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Photo ©2015 Deems Burton

Pacific Crest National Scenic FY 2016 Appropriations Request

Prepared by: Association www.pcta.org Graphic design and printing donated by

Cover Photos by Deems Burton, James Mater and Mark Rooke-Jones Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail

FY2016 Appropriations Request

The Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA) respectfully asks Congress to support the following FY2016 appropriations to protect, preserve and promote the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (PCT):

I. Land PCT Corridor Acquisition Projects & Water U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Budget Request Conservation  $5.0 million Fund  —Donner Summit, trail and resource (LWCF) protection within the ; Donomore Meadows, trail and resource protection within the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, immediately south of the -California state line.  —Columbia Gorge, trail and resource protection in and adjacent to the Gorge National Scenic Area; , relocate trail away from a developed ski area.  $250,000—LWCF line item for program administration Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Budget Request  $1.4 million

 California—California Desert Southwest, purchase parcels within the San Gorgonio Wilderness to create an uninterrupted wilderness experience. $6.6 million  Oregon—Cascade-Siskiyou Area, trail and resource protection in southern Oregon near the Klamath Basin.

U.S. Forest Service (USFS) Budget Request II. Capital  $2.1 million—allocation for PCT in the USFS Region 5 Improvement CMTL account to fund the following ongoing programs: &  Full-time USFS PCT Program Manager Maintenance  Half-time Program Assistant – (CMTL)  Forest/Project Planning & optimal trail location reviews  Challenge Cost Share Agreement with the PCTA and other private partners to support volunteer trail maintenance and public education programs

 Trail maintenance, construction, reconstruction and user information $2.1 million  Trail management and operations  Youth and Corps Trail Crew Programs

III. Trail (NPS) Budget Request Maintenance  $200,000—line item for PCT maintenance on NPS lands Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Budget Request $500,000  $300,000—line item for PCT maintenance on BLM lands

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Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail

Trail Funding Justification—FY2016

The U.S. Forest Service has overall responsibility for the PCT, but operational responsibility is shared by the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management and several state and county parks through which the trail passes. The PCTA is the major private partner, as codified in a Memorandum of Understanding, with these land management agencies. As such and as demonstrated below, the PCTA leverages limited federal dollars through the extensive use of volunteers and private donations to ensure the PCT is protected, preserved and promoted as an internationally significant resource for the enjoyment of hikers and equestrians, and for the value that wild and scenic lands provide to all people.

PCTA Contribution Over the Past 10 years (2005—2014):

The USFS and PCTA partnership continues to produce outstanding results. Volunteer hours have increased significantly because of the PCTA’s Regional Representative Program. Five PCTA Regional Representatives cover 2,200 miles of the PCT and provide volunteer support through their local offices. Volunteers now have access to trail project information, training, tools and supplies needed to do their jobs.

Volunteer Hours Increase 100,000 Total Volunteer Hours: 864,000 80,000 Value of Volunteer Hours: $18,200,000 60,000 Private Dollars Raised: $ 9,650,000 40,000 Total PCTA Contribution: $ 27,850,000 20,000

0 2005 2014

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Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail

Table of Contents

This booklet outlines the two key FY2016 appropriations to the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) necessary for the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (PCT), which the Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA) respectfully asks Congress to support.

Tab 1: LWCF The 2,650-mile PCT is not completely protected. The PCTA and the USFS have identified more than 1,500 private parcels, which remain at risk of development or other noncompatible uses. Key to bringing these parcels into public protection is use of Land & Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) appropriations. With the $6.6 million requested for FY2016 as part of the Collaborative Landscape Planning Proposal, the USFS and the BLM are ready and able to procure, from willing sellers, critical components of the PCT.

Tab 2: CMTL & Trail Maintenance Each year, the combined forces of fire, flood, tree-fall and other factors adversely impact the PCT. The USFS and partner public agencies cannot provide sufficient manpower to adequately repair the damage. The PCTA, however, annually enlists and trains battalions of volunteers, who spent about 78,000 hours last year working to keep the trail passable. The money that the USFS receives from taxpayers is vital to keep those volunteers out on the trail, as they need supervision, tools and training to do their work.

Tab 3: Congressional Maps The PCT passes through three states and 18 Congressional districts.

Tab 4: Letters In the past, members of Congress have shown support of the PCT Appropriations Request by signing a letter addressed to the Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies. We are asking members of Congress to again show support by signing a letter in support of the entire National Trails System Collaborative Landscape Planning Proposal.

Tab 5: PCT/PCTA Information The PCT spans 2,650 miles from Mexico to Canada through California, Oregon and Washington. The PCT is one of the first two National Scenic Trails designated by Congress in 1968. (The was the other.) The USFS is responsible for administering the trail and depends on Congress to appropriate funds annually for that purpose.

The PCTA is a private, nonprofit membership organization. Since 1977, its volunteers and small staff have worked in partnership with the USFS, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management and California State Parks to ensure the protection, preservation and promotion of the PCT.

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LWCF

Photo by Deems Burton ©2015

Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail

Land & Water Conservation Fund (LWCF): $6.6 million

LWCF Request:

1) USFS PCT Corridor Acquisitions:

Priority Projects State Congressional District Request 1 Donner Summit CA CA-01 $ 800,000 2 Donomore Meadows CA CA-01 $ 200,000 3 Columbia Gorge WA WA-03 $ 1,040,000 4 Snoqualmie Pass WA WA-08 $ 3,000,000

2) USFS Program Administration: $ 250,000

3) BLM PCT Corridor Acquisition:

Priority Projects State Congressional District Request 5 California Desert Southwest CA CA-08 $ 476,000 6 Cascade-Siskiyou Area OR OR-02 $ 878,100

Total LWCF Request: $6,644,100

Castle Peak (Donner Summit project area); Photo courtesy of the Trust for Public Land; photo by Scot Hampton

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Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail

Why is this needed? For most of the 2,650 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail, hikers and horseback riders can experience some of the most sublime outdoor scenery in the world. But, in far too many spots along the way, this experience is harshly interrupted by stretches of private lands with logged-over areas, inappropriate barriers and incompatible development. More than 30 years after the 1968 Congressional designation of the PCT as one of the first National Scenic Trails, it is still not completely protected. Approximately 10% of the trail remains marred by inadequate public rights to travel and to protect the user’s experience through what should be a gorgeous and wild landscape.

The Land and Water Conservation Fund will be critical in efforts to complete the PCT. The USFS, with its partner public agencies and the Pacific Crest Trail Association, has identified critical parcels for purchase from willing private sellers. In recent years, LWCF appropriations have not been adequate to keep the PCT land acquisition program on track. Opportunities to purchase some of the properties along the PCT constantly come and go. When those opportunities are missed, some permanent changes in land use that conflict with PCT use can take place. Thus, it is urgent for the USFS to continue its efforts to identify and secure those parcels crucial to the trail.

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Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail

LWCF Progress:

PCT Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Activity FY2000—FY2015 LWCF Appropriations to the U.S. Forest Service for the PCT $20,257,200 PCT Completed Acquisitions using LWCF funding Angeles NF—Agua Dulce (parcels – other tracts still require purchase) Angeles NF— (parcels – other tracts still require purchase) Cleveland NF—Hook Ranch Klamath NF—Copper Butte Okanogan-Wenatchee NF—Plum Creek (parcels – other tracts still require purchase) Rogue River NF—Siskiyou Gap Rogue River Siskiyou NF—Brown Mountain San Bernardino NF—Fleming Ranch San Bernardino NF—Lookout Mtn San Bernardino NF—Mission Springs & Onyx Peak (parcels – other tracts still require purchase) Shasta-Trinity NF—Mt. Eddy Tahoe NF—Barker Pass

Photo: Aaron Doss Aaron Photo:

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Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail

California Desert Southwest

Project Details LWCF Request: $476,000 Congressional District: CA-08, Representative Cook Acres: 233 Number of Tracts: 5 Acquiring Agency: BLM

Project Description: Nestled between the south and north forks of Mission Creek, these parcels are located within the San Gorgonio Wilderness along and adjacent to the Pacific Crest Trail. They help to create a contiguous Wilderness and an uninterrupted wilderness experience for PCT hikers and equestrians. In addition, these parcels all fall within the proposed Sand to National Monument. They provide outstanding and remote recreation opportunities to PCT hikers and equestrians.

Benefits of Protection: Purchasing these inholdings would create a continuous Wilderness. All acquisitions provide critical scenic protection to the PCT experience. In addition it would provide habitat and wildlife corridors for threatened, endangered and sensitive species. Acquisitions provide critical open space to link areas of existing public lands.

Threats to the Landscape: Residential development, visual intrusion and lack of public access.

Partner Contributions: The BLM, with the assistance of the Mojave Desert Land Trust, is actively seeking to consolidate land ownership in the San Gorgonio Wilderness. BLM is in the process of acquiring more than 4,100 acres of land in the Wilderness already. These additional lands would almost eliminate private lands on or adjacent to the PCT in the San Gorgonio Wilderness.

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R.2E. R.3E.

38

1N02

T. T. 1 1 N. SAN BERNARDINO N. 1N37

CA1218 CA1217

1 6 4 3 2 5 NATIONAL FOREST CA1216

12 9 10 11 7 8 SAN GORGONIO WILDERNESS

14 13 T. 16 15 T. Medford 18 17 1 OREGON 1 S. S.

23 24 Redding 21 22 19 20 NEVADA

San Francisco 26 25 28 27 30 29

CA1232 CALIFORNIA

36 34 35 MAP 32 33 AREA 31

Los Angeles CA1210 T. 2 5 San Diego S.

0 1 2 3 4 5 Miles

CALIFORNIA TRACTS - San Gorgonio Wilderness - q Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail Legend FY2016 LWCF Proposed Funding References FY2016 LWCF Request All Data: Forest Service, BLM Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail MAP 1 of 5 National Forest Boundary Disclaimer This map depicts the approximate location of proposed acquisition Original data was compiled from Wilderness Boundary for the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail. multiple source data and may not meet the U.S. National Mapping National Forest US Forest Service Region 5 Accuracy Standard of the Office Bureau of Land Management of Management and Budget. This BLM (Palm Springs/ map has no warranties as to its South Coast Field Office) contents or accuracy. State (Dept. of Fish and Wildlife) More detailed cadastral maps can be requested from Map Date: 01/15/15 Private the USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region. Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail

Donner Summit

Project Details LWCF Request: $800,000 Congressional District: CA-01, Representative LaMalfa Acres: 334 Number of Tracts: 1 USFS Acquiring Agency: Photo courtesy of the Trust for Public Land; photo by Scot Hampton Project Description: The Castle Valley parcel near Donner Summit, just west of the town of Truckee, California, is of special importance to the PCT. This parcel is located just north of Highway 80 and below , which dominates the horizon. Not only does the PCT travel through a portion of the parcel, but nearly the entire 334-acre parcel is within the viewshed from the PCT. This parcel receives an incredible amount of use year round. In the winter months this section of the PCT, and the Castle Valley in general, is extremely popular with snowshoe enthusiasts and backcountry skiers. In the summer months up to 100 people a day can be observed the PCT, or the Castle Valley Road, to earn the amazing 360-degree views afforded on the PCT at Castle Pass. The acquisition of the Castle Valley parcel is crucial in protecting and improving the PCT experience on this very popular section of trail on the Tahoe National Forest, Truckee Ranger District.

Benefits of Protection: The acquisition will provide crucial scenic protection to the PCT experience, particularly in proximity to urban areas and along narrow easements for the PCT through private lands with no protection. All parcels provide habitat and wildlife corridors for threatened, endangered and sensitive species. Acquisitions improve safety by eliminating road walks, and provide crucial open space to link areas of the existing public lands. Specifically, the acquisition of this parcel will provide the Tahoe National Forest the opportunity to develop the necessary trailhead facilities such as education materials, adequate parking, and sanitation facilities to accommodate the high level of recreation activities that occur on and adjacent to the Castle Valley parcel.

Threats to the Landscape: If left in private ownership, the parcel could be developed for residential or commercial use. Development of this property would have a significant negative impact on the scenic experience the PCT affords hikers and horseback riders.

Partner Contributions: The Tahoe National Forest, Pacific Crest Trail Association, Trust for Public Land, and the Truckee Donner Land Trust are working together to consolidate land ownership on the Tahoe National Forest. Much of the land on the Tahoe National Forest, north of Highway 80, is dotted by a public-private checkerboard pattern of ownership.

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R.14E. R.15E.

5 4 3 2 1

TAHOE NATIONAL FOREST 8 9 10 T. 11 12 T. 17 17 N. N.

80 CA268 Donner 17 16 15 14 13 Summit SnoPark

Boreal Mtn Resort Truckee

20 21 80 22 Soda 23 24 Springs

Sugar 29 28 27 26 Bowl 25 Resort

Medford OREGON

32 33 34 35 36

Redding NEVADA MAP AREA

San Francisco

CALIFORNIA T. 16 N.

Los Angeles

San Diego

0 1 2 3 4 5 Miles

CALIFORNIA TRACTS - Tahoe National Forest - q Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail FY2016 LWCF Proposed Funding References Legend All Data: Forest Service, BLM FY2016 LWCF Request MAP 2 of 5

Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail This map depicts the approximate location of proposed acquisition Disclaimer for the Pacific Crest National Scenic Scenic Trail Original data was compiled from National Forest Boundary multiple source data and may not National Forest meet the U.S. National Mapping US Forest Service Region 5 Accuracy Standard of the Office State Land of Management and Budget. This map has no warranties as to its contents or accuracy. Private More detailed cadastral maps can be requested from the USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region. Map Date: 01/15/15 Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail

Donomore Meadows, Cascade-Siskiyou Area

Project Details LWCF Request: $200,000 (USFS); $878,100 (BLM)

Congressional District: CA-01 and OR-02, Representatives LaMalfa and Walden

Acres: 160 (USFS); 803 (BLM)

Number of Tracts: 3

Acquiring Agencies: USFS & BLM

Project Descriptions: Donomore Meadows Donomore Meadows (USFS) – This 160-acre parcel is located just south of the California- Oregon state line, and is an inholding within the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest’s administrative boundaries. Approximately half a mile of the PCT is adjacent to the parcel’s western edge. The parcel contains a system of idyllic mountain meadows that abound with wildflowers in early summer. At the south end of Donomore Meadows, the PCT crosses Donomore Creek and walks the western edge of the meadow crossing in and out of a mixed conifer forest. Acquisition of the parcel would protect both the views of the meadows from the PCT as well as the important water source flowing through the meadows.

Cascade-Siskiyou Area (BLM) – These two parcels are located close to each other south and east of Howard Prairie Lake in Southern Oregon. As the PCT continues its northward path through the BLM-administered lands, it passes through the rolling hills and mixed coniferous forests east of the lake. The area is popular with recreationists throughout the year. The parcels are vital to the long-term protection of the PCT and its viewshed. In addition, acquisition would allow for a long-planned relocation of the trail away from a popular paved road and the surrounding dispersed recreation sites to a more idyllic setting of tall firs and rocky outcrops with views east to the Klamath Basin beyond.

Benefits of Protection: All acquisitions provide critical scenic protection to the PCT experience – particularly in proximity to popular recreation areas, and along narrow easements for the PCT through private lands with no protection. All parcels provide habitat and wildlife corridors for threatened, endangered and sensitive species. Acquisitions improve safety by allowing land managers to route the trail away from roads and motorized recreation, and provide critical open space to link areas of the existing public lands. Threats to the Landscape: Agricultural conversion, residential development, visual intrusion, and loss of public access.

Partner Contributions: BLM and the Pacific Forest Trust are actively seeking to consolidate land ownership in and around the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, which has 30,000 acres of private land. BLM has acquired more than 5,000 acres so far, and the Pacific Forest Trust and the Conservation Fund have donated funds for acquisition. PCTA worked with BLM and contributed the majority of the cost in purchasing a conservation easement in this project area, as has the Southern Oregon Land Conservancy for another tract.

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49 °

WASHINGTON R.1E. R.2E. R.3E. R.4E. R.5E.

n

a

e c Portland

O

c i T. f ROGUE RIVER - SISKIYOU i OREGON c 39

a P NATIONAL FOREST S.

6 5 4 3 2 1 MAP 6 5 4 3 AREA 7 8 9 10 11 12 OREGO 7 8 9 10 N 18 17 16 15 14 13 18 17 16 15 T. CALIF O H RNIA 19 20 21 OR1522 23 24 38 o 19 20 21 22 w a S. r 29 28 d 30 27 26 25 29 28 30 P 27 r a 32 33 ir 34 35 31 32 i 33 34 e Ashland L 6 5 4 3 2 T. 1 s e 7 8 9 10 11 12 39 R tt ya 18 17 T. S. 16 OR1615 14 H 13 39 19 20 21 22 23 24 S.

30 29 28 CASCADE - 27 26 25

31 32 33 34 35 36 5 SISKIYOU 6 5 4 3 2 1 T. 66 ROGUE RIVER - SISKIYOU 7 8 9 10 11 12 40 NATIONAL S. 18 17 16 15 14 13 T. NATIONAL FOREST 20 40 Wilamette Meridian 21 22 23 24 MONUMENT 19 OR61 S. 28 30 29 27 26 25

T. OR6231 32 33 34 35 36 41 S. SODA MOUNTAIN T. Wilamette Meridian Wilamette KLAMATH WILDERNESS 41 S. 19 20

T. 22 23 Mt Diablo Meridian 21 24 5 48 CA2 30 T. 29 28 27 26 25 NATIONAL N. CALIFORNIA 48 33 31 32 34 35 36 N. T. 47 FOREST N. Mt Diablo Meridian R.9W. R.8W. R.7W. R.6W. R.5W. R.4W.

0 2 4 6 8 10 Miles

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA & OREGON TRACTS q Legend Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail FY2016 LWCF Request

References Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail FY2016 LWCF Proposed Funding All Data: Forest Service, BLM National Forest Boundary MAP 3 OF 5

Disclaimer Wilderness Boundary This map depicts the approximate location of proposed acquisition for the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail Original data was compiled from National Monument Boundary multiple source data and may not meet the U.S. National Mapping National Forest US Forest Service Region 6 Accuracy Standard of the Office Bureau of Land Management of Management and Budget. This BLM (Ashland Resource Area/ map has no warranties as to its Medford District Office) contents or accuracy. Private More detailed cadastral maps can be requested from Map Date: 01/15/15 the USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region. Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail

Columbia Gorge

Project Details LWCF Request: $1,040,000 Congressional District: WA-03, Representative Herrera Beutler

Acres: 473 Number of Tracts: 2 Acquiring Agency: USFS Project Description: Just north of the Bridge of the Gods, which spans the Columbia River between Oregon and Washington, a highly accessible and visible stretch of the PCT follows a narrow right of way across private lands with active logging and mining. Two willing-seller parcels have the potential to dramatically improve the PCT experience. Despite the fact that it is surrounded by Forest Service and Washington state land, a handful of private parcels had to be crossed in order to connect the PCT to the Bridge of the Gods. Trail easements across such lands are a hassle for the land owner when they are planning extraction operations, because arrangements need to be made to keep the trail open. Fallen trees have blocked trails, heavy equipment has damaged portions of the trail, and downed logs and heavy equipment also pose safety hazards. The project area is located in Skamania County, and within or adjacent to the National Scenic Area. The area is heavily visited by the recreating public. Despite the fact that it is easily accessed from a major highway, this particular segment of the PCT is not as popular as it could be, because its appearance does not line up with trail users’ expectations of the PCT. One of the two parcels would accommodate a small relocation out of clear-cuts and under mature canopy, along sparkling little ponds. Other scenic views are primarily dense forest with occasional glimpses of surrounding mountains. An abundance of wildlife inhabits the area.

Benefits of Protection: Skamania County is well positioned to capitalize upon the Pacific Crest Trail’s existing and future draw. Businesses and communities near the Pacific Crest Trail already benefit from recreation tourism, and stand to benefit more if the trail experience is improved. All acquisitions provide crucial scenic protection to the PCT experience, particularly in proximity to urban areas and along narrow easements for the PCT through private lands with no protection. All parcels provide habitat and wildlife corridors for threatened, endangered and sensitive species. Acquisitions improve safety by eliminating road walks, and provide crucial open space to link areas of the existing public lands.

Threats to the Landscape: Resource extraction, commercial development, residential development, visual intrusion, and loss of public access.

Partner Contributions: Friends of the Gorge Land Trust has invested significant staff time in assisting with these parcels.

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GIFFORD PINCHOT NATIONAL FOREST

3 2 0 1 1 2 3 4 5 Miles WA58

10 11 12 W A S H I N G T O N T. 15 14 13 3 N. 22 23 24

C A N A D A 99 EC Manning Abbotsford Cathedral B R I Provincial Park Provincial 27 26 25 T I S H C Osoyoos O L U M B I A Park NORTH FY15 LWCF Pacific Crest Trail MOUNT CASCADES Bellingham NATIONAL PARK CLP Proposals OKANOGAN- BAKER- Stephen 34 35 36 Columbia River Gorge 20 Mather 20 Mount Vernon Wilderness Stevenson WENATCHEE Omak Stehekin 5 SNOQUALMIE 20 153

Wilderness 97 6 5 4 3 2 NATIONAL Everett NATIONAL D National Scenic Area N 14 IA U Henry M Jackson B O

S Wilderness Chelan M T. 2 T Seattle U R E Skykomish FOREST 10 L Bremerton G E U FOREST 8 O P Alpine Lakes 2 9 11 C IV 90 Wilderness R

Snoqualmie Pass N. Wenatchee 84 Tacoma 28 WA59 97 90 18 410 17 16 15 14 8 281 165 7 Norse Peak 90 Wilderness Ellensburg MOUNT RAINIER Wilderness R. 6 E. R. 7 E. NATIONAL PARK Mt Rainier 410 Centralia 123 William O. Douglas 97 7 Wilderness 12

12 12 Yakima GIFFORD Wilderness W 504 A S H PINCHOT Mount I N G T Adams YAKAMA O N Wilderness NATIONAL INDIAN Mt Saint Mt Adams Helens 82 FOREST RESERVATION Trout Lake 503 Wilderness R 141 I 97

V

E Columbia River Gorge R MAP National Scenic Area U R AREA O L M B E C I A R I V 14 Cascade Locks 84 The 0 10 20 Miles 35 Dalles O R E G O N

WASHINGTON TRACTS - Columbia River Gorge - Legend Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail q FY2016 LWCF Request References FY2016 LWCF Proposed Funding All Data: Forest Service, BLM Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail MAP 4 of 5 National Forest Boundary Disclaimer This map depicts the approximate location of proposed acquisition Original data was compiled from National Forest Wilderness for the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail. multiple source data and may not National Monument Boundary meet the U.S. National Mapping Accuracy Standard of the Office US Forest Service Region 6 National Forest of Management and Budget. This map has no warranties as to its State contents or accuracy. More detailed cadastral maps can be requested from the USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region. Map Date: 01/15/15 Private Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail

Snoqualmie Pass

Project Details LWCF Request: $3,000,000 Congressional District: WA-08, Representative Reichert Acres: 72 Number of Tracts: 2 Acquiring Agency: USFS Project Description: This parcel is the key to proceeding with a substantial relocation out of the developed Summit West ski area on USFS lands. This will remove the PCT from under a number of ski lifts and take it to an undeveloped forest setting on the only undeveloped parcel available to bring the PCT to a crossing of I-90. This will allow us to mitigate current management conflicts, avoid likely future conflicts, and provide access to backcountry winter users to public lands south of the pass without the danger of intersecting downhill ski traffic. The location will switch the current interstate crossing from a heavily used exit underpass where the trail mixes pedestrian and equestrian public use with motorized traffic to a little used underpass with a much shorter and substantially safer crossing. The change will substantially improve the quality of the PCT experience south of Snoqualmie Pass and combined with other purchases and shifts in location has the potential to better distribute the heavy use north of the pass into . The project area is located in eastern King County and western Kittitas County. King County, with a population of 1.8 million people, is the twelfth- most-populous county in the United States. The area is heavily visited by the recreating public. It contains the headwaters of the Green River and a series of high mountain lakes, numerous streams and rivers, large stands of old growth, huckleberries and mountain meadows. The scenic views are among the most striking in the . The area also provides habitat for a variety of endangered species, including , wolf, spotted owl, marbled murrelet, steelhead, salmon and bull trout. An abundance of other wildlife inhabit the area, including elk, deer, , coyote, bobcat, and an occasional moose.

Benefits of Protection: All acquisitions provide crucial scenic protection to the PCT experience, particularly in proximity to urban areas and along narrow easements for the PCT through private lands with no protection. All parcels provide habitat and wildlife corridors for threatened, endangered and sensitive species. Acquisitions improve safety by eliminating road walks, and provide crucial open space to link areas of the existing public lands.

Threats to the Landscape: Commercial development, residential development, visual intrusion, and loss of public access.

Partner Contributions: The Trust for Public Land has invested significant staff time and tens of thousands of dollars in acquisition management costs in the adjacent Plum Creek Timberlands acquisition, acquiring 17 parcels.

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R.10E. R.11E.

Alpine R. Alpine 23 Lakes Lakes N. Wilderness Wilderness

MOUNT 5 6 4 3 2 OKANOGAN1 - BAKER- 90 WA 20-21 WENATCHEE 8 7 9 10 11 12 SNOQUALMIE NATIONAL 15 13 18 17 16 14 C NATIONAL A N A D A FOREST 99 EC Manning Abbotsford Cathedral B R I T Provincial Park ProvincialR. I S H C O L Osoyoos U M B I A Park 19 20 22 NORTH 22 FOREST 21 23 24 MOUNT CASCADES Pasayten Wilderness Bellingham NATIONAL N. 90 PARK Keechelus BAKER- Stephen 20 Mather 20 Wilderness 30 Lake 25 Mount Vernon 0 1 2 329 428 5 Miles 27 26 Omak Stehekin 5 SNOQUALMIE 20 Glacier Peak 153

Wilderness 97

Henry M Jackson Everett NATIONAL D Wilderness

N OKANOGAN-

U

O

S WENATCHEE Chelan

2 T Seattle E Skykomish NATIONAL Bremerton G U FOREST P Alpine Lakes FOREST 90 Wilderness

MAP Snoqualmie Pass Wenatchee Tacoma AREA 28 97 90 410 8 W A S H 281 165 Norse IPeak N G 7 T O 90 Wilderness Ellensburg N MOUNT Mount Rainier RAINIER Wilderness NATIONAL PARK Mt Rainier 410 Centralia 123 William O. Douglas 97 7 Wilderness 12

12 12 White Pass Goat Rocks Yakima GIFFORD Wilderness

504 PINCHOT YAKAMA Wilderness NATIONAL INDIAN Mt Saint Mt Adams Helens 82 FOREST RESERVATION Indian Heaven Trout Lake 503 Wilderness R 141 I 97 0 10 20 Miles V Yacolt Burn E State Forest R

Beacon Rock U R O L M B E State Park C I A R I V 14 Cascade Locks 84 The 35 Dalles O R E G O N

WASHINGTON TRACTS Legend - Snoqualmie Pass - References Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail All Data: Forest Service, BLM q FY2016 LWCF Request FY2016 LWCF Proposed Funding Disclaimer Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail MAP 5 of 5 Original data was compiled from National Forest Boundary multiple source data and may not This map depicts the approximate location of proposed acquisition meet the U.S. National Mapping National Forest Wilderness for the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail. Accuracy Standard of the Office of Management and Budget. This National Forest map has no warranties as to its US Forest Service Region 6 contents or accuracy. Private Map Date: 01/15/15 More detailed cadastral maps can be requested from the USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region.

CMTL & Trail Maintenance Youth Crews

Photo by Linda Rostad ©2015

Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail

II. Capital Improvement & Maintenance—Trails (CMTL) —USFS: $2.1 million CMTL Request: Allocate $2.1 million for the PCT in the USFS CMTL-PC line item to fund the following ongoing programs in Regions 4, 5 and 6:  Full-time USFS PCT Program Manager  Half-time Program Assistant  Forest and Project Planning and optimal trail location reviews  Challenge Cost Share Agreement with the PCTA and other private partners to support volunteer trail maintenance and public education programs  Trail maintenance, construction, reconstruction and user information  Trail management and operations  Youth and Corps Trail Crew Programs

Need: Every year the Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA) sees a rising threat to public access – insufficient funding to maintain and reconstruct trails for a variety of uses. This access to experiences is what drives the recreation economy in the areas surrounding our national forests. This situation is not unique to the PCT, and the PCTA urges an overall increase in the entire USFS CMTL budget, especially as it funds work on all the National Scenic and Historic Trails. On the PCT, reduced funding for the past two fiscal years has meant that crucial resources for the regular work needed to keep the trail safe and passable for the public, and those needed to respond to disasters such as , washouts, and are insufficient. The result is that every year less and less of the PCT is ready for the public at a time when public interest and demand for PCT experiences is at an all-time high.

Year after year, dedicated PCTA volunteers take to the woods with picks, shovels, saws and spirit to rebuild washed-out bridges, cut away fallen trees, and restore eroded portions of the trail. PCTA recruits young and old by the

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Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail

hundreds to give their time and energy to fix what needs to be fixed all the way from Mexico to Canada on the PCT. In 2014 alone, PCTA volunteers and corps crews devoted 78,000 hours to keeping the trail open for the public to use. As a result, hikers and horseback riders alike will tell you that the PCT is one of the finest wilderness trail experiences in existence.

But we need help from the USFS. Our volunteers cannot be successful without government support. Volunteers need tools, training classes, food and transportation help to make it to where their efforts will do the most good. The USFS has to purchase materials to rebuild bridges, to plan the work effectively, and otherwise ensure that the PCT continues to be a world-class trail for the hundreds of thousands of users who expect to go out and enjoy it.

The Pacific Crest Trail Association urges congressional support of a small increase in the appropriation for the Forest Service for PCT maintenance. Programs administered within this budget are programs that “give back” to youth, to rural communities and to the public. The youth corps and volunteers learn skills in forestry and trail maintenance, and gain experience in cooperation and leadership. Jobs are created in rural areas, while visitors from all over the world spend their recreation and tourism dollars in communities along the trail. At the same time, the ongoing work of keeping the trail accessible is achieved. These programs represent what can be accomplished when people work across boundaries toward a common goal.

III. Trail Maintenance—NPS and BLM: $500,000

PCT Maintenance Request:  $200,000 to the NPS  $300,000 to the BLM

Need: This appropriation is needed to meet the demand for federal agency direct work and coordination of volunteer crews to maintain and repair the PCT in six National Parks and several BLM National Monuments and districts on more than 600 miles of the PCT.

Progress: During 2014, the PCTA completed trail maintenance projects for a total of 78,000 volunteer and corps crew hours in cooperation with federal agency partners and private partners. Since 2008, PCTA has done work under a long-term Challenge Cost Share Agreement with the BLM, which provides funding for the support of volunteer work projects on BLM lands. PCTA volunteers and staff worked with BLM and local volunteers to perform needed maintenance and repairs in California and Oregon.

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Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail

Youth Trail Crew Programs

Environmental Charter Schools:

The Environmental Charter High School and Middle School are award-winning, free public schools in southern Los Angeles that educate and prepare students for four-year colleges using the environment as a lens for real-life learning. The majority of the student body is of Latino and Middle Eastern descent, and 80 percent are considered financially disadvantaged. As a direct result of their PCT experience, several students have been accepted into the Nature Conservancy’s summer internship program to explore environmental careers. Students learn how to repair and restore the trail at different locations on Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and State Park lands. They learn environmental stewardship while camping and experiencing nature, often for the first time.

Environmental Charter High School In 2014, students from the Environmental Charter High School and Middle School contributed more than 870 hours on three projects in the and on Bureau of Land Management lands near Palm Springs.

In addition to trail work, in 2015 students from Environmental Charter High School will join Pacific Crest Trail Association volunteers to advocate for the trail in Washington, DC.

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Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail

Youth Trail Crew Programs

Alternative Spring Break: In , the PCTA works actively with universities to offer alternative spring break programs. In 2014, 12 University of Florida students devoted 500 hours to trail restoration and improvement in the Cleveland National Forest.

Alternative Spring Break

American Conservation Experience

American Conservation Experience (ACE): ACE’s conservation corps program is for 18- to 25-year-olds who are considering land management as a career path or potential course of study. Corps members serve in professionally supervised teams as they explore future outdoor careers, learn practical field skills, and develop confidence as emerging leaders in the field of conservation. In 2014, ACE crews spent 6,400 hours working on the trail in eight different National Forests and BLM districts.

“The experience has been one of the best of my life, and it has given me a new perspective on the way I see trails and the people that thru-hike them … I will be talking about this experience for the rest of my life. I am going to strongly encourage the people I know to join a trail crew, or volunteer in one way or another because of the impact it can have on one's life.” – ACE Crew Member

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Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail

Youth Trail Crew Programs

AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) – New to the PCT in 2014, NCCC strengthens communities and develops leaders in youth ages 18 to 24 through team-based service. Drawn from the successful models of the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930s and the U.S. military, AmeriCorps NCCC is built on the belief that civic AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps responsibility is an inherent duty of all citizens. In 2014, NCCC spent eight weeks on the PCT contributing 3,400 service hours work on BLM lands, the San Bernardino National Forest, and California’s Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

Boy Scouts: In 2014, Scouts from three different Boy Scout troops worked on the trail in California and Oregon, contributing a combined total of 390 volunteer hours.

Urban Youth: In 2014, the long- term Urban Youth program continued with a new partner, New Currents, Outdoors in Portland, Oregon. This partnership works to get urban youth ages 12 to 17 involved in environmental education, hiking, camping and recreating on public lands. In 2014, 12 kids from the Urban Youth Program worked on a two-day project in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.

Urban Youth

Prepared by the Pacific Crest Trail Association ∙ February 2015 ∙ (916) 285-1846 ∙ www.pcta.org 21

Congressional Maps

Photo by Ann Holston ©2015

PACIFIC CREST NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL and California Congressional Districts, 114th United States Congress

KLAMATH MODOC A 25 24 1 N 8 SI X LOS G E PADRES L E RI VERS SHASTA-TRI NITY S 29 28 27 LASSEN 26 31 32

2 30, 33-35, 37-41, 43, 36 PLUMAS 44, 46-48 45 MENDOCINO 42 C TAHOE L LAKE 46 E 3 TAHOE BASI N V ELDORADO 49 E

Southern California Segment L 50 HUMBOLDT- TOIYABE A

STANI SLAUS N

D 5-7, 4 YOSEMITE 52, 53 9-19, 21 51 114th INYO Congress SI ERRA Pacific Crest DEATH National Scenic Trail SEQUOIA VALLEY California Senators Congressional Districts 20 1 Dianne Feinstein (D) 114th Congress LOS SEQUOIA 8 Barbara Boxer (D) PADRES National Forests Wilderness Land California Representatives National 23 Parks 1 Doug LaMalfa(R) MOJAVE 2 Jared Huffman (D) 24 3 John Garamendi (D) BLM LOS Land 4 Tom McClintock (R) PADRES 25 5 Mike Thompson (D) ANGELES 6 Doris Matsui (D) 7 Ami Bera (D) 26 SAN BERNARDINO 8 Paul Cook (R) JOSHUA TREE State 9 Jerry McNerney (D) 36 10 Jeff Denham (R) Land 11 Mark DeSaulnier (D) 25 Steve Knight (R) CLEVELAND 12 Nancy Pelosi (D) 26 Julia Brownley (D) 13 Barbara Lee (D) 27 Judy Chu (D) 14 Jackie Speier (D) 28 Adam Schiff (D) 50 51 15 Eric Swalwell (D) 29 Tony Cardenas (D) 16 Jim Costa (D) 30 Brad Sherman (D) 17 Michael Honda (D) 31 Pete Aguilar (D) 46 Loretta Sanchez (D) 18 Anna Eshoo (D) 32 Grace Napolitano (D) 39 Ed Royce (R) 47 Alan Lowenthal (D) 19 Zoe Lofgren (D) 33 Ted Lieu (D) 40 Lucille Roybal-Allard (D) 48 Dana Rohrabacher (R) 20 Sam Farr (D) 34 Xavier Becerra (D) 41 Mark Takano (D) 49 Darrell Issa (R) 21 David Valadao (R) 35 Norma Torres (D) 42 Ken Calvert (R) 50 Duncan Hunter (R) 22 Devin Nunes (R) 36 Raul Ruiz (D) 43 Maxine Waters (D) 51 Juan Vargas (D) Designed 23 Kevin McCarthy (R) 37 Karen Bass (D) 44 Janice Hahn (D) 52 Scott Peters (D) and produced by 24 Lois Capps (D) 38 Linda Sanchez (D) 45 Mimi Walters (R) 53 Susan Davis (D) R5 Geospatial Services 12/05/12 Astoria 30 1. Suzanne Oregon Senators 101 Bonamici Ron Wyden (D) 26 (D) 3. Earl Jeff Merkley (D) Umatilla Blumenauer  730 (D) 395 Hood River 84 204 6 3 35  11    Tillamook PORTLAND Gresham The Dalles Pendleton Wallowa  74 WALLOWA 82 197 WHITMAN Hebo 19 74 Enterprise  La Grande 22 Heppner  18 206 MT HOOD Maupin 244 Lincoln 216 97 City 22 5. Kurt Schrader  207 UMATILLA 99 Salem (D) Fossil W 26 203

Newport 19 20 395  86  Baker City Corvallis Madras Waldport 22 34 CROOKED RIVER

 NAT’L GRASSLAND 84 228 PACIFIC OCEAN Sweet Home 20 John Day  5 Prineville Sisters Redmond  MALHEUR SIUSLAW  2. Greg Walden 26 Springfield  36  (R) Florence Eugene PACIFIC CREST Bend 4. Peter A. DeFazio WILLAMETTE NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL Vale Reedsport (R) DESCHUTES OCHOCO  and Oregon Congressional Districts, 38 Oakridge 58 20 LaPine 114th United States Congress

 Coos Bay Burns  Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail

 138 Roseburg UMPQUA Congressional Districts 5 1 National Land 97 114th Congress 78 42 230 31 227 395 National Forests BLM Land Port  Orford Wilderness Land Prospect  95

62 62 SISKIYOU Gold Chiloquin 0 miles 100 miles Beach Grants Pass  WINEMA 140 95 Medford 199 FREMONT 101 140 Designed ROGUE RIVER Klamath and produced by Falls Brookings  R5 Geospatial Services 66  12/05/12 Lakeview 140 5 Washington Senators Patty Murray (D) Maria Cantwell (D) 542 NORTH ROSS 21 Bellingham CASCADES LAKE 31 9. Adam Smith (D) NAT’L PARK 25 NRA 97 COLVILLE 7. Jim OKANOGAN Tonasket 5   20 Republic 20 McDermott 2. Rick Larsen Sedro Woolley1. Suzan DelBene Colville (D) (D) LAKE Winthrop (D) CHELEN NRA 20  530 Okanogan 5. Cathy McMorris25 Rodgers Port Angeles Darrington  MT BAKER/ 153 155 (R) 20 SNOQUALMIE Forks 4. Dan Newhouse Newport  21 Everett (R) 2 101 OLYMPIC NAT’L PARK Coulee Dam 2 174 

 174 Chelan 155 6. Derek Kilmer 17  SEATTLE  90 (D)Quinault North Bend 8. David G. 2 2  SPOKANE OLYMPIC  Leavenworth 90 Reichert PACIFIC CREST  WENATCHEE (R) 195 TACOMA Wenatchee 28 90  NATIONAL SCENIC28 TRAIL Enumclaw  410 and Washington Congressional Districts, 5 8  12 10. Dennis Heck7 97 114th United States Congress Olympia 90 12 410  101 (D) MOUNT RAINER Ellensburg NAT’L PARK 123 26

Chehalis Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail 26

7 12 6 3. Jaime Herrera 127 12 Yakima Congressional Districts 1 395 National Land Beutler 114th Congress 195 4 (R) GIFFORD 504 PINCHOT 12 4. Dan Newhouse National Forests BLM Land  MOUNT SAINT HELENS Clarkston PACIFIC OCEAN NATIONAL VOLCANIC (R) Other Federal  MONUMENT 12 Wilderness Land Kelso Pasco Land UMATILLA 97 129 503 0 miles  100 miles Walla Walla

5 141 COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE 14 NAT’L SCENIC AREA

Vancouver

14 Designed and produced by R5 Geospatial Services 12/05/12

Letters

Photo by Ryan Choi ©2015

2 2 2 PCT/PCTA Information

Photo by Garik Asplund ©2015

Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail

Fact Sheet

From desert to glacier-flanked mountain, meadow to forest, the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail symbolizes everything there is to love—and protect—in the Western United States.

Background: The PCT spans 2,650 miles from Mexico to Canada through California, Oregon, and Washington. Hundreds of thousands of outdoor enthusiasts enjoy this national treasure each year. In the 1968 National Trails System Act, Congress authorized the PCT as one of the first national scenic trails. Congress charged the USFS with the responsibility to administer the PCT in cooperation with the many land managers along its route.

 Designated by Congress as one of the first National Scenic Trails in 1968  Contiguous route completed (but not entirely protected) in 1993  Location: Mexico to Canada through California, Oregon, and Washington  Length: 2,650 miles  Land Managers:

 25 National Forests

 6 National Parks

 5 California State Parks

 3 National Monuments

 Bureau of Land Management

 Scenic and State Recreation Areas

 County Parks and Indian Lands  Lowest point: 100 feet at the Columbia River, Oregon/Washington border  Highest point: 13,180 feet at , California  Congressional Districts on the PCT: 10 in California, 4 in Oregon, 4 in Washington

Prepared by the Pacific Crest Trail Association ∙ February 2015 ∙ (916) 285-1846 ∙ www.pcta.org 29 Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail

Pacific Crest Trail Association Fact Sheet

PCTA Mission The mission of the Pacific Crest Trail Association is to protect, preserve and promote the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail (PCT) as a world-class experience for hikers and equestrians, and for all the values provided by wild and scenic lands.

The PCTA strives to achieve this mission by promoting the PCT as a unique educational and recreational treasure and one of the finest hiking and horseback trails anywhere in the world. The PCTA is a private nonprofit and is recognized as a 501(c)(3) by the Internal Revenue Service. The PCTA provides a broad range of services to its members and the international public, and serves as a communications link among users and land management agencies.

Staff and Board of Directors In 1993, the PCTA hired its first paid staff. Today, the PCTA has a regular staff of 17, including an executive director and trail and administrative staff.

A 13-member volunteer board of directors provides leadership and governance for the PCTA. Board members are elected for a three-year term.

Membership & Budget In 2015, we celebrate an ever-expanding membership base. The PCTA now represents more than 9,500 PCTA members worldwide, and has an annual budget of $2.2 million.

Partnerships The PCTA works in partnership with the USFS, the NPS, the BLM, and California State Parks to protect, preserve, and promote the PCT. Through a long-term Memorandum of Understanding among these agencies, the PCTA is recognized as the major private partner. Along with the government agencies, the PCTA leads the coordination, management, and operation of the PCT and feeder trails. Activities include signing, condition surveys, trailhead and trail use surveys, water development, and adopt-a-trail programs, as well as new construction and ongoing maintenance activities. Educational opportunities also are plentiful as our volunteers lead interpretive trips and speak to local schools, agencies, businesses, and other civic organizations.

Prepared by the Pacific Crest Trail Association ∙ February 2015 ∙ (916) 285-1846 ∙ www.pcta.org 30 Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail

Pacific Crest Trail History . 1926 – first known record of a proposal for a trail through California, Oregon and Washington . 1932 – Clinton Clarke, the “father of the PCT,” begins promoting the trail . 1930s – exploration begins . 1935 – 1938 – YMCA organizes relays to scout the trail’s route . 1939 – the PCT appears on a federal government map for the first time . 1940s – work halted due to WWII . 1950s – advocacy work continues . 1968 – designated as National Scenic Trail . 1988 – monuments placed at the southern and northern terminuses . 1993 – Golden Spike “completion” ceremony . 2000 – U.S. Forest Service hires full-time PCT Program Manager . 2001 – U.S. Forest Service signs agreement with National Park Service for PCT land acquisition work

Pacific Crest Trail Association History . 1935 – first meeting of the Pacific Crest Trail System Conference . 1971 – Warren Rogers, Clinton Clarke’s protégé, founds the Pacific Crest Trail Club . 1977 – Pacific Crest Trail Conference incorporated . 1987 – Pacific Crest Trail Club merges with Pacific Crest Trail Conference . 1992 – Pacific Crest Trail Conference changes its name to Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA) . 1993 – PCTA hires first paid staff . 1990s – PCTA grows its membership and volunteer base . 1997 – PCTA begins annual advocacy trips to Washington, D.C. . 2006 – PCTA adopts Strategic Plan . 2010 – PCTA exceeds 100,000 annual volunteer hours with the help of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Prepared by the Pacific Crest Trail Association ∙ February 2015 ∙ (916) 285-1846 ∙ www.pcta.org 31

WALKING & HIKING FOR FITNESS May | June 2014 Preserving the Pacific Crest Trail Wilderness Experience

2014 Trail Shoe Review

Embrace Your Competitive Side + Preparing for a Spring Hike Will Keep You Healthy All Season Long

www.walkaboutmag.com Preserving the PCT Wilderness Experience

By Mark Larabee

I’m in the backcountry, steeped in solitude day after day, alone with the immensity of the place, watching nature move in small, uninterrupted worlds. Deer and dragonflies move freely. Mosquitoes and marmot thrive. Douglas fir and cedar tower above. Snowfields on high peaks invisibly recede, feeding streams, lakes, and rivers. My legs are covered in fine dust; the grease in my hair used to bother me, but it doesn’t anymore. My pack once felt like I was carrying another person on my shoulders, but now I toss it about with one hand. With every clean breath, every step, I’m stronger and more alive. That’s how I felt in the final days of a month-long hike across Oregon on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), the 2,650-mile National Scenic Trail that runs from Mexico to Canada along the spine of the mountains of the American West. I was reporting on the trail in 2005 for The Oregonian, at the end of an era when newspapers thrived and sent reporters to the field to live the story rather than tweet from the confines of their cubicles. My view of the world is no longer through the lens of a newspaper reporter. I left that career behind in 2009. Today I work on behalf of the Pacific Crest Trail through the nonprofit Pacific Crest Trail Association (www.pcta.org), which has roughly 8,500 members. Our job at PCTA is to protect, preserve, and promote the trail as a world-class experience for hikers and horseback riders and for the values provided by wild and scenic lands. And the trail is wild and scenic. The PCT winds its way from the mountains of southern California through the Mojave Desert before it Rae Lakes climbs into the . From there this ribbon connects the and the Marble Mountains in northern California before traversing east into the of southern Oregon. Then it heads north into the Cascade Range, passing volcanoes one after another in Oregon and Washington, before topping out in the granite peaks of the North Cascades. The PCT is truly a wilderness trail. Almost half the trail crosses federally protected wilderness — 48 separate wilderness areas in all – where mechanized tools and modes of travel are prohibited and the preservation of the natural landscape is the primary management goal. After hiking about 500 miles of the PCT from northern California to Cascade Locks, OR, carrying a 35-pound backpack, I understood more than ever the importance of having and protecting such wilderness. The tangible benefits of preserving vast tracts of land for wildlife, clean air, and drinking water are surely to everyone’s benefit. But for me, these natural places provide all of us with something more ethereal – an opportunity to find balance in our daily lives. Being outside embraces us in a way that’s immeasurable in terms of dollars, yet priceless in terms of afterglow. There’s much talk today about shrinking government. Taxpayer-funded recreation and conservation programs are targeted. Does that mean that High Traverse protected places such as the Pacific Crest Trail – one of only 11 National Scenic Trails – are not worthy of our financial support? These wilderness areas and the other public lands that the trail crosses are managed by government agencies, primarily the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and California State Parks. Through written agreement, the nonprofit Pacific Crest Trail Association is the primary force for keeping the trail open and accessible. We use government grants and raise even more money privately to marshal volunteers who spend their own time clearing brush, cutting fallen logs, and rebuilding trail tread. Our volunteers put in a whopping 85,000 hours last year. This work is like paining the Golden Gate Bridge. It’s never complete. Mother Nature is always trying to take back the trail. We are always working to stem the affects of weather, erosion, fire, and plant growth. It’s even more difficult in wilderness. PCTA partners with Back Country Horsemen groups and other packers who volunteer their horses and mules to carry tools, tents, and food for crews, who might spend two weeks far from any trailhead clearing logs or rebuilding a washed out bridge. And that’s just part of it. Our Trail Operations experts not only organize and shepherd these volunteer crews, they work directly with land managers to ensure that the trail is considered in the larger context of managing the vast individual forests. Without strong partnerships and good working relationships, this important work would not happen and the trail Forester Pass experience would wither. PCTA also runs the nation’s premier training program for trail workers. We held 26 Trails Skill College training sessions is 2013 so our crews could learn to work safely and gain new skills in everything from crew leadership to using a crosscut saw. Every February, PCTA staff members and volunteers visit Washington D.C. as part of Hike the Hill, a gathering sponsored by the Partnership for the National Trails System. Along with representative from other trail groups, we meet with people in Congress and in the top echelons of the land management agencies to ensure that the PCT and other national trails are properly considered and cared for. The relationship between humankind and nature is symbiotic. Places like the PCT and the wilderness around it need our stewardship, care, and protection. That is what PCTA is all about. On my hike across Oregon, I saw how important these places are to all of us, as well as what happens when we let our responsibility to them slip away. In this 50th year of the Wilderness Act, it is our responsibility to double down on our investment. WA

Mark Larabee is the Managing Editor of the Pacific Crest Trail Communicator, the quarterly magazine of the Pacific Crest Trail Association. Before joining PCTA, he spent 25 years as a newspaper reporter and editor and was part of team of reporters who won the Pulitzer Prize for breaking news in 2007 for The Oregonian newspaper of Portland, OR. Muir Hut

Note: Abbreviations at right National Park System National Forest System Fish and Wildlife Service Bureau of Land Management are for federal lands shown on this map. In many places, Mount Baker P exact trail locations have not ACI NF FIC yet been determined. Portions NF National Forest NWR NOR of the trails indicated on this NP National Park North THW MEM Memorial NG National Grassland Cascades Okanogan ES map may not be accessible for N PRES National Preserve T NA NB National Battlefield NRA NP NF TION public use. Please check with NBP National Battlefield Park Olympic AL individual trail clubs and man- NRR National Recreational River Lake Chelan SCEN NHP National Historical Park NP NRA Colville IC T aging offices for the latest N RES National Reserve Only national park, forest areas, and RAIL NHS National Historic Site NS National Seashore NF available trail locations. NL National Lakeshore wildlife refuges that relate to the Olympic NF SEATTLE Kaniksu NSR National Scenic Riverway National Trails System are shown. Kootenai NM National Monument PKWY Parkway Wenatchee NF Glacier N MEM National Memorial NF NF NP NMP National Military Park OLYMPIA S Mount Rainier E Willapa NWR NP WASHINGTON Lake of T Flathead A Snoqualmie the Woods A Lewis and Clark NF Bear Paw CANADA Julia Butler NF D NHP Hansen NWR Lewis Battlefield T 90 Lolo S and U A Gifford Benton Fort Union NITED S Fort Vancouver NHS NF Clark Trading Post TATES Lewis and Clark NWR Pinchot NF Lake N NF Ul Bend D 82 NWR NHS Ridgefield McNary NWR NWR issouri A E Three Arch NWR Steigerwald Lake NWRRICHLAND M PASCO Nez Perce C T Rocks NWR I Franz Lake NWR NHP Clearwater GREAT FALLS PORTLAND Umatilla KENNEWICK MISSOULA on NF NORTH DAKOTA i N cat Columb NWR lo ia LEWISTON Charles M. Russell re OREGON CITY Lee Metcalf NWR Audubon NWR U Pierce Umatilla Lewis and Clark NWR Little ed SUPERIO Lolo Lake Ilo osSuperior NF R SALEM NWR NF NF p KE 84 NF Missouri NWR Chippewa Pro LA Mount Knife River O NG NF MAINE CORVALLIS Hood NF Nez Perce Deer Lodge HelenaHELENA Indian Villages 5 R Umatilla E NF NF NF MONTANA NHS G Wallowa L William L. Finley NF Bitterroot 95 NWR O NF E N Whittlesey Pictured NF W ORT Willamette N e H Creek AL SC TRAI Rocks NL Whitman NF n 94 FARGO Tamarac Desi N ENIC L Hiawatha AUGUSTA Gallatin o I gna DULUTH NF Big t S te NWR O Ottawa EUGENE Yellows BISMARCK NWR d ro I NF Hole NF Long Lake NWR ute C T NF

A A O N N Salmon NB U Hiawatha White A N N Y NF Beaverhead TR NF VT. Mountain T NF BILLINGS D Sheyenne I BOZEMAN 35 NF O Gallatin NG Chequamegon C ix MONTPELIER N NF ro SR NF Deschutes L MINNESOTA C N L A Custer A 93 OREGON A 89 NF t K L NF n Umpqua NEZ PERCE (NEE-ME-POO) R E i a NF K N.H. S Green IDAHO Yellowstone NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL H Mountain H NP NATIONA U CONCORD N L NP ICE AGE IS R NF A 81 Rogue T O O T WAUSAU 91 River Targhee I N NEW ENGLAND

Deer Flat NWR R Sawtooth S MEDFORD NF O Fort Stanwix I NF 29 C NF 90 ST. PAUL C NA Winema BOISE SOUTH N DAKOTA 75 NM 87 TIONAL SCENIC TRAIL S 15 E IO NF n Shoshone A MINNEAPOLIS AR WISCONSIN N NT Boston Harbor Islands NRA a T NF L M O BOSTON P NWR k I E C MASS. e R i K SYRACUSE UTICA AMHERST A H ss Manistee A Lower Klamath NWR A i L ALBANY

C s NF

I Teton I s 39 T

Klamath I Tule Lake NWR L Caribou S ip ROCHESTER PITTSFIELD PIERREFt Pierre R N 90 F Modoc NF NF T p

NF I Clear Lake NWR NG O i A SPRINGFIELD C NF A

PROVIDENCE

Hagerman Fossil R I Finger POCATELLO L I 90 G ITHACA NEW YORK

Beds NM I NEWPORT Shasta C C 94 MICHIGAN Lakes CONN. A GraysBridger Lake NWR BUFFALO C H L T 88 HARTFORD NF R I NF The four trails shown here as MUSKEGON Finger E F Humboldt 86 R 43 C L S O Sawtooth 90 I Lakes POUGHKEEPSIE I NF separate lines actually follow A 90 R.I. LassenT R NF WYOMING NF A 95 the same route in much of I GRAND RAPIDS NF N Humboldt L M 69 R REDDING Curlew Nebraska and Wyoming. T I NF CASPER Lake Andes NWR MADISON MILWAUKEE A NG 96 84 Bear Lake LANSING 84 Lassen Volcanic City of NWR Karl E. Mundt NWR

Cache NF 90 E Allegheny

NP Rocks DETROIT I N E R S A JANESVILLE TIO L N RES E NF Wallkill River NWR a Plumas A ra 43 Delaware Water Gap NRA

a K 196 c N L br r NF I Cokeville M Nio 35 E

a A A TR Meadows O Missouri NR SIOUX CITY BATTLE K NEW YORK m H Seedskadee NWR R 94 94 Morristown NHP

I C Fort Laramie R L A 79 STORI Humboldt NWR M North Platte NWR CREEK 75 L CITY

e 80 Great NHS O 80 n NF N Pyramid N IOWA CLEVELAND

t Salt 81 78 o OGDEN TOLEDO

A Lake 80 CHICAGO 80 Lake P WASHINGTON-ROCHAMBEAU

T IO 90 TRENTON I N PENNSYLVANIA Tahoe O Wasatch Scotts Bluff IC REVOLUTIONARY ROUTE Medicine EE 88 N NF N NF NM R AKRON E NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL RENO Bow NF DES MOINES 39 SC N.J. A NEBRASKA OMAHA 80 HARRISBURG Independence NHP NEVADA Ruby Lake NWR SALT LAKE Chimney Rock N Desoto NWR 69 PITTSBURGH L A T Boyer Chute NWR 75 Eldorado CITY NHS I ONAL 71 PHILADELPHIA NF Unita Routt H te 76 WILMINGTON CARSON CHEYENNE IS t COUNCIL BLUFFS 65 83 NATIONAL NF NF Roosevelt TO la 77 CITY SS HIS NF P HAGERSTOWN SACRAMENTO T PONY EXPRE TO RI 14 HumboldtRIC C TR Fish Springs n Rocky 76 T 74 68 AIL e RAIL 55 Harpers Walker NF NWR e Mountain MD. BALTIMORE SAN FRANCISCO oiyabe r 80 OHIO Ferry Stanislaus Lake NP LINCOLN COLUMBUS CUMBERLANDChesapeake DOVER OAKLAND NF Toiyabe NF G NHP 70 16 2 STOCKTON NF NAUVOO INDIANA and Ohio BOULDER 70 Canal NHP ANNAPOLIS Arapaho 29 DEL. Golden Gate NRA S Fishlake UTAH White ILLINOIS INDIANAPOLIS George C DAYTON WASHINGTON, D.C. SAN JOSE Yosemite NF River NF 10 E DENVER Squaw Creek NWR Wayne Washington 8 S NP N 70 NF 72 NF Memorial STAR-SPANGLED BANNER an Humboldt SPRINGFIELD 18 1 I 74 WEST Shenandoah PKWY 4 C ST. JOSEPH 19 NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL NF GRAND JUNCTION Pike 57 J Devils Postpile Swan Lake NWR CINCINNATI NP o NF 25 7 a NM Colorado VIRGINIA 17 SALINAS q Arches NM ATCHISON George u 13 Inyo NF NP M Washington i 15 70 KANSAS CITY 65 79 81 CHARLOTTESVILLE POTOMAC HERITAGE n Sierra i o Gunnison ss hi NF MONTEREYLos 5 NF COLORADO o O CHARLESTON NATIONAL SCENIC TRAIL Kings NF u Two Rivers NWR Ohio River Padres Pinnacles NM T r WILLIAMSBURG i Islands NWR L 64 NF Canyon R San KANSAS TOPEKA A NP A L Dixie Curecanti LAWRENCE INDEPENDENCE 70 71 RICHMOND 12 3 I Isabel N 20 11 I NRA FRANKFORT 6 CALIFORNIASequoia L A NF 64 Jefferson NF Big Muddy NWR ST. LOUIS 64 IO 5 R NP Glen Canyon NF T 15 T A Jefferson National VIRGINIA Death ST. GEORGE NRA rka AIL A IC ns TR JEFFERSON CITY Expansion MEM 64 N 9 BEACH Valley R Rio as SANTA IC 55 VIRGINIA 95 Toiyabe O San Grande Great Sand Dunes Bent’s Old FE N R ROANOKE NP NF T Fort NHS ATIO TO Fort Larned NORFOLK J IS Juan NF NP NAL HIS NHS U H Kaibab NF 135 MISSOURI Shawnee SAN LUIS L Comanche 35 See inset map below A Sequoia A NF KENTUCKY OBISPO N NF NG N Y N O Cypress NF TI LAS VEGAS DURANGO A W NA Grand Canyon Creek I K H 77 Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes S H P 85 I NP Mark Twain NWR ABINGDON Los 75 C NWR N A e Padres A NF A g P Lake Mead R d B NF Cimarron SPRINGFIELD L i WINSTON- S I R A NRA do Z NG A ELKIN SALEM ora OR ELIZABETHTON P l O Ozark Cavefish NWR IST IC U D Co Kaibab H T JOHNSON CITY P e RALEIGH T L AL RA Cherokee A lu NF N Carson NF N IL 24 B IS O O NF 40 A Maxwell NWR I TA AT SANTA BARBARA N MORGANTON NORTH CAROLINA Mojave 44 S Angeles Kiowa Pea Ridge NMP AR TENNESSEE CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH CHESAPEAKE Santa Fe Fort Union TE Great Smoky81 D NF N PRES NG F Pisgah N NF Santa Fe O NASHVILLE Mountains NP OVERMOUNTAIN VICTORY NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL E L NM AIL Tennessee NWR NF A I TR FLAGSTAFF A NF W MURFREESBORO NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL A T R Santa Monica N T Ozark h Stones River Z I FAYETTEVILLE it Cherokee Mountains NRA A Walnut Canyon NM O NF CHARLOTTE e NB 83 95 San C SANTA FE an Chickasaw NWR NF Nantahala LOS N N I Cibola di N.J. A Bernardino N na TAHLEQUAH Ozark NF Kings Mountain 14 ANGELES Coconino A 40 E NF Pecos a OKLAHOMA NF Lower Hatchie NWR 65 24 Cowpens T NF C CLEVELAND NMP RIVERSIDE IO ARIZONANF L C NHP NB MD. BALTIMORE S DOVER N 40 CHATTANOOGAChattahochee A 40 OKLAHOMA CITY 70 16 2

El Malpais ALBUQUERQUE Fort Smith ARKANSAS NF L S L Chickamauga and 85 NM NHS ANNAPOLIS C HUNTSVILLE 5 A Sequoyah MEMPHIS Chattanooga DEL. E SOUTH CAROLINA WASHINGTON, D.C. N H 17 NWR NMP Salton 10 N Holla Bend 10 I O Cleveland S I Sea I Sevilleta NWR NWR COLUMBIA 8 1 T C T 4 NF T Cibola 44 Ouachita IL ennessee O Tonto A NF A Wheeler 18 SAN DIEGO NF NF LITTLE ROCK R R 27 NWR 19 N T 95 I T White River 7 C Apache 26 17 PHOENIX R A 20 NF NWR

A NEW MEXICO r ATLANTA k C 13 TRAIL E I

I Bosque Del Apache NWR a ) L n 59 D s N YUMA I Y 8 a Gila s E 20 V EL CAMINO REAL DE C W RICHMOND I NF 55 CHARLESTON 64 WILLIAMSBURG PACIFIC S K D P UNITED STATES TIERRA ADENTRO 75 12 M 30 e 85 20 3 NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL L c a GEORGIA i r 11 5 s A T L 35 6 s 15 25 N z i OCEAN s VA. VIRGINIA A Saguaro s e

o O T h MEXICO s I BEACH NP c c 9 TUCSON i t N p T 16 e ALABAMA a

E P NORFOLK p A N 85 s i N N

I LAS CRUCES FT WORTH w 19 10 DALLAS o SELMA Coronado NF T E ll o MONTGOMERY N C f Tumacacori A ( Chesapeake Bay area O R Chamizal 20 20 T NHP C National1 Wildlife Refuges N MEM EL PASO Z E JACKSON 2 Blackwater H SELMA TO MONTGOMERY 3 To central Mexico C Eastern Neck To Mexico City LOUISIANA T 59 a NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL 4 A Eastern Shore Of Virginia m 5 NACOGDOCHES N a Featherstone TEXAS b 6 a Fisherman Island MISSISSIPPI l 65 ATLANTIC 7 NATCHEZ A James River 49 Osceola 8 NF Martin 10 JACKSONVILLE 9 FLORID TALLAHASSEE TRAIL Mason Neck EL CAMINO REAL A N OCEAN 10 Nansemond ATIO NIC DE LOS TEJAS NAL SCE 11 Occoquan Bay 12 NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL BATON PENSACOLA Plum Tree Island EAN Apalachicola 13 Presquile OC 10 ROUGE St. Marks NWR 12 NF 75 14 Rappahannock River Valley IC COLLEGE STATION 95 CT Susquehanna R BEAU AUSTIN Gulf Islands NS A FOR 10 T FLORIDA 15 SE U 45 Ocala NationalColonial Park NHP sites A N NEW 16 R ORLEANS NF Fort McHenry NM i IT 17 o E George Washington Birthplace NM G 18 ra D Piscataway Park n San Antonio Missions HOUSTON ORLANDO 19 de M S NHP Prince William Forest Park 20 E T Richmond NBP X A SAN ANTONIO I C T O E 4 TAMPA S

35 ST. PETERSBURG

Lake 37 GULF OF MEXICO Okeechobee WEST PALM BEACH kon UNITED STATES NOME IDI Yu TARO D N CANADA Alaska Maritime A LAREDO T NWR IO To Mexico City N A NAPLES MIAMI L ALASKA Big

H Cypress BERING SEA Innoko NWR IS N PRES T O RIC T RA IL Alaska Hawaii

ANCHORAGE Chugach Kauai PACIFIC OCEAN NF Niihau Oahu

SEWARD HONOLULU

Molokai JUNEAU HAWAII Maui North GULF OF ALASKA Pu‘ukoholä Heiau NHS

Kaloko-Honoköhau NHP Hawaii HILO PACIFIC OCEAN Pu‘uhonua o HönaunauKAILUA-KONA Scale for all areas except Alaska NHP 0 100 200 Kilometers Hawai‘i Volcanoes 0 200 400 Kilometers NP ALA KAHAKAI NATIONAL 0 100 200 Miles 0 200 400 Miles HISTORIC TRAIL Map revised April 2010. Thanks to Our Partners

 Adventure 16  Calif. LED Lenser National  ALDHA-West  National Leki National  Alta Land People  Calif. Mom’s Pie House Calif.  American Conservation Experience  National Mountain Khakis National  American Hiking Society  National Mt. Adams Institute Wash.  Appalachian Mountain Club  National National Civilian Community Corps AmeriCorps National  Ashland Woodlands and Trails Association  Ore. National Wilderness Stewardship Alliance National  Backcountry Horsemen of America  National New Currents, Outdoors Ore.  Backcountry Horsemen of California  Calif. New Seasons Market Ore. Backcountry Horsemen of Oregon  Ore. Oregon Equestrian Trails  Ore. Backcountry Horsemen of Washington  Wash. Osprey Packs, Inc.  National Backpacker Magazine  National Outdoor Viewfinder  National Bellevue College  Wash. Pacific Forest Trust  Calif./Ore. Boreas  National Trail Association  Wash. Boy Scouts of America  National Partnership for the National Trails System  National California Alpine Club  Calif. REI  National California Conservation Corps  Calif. Platypus  National Cedar House Sport Hotel  California Royal Robbins  National Coyote Camp Fireline Chow  National Salazon Chocolate  National Eagle Creek  National San Diego Ultra Running Friends  Calif. Eagle’s Nest Outfitters  National Sierra Health Foundation  Calif. Environmental Charter Schools  Calif. Siskiyou Mountain Club  Ore. Equestrian Trails, Inc  Calif. Association  Calif. Esbit  National Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation  Calif. EarthCorps  Wash. The North Face  National Friends of the Inyo  Calif. Trailkeepers of Oregon  Ore. Granite Gear  National Trust for Public Land  National Gregory  National Ultralight Adventure Equipment  National High Cascade Forest Volunteers  Ore. University of Florida  Fla. High Sierra Volunteer Trail Crew  Calif. Ursack  National ICF International  International Washington State Department of Natural Resources  Wash. Inviting Light Photography  Calif. Washington Trails Association  Wash. Juniper Ridge  National White Pass Ski Area  Wash. Kern Recreational Landowners Association  Calif. Washington Trails Association  Wash. Keyes, Fox, & Weidman LLP  Calif. Well.org  National Leave No Trace  National Woolrich  National

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