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[pct-l] re: Richard Watson

  I suggest that you contact Wilderness Press, the PCT guidebook publishers;
www.wildernesspress.com is their webpage.
  Let's assume that Eric Ryback (1969) was not the first.  The following is from
Wilderness Press's "the Pacific Crest Trail Volume 1: California", 2nd edition,
1977 (couldn't find my first edition from my hike but I know it doesn't say
this anyway), page 4:

"Ryback's book ("The High Adventure of Eric Ryback"), however, focused
attention on the Pacific Crest Trail, and other people began to plan end-to-end
treks.  The year after his book came out, 1972, was a big year on the trail. 
Four men became the first that we know of to walk the whole route.  Doing it
northbound (Eric was southbound), from April 1 to September 5, they did not
follow the Forest Service's official route all the time, partly because when
they started the Forest Service map book (of which I have a copy, though its
probably buried with my 1st edition guidebook) was not quite yet available. 
They were Dave Odell, Toby Heaton (who published a "guide" which I used a bit
in 1975), Bill Goddard and Butch Ferrand.  Very soon after them, Henry Wilds
went from Mexico to Canada solo.  The next year, Gregg Eames and Ben Schifrin
(who is on this list) - one of the authors of this edition - set out to follow
the official route as closely as possible, no matter whether trail or cross
country.  Schifrin had to drop out with a broken foot at Odell Lake, Oregon (he
finished the route the next year), but Eames got to Canada, and is probably the
first person to have walked the official route almost without deviation.  They
even managed to go through the Tejon Ranch, being shot at for their pains."

 I seem to recall a couple of other names from 1972 which I saw in registers but
I made no copy of them and find no "official" mention of them.  I also glanced
through "The Pacific Crest Trail" by National Geographic published in the
spring of 1975, but the author makes no mention of who was first;
interestingly, it was a good read because almost every subject that they
covered in the book is still a subject occasionally on this list.  I wonder how
many of today's PCTers read this book or Ryback's.

  As for Richard Watson, it doesn't ring a bell with me personally.  Please
share your information if you find something.  I've always enjoyed the mystery
of who was first, if anyone really knows (or cares?).

Alan

>I am a journalist in southeastern Connecticut. I am trying to contact Richard
>Watson who appears to be the first person to hike the entire PCT in the early
>1970s. Does anyone know where he lives now? I appreciate any leads you might
>have, i.e. if you know what state he lived in when he hiked, or whatever.
>Thanks.
 
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