Pacific Crest NST: 2018 Highlights

Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA)

OUTREACH
  • Launched PCTA’s Trail Town pilot program with the city of Mt. Shasta, CA, featuring a major public event July 21, 2018.
  • Organized a joint event with Appalachian Trail Conservancy to celebrate the 50th anniversary of both trails’ establishment as national scenic trails. “Two Sister Trails, One Celebration,” a live, four hour webcast from Harpers Ferry, WV and Sacramento, CA on October 2, 2018, featured an interview with Cheryl Strayed and was viewed by thousands online.
PROTECTION
  • PCTA worked with the U.S. Forest Service to transfer three properties to public ownership: Landers Meadow in the southern Sierra, Donomore Meadows in northern California, and Stevens Pass in Washington. These parcels totaled 807 acres and included three-quarters of a mile of the PCT. Their transfer to public ownership will permanently protect the viewshed of four miles of the PCT, 200 acres of wet meadows, and wildlife habitat for multiple species including the northern spotted owl, great gray owl, deer, elk, and wolves.
CAPACITY
  • Hired PCTA’s first regional representative for the southern Sierra region, which is one of the most iconic regions and home to some of the most heavily used parts of the trail. The new regional representative, who starts January 2019, will facilitate an increased focus on volunteer training, partnership building, outreach and education, and trail maintenance. More than just maintaining the trail in backcountry wilderness, the PCTA now has the capacity needed to tackle the challenges of increased trail use, the growing effects of climate change, and increasing development pressures. The southern Sierra program will also allow PCTA to build the foundation for the long-planned 37-mile Tejon Ranch trail reroute through the Tehachapis Mountains, consistent with the original vision for the trail’s route.

Unless otherwise indicated, all material in Pathways Across America is public domain. All views expressed herein are perspectives of individuals working on behalf of the National Trails System and do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of the Federal agencies.

PCTA worked with the U.S. Forest Service to transfer three properties to public ownership this year, including Landers Meadow in the southern Sierra. Photo Credit: PCTA.