Stevens Pass to Rainy Pass.  This is
not
the responsibility of the Forest Service.   You can argue that the PCTA
isn't
the sponsor of the hike, but you(we) are.  The thru-hike permits come from
the PCTA.

With 30 miles of the PCT in section K eliminated, including all the bridges
over the large creeks and the Suiattle River, there is NO PCT in section K
this
year, nor perhaps for several years to come.   I will be very disappointed
in
my organization if it doesn't step up to its responsibility to not just warn
the 2004 thru-hikers of the damage, but to also provide some kind of
pro-active solution.  We all have dealt with governments through the years.
For a
$100,000 bridge over the Suiattle River to be built this summer, it would
literally take an act of Congress, or some very serious patronage on the
side.   The
Forest Service is just now finishing up its budget for fiscal 2004-2005.
How
much money is targeted for repair of the 30 miles of trail and the bridges
in
Section K?

I bet none.  Zero.

As an organization, it is our responsibility to present the facts to our
membership, not to sugar-coat the problems.   As I said in a previous note,
if I
was the Forest Supervisor for the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, I'd
put
up a Trail Closed sign up on the north side of Stevens Pass.

John Randall
"marmot"
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