Above: A snowshoer takes a moment to enjoy views of Mt Shuksan from Artist Point.
February eNews
In This Issue

  • First-ever Bellingham Ruck
  • Meet the 2018 Groundskeepers on the PNT
  • Six Films that Will Inspire Your Next PNT Adventure
  • Update: Baker to Bellingham Planning
  • PNT in the Pasayten Identified as a Priority Area
  • Embrace the Season and Get Outside
  • Update: Hike the Hill 2018
  • New Items–New Discount
First-ever Bellingham Ruck


Mark your calendar! The Pacific Northwest Trail Association is partnering with ALDHA West, the American Long Distance Hiking Association, to bring you our first-ever Ruck in Bellingham, Washington! Please Join us on March 31st at Bloedel Donovan Park for this fun all day event.

ALDHA’s Ruck events provide a great opportunity to get expert advice from the long-distance hiking community and to prepare for a long-distance backpacking trip.The Bellingham Ruck will provide presentations on resupply-planning, gear, backcountry safety, and how to prepare for a trip on the PNT and other popular trails in the Northwest. Be sure to bring your full backpacking kit if you'd like a pack shakedown.
Meet the 2018 Grounds Keepers on the PNT


Inspired by the Packing It Out Team , Granite Gear’s Grounds Keepers Program was created to inspire others to value our outdoor areas and pack out trash as they hike along. Every Grounds Keeper has previously completed a thru-hike or various section hikes, has a passion for Leave No Trace ethics, is strong in mind and body, and is committed to doing their very best to pick up as much trash as possible while on the trail.

In 2017, Grounds Keeper, Sam Kaelin packed out 52.8 pounds of trash from the Pacific Northwest Trail. Way to go, Sam! Altogether, the 15 member team picked up over 1,117 pounds of trash from public trails across America!

This year, 25 hikers from around the country will “Leave it Better” and pack out trash as they hike long trails and parks, including aspiring PNT thru-hiker Emma Vigers. Congrats, to you Emma and rest of the 2018 Grounds Keepers ! You can follow her #CrowntoCoast adventure on Instagram @emma.vigers to see the pounds of trash removed from the trail.
These Six Films Will Inspire Your Next PNT Adventure


With the Pacific Northwest Trail buried under heavy snow and with some mountain roads blocked by avalanche debris , thru-hiking season is still months away. Until then, here is a collection of some of our favorite videos about the trail made by PNT thru-hikers, like adventure athlete Andrew Skurka and filmmaker Julie Hotz. We hope they help inspire you to #findyourtrail in 2018.

This assortment of short clips and feature length films show just how much the PNT has changed over the last decade and how different each hiker’s experience can be. Each film captures a glimpse of the challenges and natural beauty experienced by trekking against the grain of seven different mountain ranges, on a 1,200 mile #crowntocoast adventure.
Update: Baker to Bellingham Planning


Over 300 concerned citizens, including PNTA staff and members, joined Washington DNR to review maps, watch presentations, and submit comments at two community meetings as part of the ongoing Baker to Bellingham recreation planning process this February.
 
With your support, new DNR trails could potentially be developed that would benefit trailside communities in Whatcom County and greatly improve the route of the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail between the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and the Chuckanut Range–the 50 mile portion of Section 7 which climbs the foothills of the Northern Cascade Range. Currently, the PNT passes through private property and DNR lands which are managed primarily for timber production.
PNT in the Pasayten Identified as a Priority Area


In a USDA press release , the Methow Ranger District of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest was named one of 15 national trail maintenance priority areas by Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue. Over 90 miles of the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail falls within the selected portions of the Methow Ranger District within the Pasayten Wilderness , a highlight of the trail in Washington which offers the longest roadless stretch of the trail corridor.

Each priority area was selected by the US Department of Agriculture to address trail maintenance backlogs on our National Forests under the National Forest System Trails Stewardship Act of 2016 , which seeks to increase the role of partners and volunteers in trail maintenance on Forest Service managed trails.
Winter Trips on the Pacific Northwest Trail


Did you know? You can find a great trip somewhere on the Pacific Northwest Trail in any season. Low-elevation sections of trail, like those in the temperate Puget Sound, can be hiked any time of year. For those prepared for snow travel, there are opportunities for skiing, snowshoeing, and backcountry camping along the PNT throughout the trail corridor.
 
Winter trips on the Pacific Northwest Trail require extra planning and caution; much of the PNT travels through avalanche terrain. Be sure to check road and weather conditions before your visit. Snow travel and avalanche skills and equipment are recommended and may be required for even short trips on the PNT in winter. Visit the links below and our website for more information about winter trip planning on the PNT.
Update: Hike the Hill 2018


Each February, advocates from the Partnership for the National Trails System, the American Hiking Society, and over 30 nonprofit National Trail Organizations flock to Washington DC for the annual "Hike the Hill" event.

The Pacific Northwest Trail Association was represented by Executive Director, Jeff Kish, who alongside other trail associations, met with members of Congress to advocate for additional funding for the maintenance and protection of the Pacific Northwest Trail. Director Kish worked alongside representatives of the US Forest Service to demonstrate the economic benefits congressional spending on the National Trails System returns to American taxpayers and the communities of the Northwest.
New Items–New Discount


PNTA members, check your inbox for a new members-only coupon--we now offer a 10% members discount at our online store. You can show your love for the PNT, and help support the PNTA, just by shopping at pnt.org. Our high-quality PNT caps and collectible pins and stickers help raise awareness and support our work to protect America's wildest National Scenic Trail.

We also have new items! Help celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the National Trails System with these collectible pins and stickers, available for a limited time only.

Follow us on social media for trail updates, pictures and fun!
Use the hashtag #crowntocoast and we'll share your PNT pictures. 
You can support the Pacific Northwest Trail Association just by shopping at  REI.com  and  REI-OUTLET.com . All you have to do is click on the REI logo in this email and shop!
Fred Meyer Community Rewards  is "where shopping and giving unite." You can support the Pacific Northwest Trail Association just by shopping at Fred Meyer with your Rewards Card. All you have to do is link your Rewards Card and scan it every time you shop at Fred Meyer.
AmazonSmile  is a simple and automatic way for you to support the Pacific Northwest Trail Association every time you shop, at no cost to you.