May 2016
News from the Trail
AN UPDATE FROM THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST TRAIL ASSOCIATION

Summer is just around the corner...and so is National Trails Day! Snowcover is melting fast in the high country and enthusiasm is building. What will your summer bring? Don't take chances--get out now, mend those trails, and stretch your muscles.


Hooray 4 Trails Day - National Trails Day
On Saturday, June 4, 2016, the Pacific Northwest Trail Association (PNTA) joins outdoor enthusiasts around the country in celebrating the American Hiking Society's National Trails Day. Our 4 trail work opportunities across the PNT can be found  here.

National Trails Day highlights the important work volunteers do each year in taking care of America's trails. Trails do not just magically appear for our enjoyment; their construction and maintenance takes countless hours of dedicated planning and labor. So give thanks to your local volunteers and make June 4 the day to give back to your favorite trail - the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail.

If you are a hiker, horse rider, mountain biker, concerned citizen, or just enjoy working with good people, head to the Quimper Peninsula or Mount Bonaparte in Washington state or Polebridge in Montana. Details

Spring into Volunteer Trail Training
Here in the northwest, spring is in full swing, which means volunteer trail maintenance trainings are popping up like so many tulips! In exchange for a bit of free time, a volunteer can get their hands-on experience building native timber bridges and rock steps, or safely wielding a crosscut or chainsaw. These days, opportunities to work hard, be creative, and make a difference--all while spending a beautiful day or weekend in the woods--are all too rare.

We at PNTA are grateful for our volunteers--folks who are so dedicated to the idea of trails and public lands that they selflessly donate their time, talents, and resources  to making the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail a world-class long-distance trail. Without you we would not have these incredible, irreplaceable public lands and trails for the enjoyment of current and future generations. Thank you, volunteers, for all you do!

Read more on our blog.
PNTA Banks On Trail Town Concept
The Pacific Northwest Trail Association is embracing the Trail Town concept, moving its dollars from the third largest bank and the fourth largest credit union in the United States to the 15th largest bank in Washington state. Why?

One reason is to consolidate accounts, simplifying banking and better stewarding donations. Another is to 'walk the talk'--helping the local economy and making important trail connections.  Skagit Bank, named after the county and river, has a branch office close to the PNTA office and just off Sedro-Woolley's Northern Avenue Trail, connecting to the rail-to-trail PNT alternate route - Cascade Trail from Concrete, Washngton.

And yes, there's the billboard that makes a statement....
PNTA Office Manager Laurel Downing and Treasurer Jim Fukuyama are joined by Becky Taft of Skagit Bank in the great outdoors

Trail Conditions, Changes, and Alerts
The 2015 fire season is behind us, but its effects will be felt for years. As snows recede and water levels drop, there's ample evidence of damage along the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail. In eastern Washington the Long Draw Trail #340 into the Pasayten Wilderness is closed until the Forest Service is able to assess damage from the Newby Lake Fire. On the western edge of the Pasayten, Harts Pass Road #5400, which serves both the PNT and PCT, is closed until the rockslide is removed from Deadhorse Point. Right now there's no firm estimate on when that will be. There's both trail and road washout on the Bogachiel River on the Olympic Peninsula. The list goes on--so when planning your trip, refer to PNTA's Alerts page and visit the forum.

On a positive note, the log crossing of Swift Creek off Mount Baker survived the winter and the hand cable was installed mid-May.


The Pacific Northwest Trail needs your help. The Pacific Northwest Trail Association is the logical place to start. View the calendar, become a member, or donate.
Thank you.

If you've got photos or stories that you'd like to share with the Pacific Northwest Trail Association community, send them to news@pnt.org  to be considered for a future edition of the newsletter.
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1851 Charles Jones Memorial Circle #4, Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284

Call us: (360) 854-9415