Photo by: Kevin Mullen

Most are stepping into the Sierra Nevada now, if they haven’t already. As always, it’s a good crowd, walking north through the spring from all over the world, and we’re grateful to share the trail with them.

Our southbounders are chomping at the bit. We can’t wait to hear their stories. If you’re aiming for a SOBO start, read the Washington notes below first. Last winter’s rainstorms did real damage up north, conditions are still settling, and we want to hear what you see out there.

Section hikers, backpackers and day hikers: the snow is melting fast and people are already heading into the high country. It’s still early, though. The high passes stay buried well into summer, and most trouble comes from going up before the mountains are ready.

Get together with the trail community! 

Photo by by Gray Feather Photography

PCT Days returns Aug. 14-15 in Cascade Locks, Oregon, two days of booths, camping and fun in the Columbia River Gorge.  

The American Long Distance Hiking Association-West holds its annual Gathering Oct. 9-11 in Nevada City, California. 

Trail conditions and safety 

Southern California. Last winter’s rains, worst on Christmas Eve, tore up the PCT between Big Bear and Neenach. The trail through Mission Creek, in Sand to Snow National Monument, was heavily damaged already and deteriorated even more. Expect washouts, rockfall, blowdown and heavy erosion across the region. The town of Wrightwood lost homes; if you pass through, consider spending locally while the community rebuilds. Highway 2 is closed just east of Three Points which is a much larger closure than normal and will be in place for a long time. We’re at work on repairs, and you can pitch in by volunteering or reporting what you find. 

Sierra Nevada: PCTA crest runners have relayed several reports of a bear near Gomez Meadow, around mile 730. In one, a bear tore into tents. In another, a bear approached a group on a break, ignored their noise-making and bluff-charged even as they slowly backed away. We’ve passed these reports on to federal and state authorities. If you’re headed through, store all food, trash and scented items in a bear canister, keep anything with a smell out of your tent, and never leave your pack unattended. If a bear approaches, group up, make yourself look big, make noise and haze it off. Good food storage protects you and the next hiker, and it protects the bear, since one that learns to raid people rarely ends well.

Reds Meadow Road is being reconstructed and will be regularly closed. If you’re in the area, it’s very important that you read and understand the information posted here.  When the road is closed, it’s closed to all traffic including pedestrians.

The post office and store in Tuolumne Meadows are open. The campground, including the backpacker’s campground, is still closed. There is a four-mile no-camping zone on each side of Highway 120 and Tuolumne Meadows. That’s eight miles between places you can camp. If you are traveling north on the PCT, you must camp at least 4 miles south of Highway 120 in Lyell Canyon, then cross Highway 120 and continue for at least 4 miles until the first legal camping at Glen Aulin Backpackers Camp.

Bear Fire and Dixie Fire, Plumas and Lassen National Forests. The PCT is officially open here, but post-fire conditions are rough from about mile 1237 to 1333, between Quincy-LaPorte Road and Highway 36. Dense brush and heavy blowdown make the tread hard to follow in places, especially near the Middle Fork of the Feather River and in the Upper Chips Creek drainage. You can exit at Quincy-LaPorte Road, Bucks Summit, Belden or Highway 36. Remote miles. Use caution. 

Bartle Gap, Northern California. From about mile 1448 north to Pigeon Hill, expect dense brush and likely blowdown. PCTA, the Back Country Horsemen of California and the Forest Service have worked this stretch in recent years and are back at it this summer, with volunteer logout and Corps crews planned. Thanks for your patience. 

Eagle Creek. Some good news from the Gorge: we’ve done a ton of work to repair the area and the Eagle Creek Trail is open again. We’re glad to have it back.  

Glacier Peak Wilderness, Washington. Rough, remote, wild country that demands respect right now. Downed trees, washouts and damaged tread persist; the Milk Creek drainage is heavily damaged, and the upper Suiattle River Road is closed after severe damage last December, putting an already remote area further out of reach. The PCT here is largely unsuitable for stock until it’s repaired. PCTA and the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest have made it a priority with substantial work planned this year. Serious caution is advised, and many would be wiser to plan elsewhere this season. 

Harts Pass, Washington. The road is closed to vehicles after storm damage, though it’s open to foot traffic. The Forest Service hopes to finish repairs this summer, with no firm timeline yet. This one’s for southbounders especially: Harts Pass is the usual jumping-off point to walk north to the border and start a SOBO hike. With cars shut out, plan on the extra road miles, and confirm the latest before you head out.

Planning your trip 

Photo by: Dave (Razor) McVicker

New to the PCT, or just after a good day out? Start with Explore, our online guide at explore.pcta.org, now up to 106 recommended day hikes and growing, plus 487 trailheads, printable maps and filters to narrow things down. The PCT isn’t just for thru-hikers. It never was. A few PNW picks for this summer: the Ramona Falls Loop on the west side of Mount Hood, Naches Peak Loop near Chinook Pass, and Lake Valhalla near Stevens Pass. 

Before any trip, check the PCT Closures App at closures.pcta.org. We steward it with our agency partners so you have current information whether you’re at home or in the backcountry. Apps can’t do everything, though, so carry paper maps, keep your bearings and trust your gut. 

For snow, the first place we look is the Sentinel-2 satellite imagery at pcta.org/maps, under the “Imagery and Conditions” layer. It generally updates every few days and is detailed enough to plan around lingering snow. Pair it with our webcam layer and the “When to hike the PCT” page. Cold, fast stream crossings and steep snow are some of the season’s real hazards. See the risk so you can manage it, make your safety calls from the bank, and carry a satellite messenger. 

Have a great season. Tell us what you see, send your stories, and help us keep this trail open and safe for everyone. 

The post June 2026 on the PCT: An Update appeared first on Pacific Crest Trail Association.

In late May, we closed escrow on the 80-acre Kelso Ridge property. The property lies at the base of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and the region ties together the Great Central Valley, the Mojave Desert, the Transverse Range, and the Sierra Nevada Mountains themselves. Hikers will soak up the scenic vistas preserved by this project. Standing on the ridgeline of the Kelso Ridge property, you can pretty much see them all on a clear day.

Permanent protection of the PCT is our primary goal, but that’s not just to ensure that PCT adventurers have a trail to travel on. People are seeking the kind of beauty that drops our jaws and fills our hearts with wonder. Clean water and thriving populations of creatures great and small are essential to preserving these landscapes for generations to come.

For Kelso Ridge, PCTA was able to marry all of those noble efforts through one single conservation project.

The property includes the headwaters of Caliente Creek, a tributary to the mighty Kern River that sustains farmland in the Central Valley, a ridgeline in a wildlife corridor that connects continental ecoregions, and, of course, a critical puzzle piece for the PCT, a trail storied for its healing, if not transformative powers.

By protecting Kelso Ridge, we can prevent future development that could permanently alter the PCT experience. New roads, power lines, homes, or logging can quickly disrupt the viewshed, fragment habitat, and force the trail onto property edges and fence lines, diminishing both ecological integrity and the hiker experience.

PCTA feels honored to carry forward another successful land protection effort in a time when public and protected lands feel increasingly threatened. Amid efforts to sell off our shared and cherished lands, we must not lose sight of the increasingly urgent need to protect the places that help make the PCT whole. We’re happy to report that Kelso Ridge is forever protected, and that’s great news for many, many reasons.

The post Kelso Ridge Acquisition Preserves PCT Vistas and Diverse Habitat appeared first on Pacific Crest Trail Association.

Eileen Wassel (left) and Olive Fortner (right).

We spent the past three months at the Southern Terminus, welcoming trail users to the beginning of their trip, and have now moved on to the famous Kennedy Meadows South. It felt incredibly special to see off so many thru-hikers on their first day of such a transformative journey.

Each year, the PCT morphs into a new trail, one which is completely unique to each who experiences it. This year, the desert had crazy heat and bitter cold. Along with the temperature swings came an unusually dry season. Many hikers will remember stumbling down to the dry valley that once held a babbling Hauser Creek on their first days on trail. It was an honor to be trusted by this season’s hikers, as well as by the parents, siblings, and friends who dropped them off, with guidance on how to handle trail conditions in a unique water year. We were also known for taking a picture or two (or a million) of hikers with the famous Southern Terminus monument and handing out the internationally sought-after black plastic toilet paper bags and PCT hang tags!

Now that we are in Kennedy Meadows, we are seeing many familiar faces, and everyone has the same question: What are you doing HERE?

The answer: the same, and more!

We continue to cheer hikers along their thru-hike; we still have black plastic bags and hang tags; and we are working very closely with our federal agency partners to maintain the integrity and sustainability of the trail as we prepare hikers for a long and epic swath of wilderness through the Sierra Nevada. Water weight is being replaced by essential bear canisters and brutal heat by freezing cold, but hikers can be comforted by the familiarity of the same hat-snatching wind they know and love from the desert. 

As Crest Runners with the Pacific Crest Trail Association, we hold the unique opportunity to liaise between PCT hikers, the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the National Park Service. As part of that partnership, we conduct backcountry patrols. Now, you won’t only see us waiting at the trailhead, but on the trail tread itself!

Hiking and camping, monitoring conditions, making contact with all PCT users, and doing our best to prepare you for what lies ahead. When you see me or my partner, Olive, on the trail, we’ll ask to see your permit for a quick stamp or signature. This move, which will be practiced by all wilderness rangers you encounter in the Inyo National Forest and many in the parks, helps our agency partners understand how visitors are moving through the wilderness, their travel patterns, and which LNT topics you have already discussed.

The Sierra is such a wild and wonderful place.

Many people journey to the Sierra for a sense of solitude and peace; the permitting system here and the stewards that uphold it aid in preserving those sought-after qualities. Journey through craggy peaks and misty valleys, knowing that each night you’ll find what you’re sure is the best campsite yet—at least until you see the next night’s. Nap beside babbling streams, dip into the coldest, bluest lakes, and after swimming in five of them during this section, ask yourself: do you really need a shower when you get to town?

By intercepting thru-hikers early in the Sierra, we strategically aim to ready them for future encounters with rangers protecting this fragile ecosystem. It is easier to problem-solve forgetting your permit at your last resupply with us at the trailhead than 40 miles into the backcountry! Our quick leave-no-trace spiel also helps prevent an awkward knock on your tent because you camped within 100 feet of a water source. At the end of the day, it is important to remember: we are all on the same team. Keeping the Sierra clean, natural, and wild requires a network of stewards, and that includes you!  

Making sure hikers have epic and safe journeys is not the only part of our role, however.

Did you know that the PCT is congressionally designated a National Scenic Trail? That’s right, its full name is the PCNST, and part of our duty in the collaborative maintenance and management of the trail includes informed data collection for Visitor Use Management. When we check your permits at the border, we observe your start date and intended distance.

This helps us collectively understand permit compliance and annual trail usage. In the Sierra, we may ask questions like “how are you storing your food?” or “planning to summit Mt. Whitney?”, questions that are also part of the data shared with managing agencies. We never collect your personal information, such as name or address, but if you have a great trail name, we would love to hear it! Every little bit helps to understand how people traverse this 2,650-mile network of trail, to preserve your wilderness experience, and to ensure we work collaboratively and efficiently to conserve and advocate for the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail for generations to come. Stopping to talk to us is a free and easy way to give back to the trail!  

To faces old and new, thru hikers, section hikers, and weekend enjoyers, we are excited to see everyone in the class of 2026 and wish you happy trails!

Written by Eileen “Megaphone” Wassel 

The post PCT ’26 Crest Runners Journey North appeared first on Pacific Crest Trail Association.

Bill Jensen Rests In San Felipe Valley. April 5, 1977

One ad. 1977. “The High Adventure of Eric Ryback.” 

Bill Jensen was born for a life outside; he would have said it was in his DNA. Raised by parents who cherished family camping trips, road trips to national parks and time spent on a trail, Bill grew up immersed in the outdoors. Those early experiences helped shape the life he would go on to live. 

Troop 69 on the PCT north of Old Snowy (Goat Rocks)

At age 11, he became a Boy Scout, joining Portland, Oregon’s Troop 69.  The unconventional adventures of his youth, spent overnight backpacking in the Columbia River Gorge, hiking week-long 50-milers, and braving the snow for annual winter camping trips, set in motion his fascination with the Pacific Crest Trail. His very first 50-miler with the troop was on the PCT in Washington, from White Pass south to Killen Creek Meadows. He did five more of these long hikes as a Scout, each time chasing that familiar rush of going the distance. 

A few years later, and Bill was reading “The High Adventure of Eric Ryback.”  The memoir follows 18-year-old Eric on his 1970 trek to become the first person to backpack the entire Pacific Crest Trail. The story planted a seed. With miles of backcountry adventure awaiting him, and years of backpacking experience to put to the test, it was only a matter of time before Bill answered the call, or more so the ad.  

“Looking for a partner to hike the Pacific Crest Trail.” 

That’s what the ad in the student newspaper at Oregon State University read in February 1977. At the time, Bill was a sophomore, studying Civil Engineering and positively burnt out. After taking a few days to think it over, he opted for a break and decided to take on the hike of a lifetime with his new partner, Bob Alexander.  

The Portland Trailblazers

It was April 2, 1977. Bill was 19, standing at the border at Campo. It was time for them to go, the Portland Trailblazers that is. Back then, trail names were assigned by the group, not the individual. Information for planning was limited, and trail magic was non-existent. A handful of Wilderness Press Guidebooks and a survey compilation of the earliest thru-hikers would be paving the way.

“Our trip had its share of adventures. We got lost a lot during the first month, got snowed out of the Sierras and encountered lots of rain in Washington. Bob got sick in Northern California and went home for a couple of weeks before rejoining me in Ashland. Hiking solo for those two weeks was an amazing experience. Bob and I had different hiking styles. He was more cerebral than I and liked getting to camp early to relax and read. I just wanted to pound out the miles.” – Excerpt from “Random Memories From a 1977 Thru-Hiker” by Bill Jensen

In the final stretch through Washington, near the Canadian border, Bill found himself alone with the North Cascades. Rain had forced Portland Trailblazers off the trail at Stevens Pass, and both Bill and Bob returned home. But with the finish so close, Bill went back to the trail to complete what they had begun together. On September 13, 1977, he crossed the border. Bill Jensen had walked from Mexico to Canada. 

One milestone after another…

When Bill shared his memories with us for the summer 2014 issue of the Communicator, his author bio read: 

Bill Jensen lives and works in Portland, Ore., and is a strong supporter of the PCTA. He hopes to retire in the near future and complete another thru-hike, probably on the Appalachian Trail.

He was a man of his word. In his late 50s and newly retired, Bill began his Appalachian Trail thru-hike on April 2, 2017, exactly 40 years after he set out on the PCT. He did not stop there. In 2020, when COVID upended his much-anticipated return to the PCT, he turned to the Colorado Trail instead. The fun continued into 2021 when he took on the Tahoe Rim Trail. By the time 2022 came around, he was inspired to try something new entirely, a TransAmerica bike tour from Yorktown, Virginia, to Astoria, Oregon. He rode 3,965 miles, crossing the AT, CDT, and PCT along the way. Passing through a few old stomping grounds and running into hikers made the journey all the more meaningful.

The PCT Class of 1977 25-Year Reunion at Castle Crags. The signs are replicas.

Bill referred to himself as a “thru-hiker wannabe,” but the life he lived made that impossible to believe. This was not wishful thinking or borrowed identity. It was a lifelong calling he answered again and again across trails, decades and miles. Bill wasn’t a wannabe. He was the real deal. He made lifelong friends, an all-star cast from the Class of 1977, helping inspire future generations of thru-hikers to experience the PCT for themselves.  

Bill was a go-getter.

A man who was thrilled by the idea of getting to plan from start to finish his next adventure. In his passing, he left behind a legacy defined by adventure, generosity and a deep love of the outdoors. He will be greatly missed and certainly not forgotten. The PCTA remains incredibly grateful to Bill. He was a PCTA member since ‘05 and part of the PCTA Legacy Society, ensuring that with his gift the trail would continue to be preserved and surrounding wilderness protected. 

“There’s so many people out there that have known him from camping on the trail or running into him on this trail or that trail, just being active in this world for 50 years, there will be people who have crossed paths with him that will see this and remember him in one way or another because he was a positive light on people and loved to talk.” –  Troy Jensen, Bill’s son 

Bill Jensen views Crater Lake and Wizard Island.
Crater lake, Or. July 20th, 1977

He was dedicated to sharing that spirit of adventure with others, whether through trading stories, cooking a meal for passing hikers at Lolo Pass, or simply offering a piece of advice. The PCT wove its way through Bill’s life. He grew alongside it, became a man, and shared that same love with his children, taking them to backpack sections of it. Bill Jensen was classic. He was the ‘hiked it before it was cool’ guy of ‘77, and that is the kind of legacy the trail community was built on. 

The post Honoring Bill Jensen’s Legacy: An Everlasting Love of the Outdoors appeared first on Pacific Crest Trail Association.

The San Bernardino County Department of Public Health prepared the survey for people who may have been affected while hiking or spending time in the area. 

Photo by: J.D. Kay

Take the survey here

At this time, there is no confirmed source of the reported illness. Public health officials are gathering information to better understand what happened and provide appropriate health guidance. 

The PCTA has been coordinating with the California Department of Public Health, San Bernardino County Department of Public Health, and the U.S. Forest Service as officials assess reports connected to this area of the PCT. 

Survey responses are submitted to San Bernardino County Department of Public Health officials, not the PCTA or the U.S. Forest Service. The PCTA and the U.S. Forest Service are not health agencies, and we are sharing this survey to help public health officials reach the trail community. 

Photo by: Joe Aguirre

We encourage anyone who may have been affected near Wrightwood or Swarthout Canyon to complete the survey and follow public health guidance. 

The post Gastrointestinal disease – SBDPH survey appeared first on Pacific Crest Trail Association.

This is the latest installment in a series that follows the PCT Class of 2026 on their trek north through eight of the unique ecoregions defined by the Environmental Protection Agency. For each region, we’re highlighting one example of mutualism, or a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship between two or more native species. We hope that this series will remind readers that no single species can exist alone — humans, least of all.

Photo by: Debbie Shiffer

Something that drew Thomas McLaren to ornithology early on was “the idea of being able to walk into a forest and know something about your surroundings just from what you’re hearing,” McLaren recalled recently. Now, as Point Count Project Lead at Klamath Bird Observatory in Ashland, Oregon, McLaren resides — both on and off the clock — in a landscape that exists for the trained ear alone. The bird-buffs among us may see and hear the same world as the rest of us, but for them it’s wrapped in an extra layer of information, which is to say, an extra layer of song.

For Pacific Crest Trail hikers hoping to uncover that layer, Clark’s nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana) is an ideal entry point. “You’re guaranteed to hear” this little black and gray bird along the trail, McLaren promised. The Class of 2026 thru-hikers are just beginning to pass into the birds’ southernmost range, but the Clark’s will accompany them for the rest of their journeys north. The fact that the birds’ signature call is less a melodic song than a metallic squawk might only make them more endearing to sore and sweaty hikers: 

Photo by: Laura Wollschlaeger

Nearly everywhere there are squawks, there are also whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis).

In our first installment of this series, we highlighted a single plant and animal (Joshua trees, and two species of yucca moth) that quite literally can’t live without one another. Such an extreme example of mutualism is rare; it was serendipity that the yucca plant-yucca moth relationship is endemic to the very first ecoregion that we highlighted. However, as far as textbook examples of mutualism, Clark’s nutcracker and whitebark pine are runners-up: each species can and does survive without the other in some areas, but their populations only truly thrive when they’re together.

Theirs is a classic seed distribution relationship. As with other pine species, whitebark pine seeds provide nutrient-dense meals for birds and mammals, while gambling that a few forgotten seed caches, stored in fertile ground, will germinate into a new generation. But unlike other pines, the whitebark’s seeds remain “locked up,” as McLaren put it, in cones that stay tightly sealed even after they ripen. This calls for a highly specialized adaptation, and we encounter one in the Clark’s nutcrackers’ long, sharp beaks, which make quick work of liberating the sealed-up whitebark seeds.

Photo by Matt Lavin

The nutcrackers can transport up to 100 seeds at a time for burial using a unique pouch located underneath their tongues. The rest of the newly freed seeds are eaten or cached by squirrels and other bird species. Bears tend to solve the problem by eating the pinecones whole.

You can watch this exchange in action and meet a few more bird enthusiasts in this video, which was created last August by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology:

Today, Clark’s nutcracker faces a more daunting responsibility than it evolved to take on.

Photo by: Deems Burton

Whitebark pine is an endangered species, due largely to an invasive fungal disease commonly called white pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola) and to extreme-weather-related outbreaks of a native species called mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae). Scientific research regarding the relationship between Clark’s nutcracker and whitebark pine (including studies coauthored by McLaren) consistently points to Clark’s populations as the single thing perched between the trees and an environmentally devastating whitebark loss.

McLaren echoed Dr. Jeremy Yoder from our yucca moth installment in his enthusiasm for community science initiatives like iNaturalist and eBird, which are easy and accessible ways for hikers to contribute data to future studies. Click here to join a community of PCT hikers who share their observations of whitebark pine and other 5-needle pine species.

Aside from those signature squawks, McLaren advised hikers who are eager to spot a Clark’s nutcracker to keep an eye out for pink-chested birds late in the summer months. Whitebark pine sap is so pigmented that after long days of seed harvesting, “people think that [the Clark’s nutcrackers are] a different species entirely sometimes,” he said.

“I really love the way that nutcrackers have this extensive spatial memory,” McLaren said. “They have this uncanny ability to relocate spots, even months later, and come back to the same [seed] cache site […] it really blows my mind.” 

Even as a permanent resident of the birdsong landscape, he can’t get enough.

The post Ecoregions: Southern California Mountains appeared first on Pacific Crest Trail Association.

This year, we received 1,294 submissions. Each one offering a glimpse of adventure, awe, triumph, and resilience, all captured in a single moment along the trail. 

We’re especially grateful to Lee Terkelsen, who once again led the judging process with his trademark care and dedication. In addition to our two regular judges, the fantastic David Velasquez and Linda Woznicka, Lee rounded up some new talent this year: renowned photographer Jeremy Evans and multi-award-winning photographer Robert Hanashiro. Jeremy’s portfolio boasts exemplary wildlife and landscape scenes; he is well known for his astrophotography of the night sky. If you are in Yosemite National Park this summer, stop by the Yosemite Conservation Heritage Center to say hello; he will be substituting as the curator there. Robert is recently retired as the senior staff photographer for USA Today. His most famous images range from current events and celebrities to major sporting events, including the Olympics, Super Bowls, and World Series.

Hours of review and candid consideration go into fairly reviewing each submission. We do not take that for granted in the slightest. Thank you to our exceptional team of volunteer judges for poring over these images and recognizing the unique story in each. We’re thrilled to share this year’s Pacific Crest Trail Photo Contest winners with you! A big thank-you to Osprey for their continued partnership and support of the contest, helping provide celebratory prizes for the three overall winners.

Without further ado…

First Place Overall Winner

1ST PLACE OVERALL WINNER: “Walking the Knife’s Edge” by Josh Sanders

From the photographer: We’d been treated to a spectacular sunset the night before at Ledge Camp in Goat Rocks Wilderness, but this morning was a little more flat, with overcast skies, softer light, and none of the drama of the previous day’s thunderstorms. Our first task of the day was to make our way up to the Old Snowy summit, a short and steep out-and-back detour with 360-degree views of the Cascades all around you. Just as you transition from Old Snowy onto the Knife’s Edge, there’s an outcropping of rock that looks out on Rainier. Natalie had walked on the slopes of Rainier as a kid with her family, and always dreamed of going back to climb it. I’m glad I was able to capture this image of her looking out at a place that holds a lot of meaning for her, and hope I can be there when she stands on the summit. Location: Knife’s Edge, Washington

Second Place Overall Winner

SECOND PLACE OVERALL WINNER: “Misty Morning” by Josias Martens

From the photographer: August 8th, 2025: A misty morning in the woods south of Snoqualmie. Location: Snoqualmie, Washington

Third Place Overall Winner

THIRD PLACE OVERALL WINNER: “Master of His Domain” by Ryan Barnes

From the photographer: A squirrel surveys his kingdom over Palm Springs and Cabazon. Location: Southern California

Category Winning Photos

To access the slideshows showcasing the winners, click the first photo in each category listed below. Once the slideshow opens, navigate through the images by clicking either side of a photo to move to the next or previous image. Enjoy!

Trail Majesty Category Winners

1st – “Pinchot Pass” by Nick Vincent 

2nd – “Camp Under the Milky Way” by Wolfram Kluge 

3rd – “A Cascade Farewell” by Alexander Ure 

Honorable Mention – “Moonrise on Mt. Solomons” by Brice Byzer 

Human Spirit Category Winners

1st – “A Helping Hand” by Kyle Tisdale 

2nd – “Celebration at the Northern Terminus” by Julianna Tsao 

3rd – “When Life Felt Like A Movie” by Josie Dix 

Honorable Mention – “A Crossing” by Riley Riffel 

Flora Category Winners

1st – “Proud Paintbrush” by Mindy King 

2nd –  “I Hope You Like Flowers” by Ulrich Arnold 

3rd – “Rainy Days” by Andrea Banicevic 

Honorable Mention – “Wild Blooms at Goat Rocks” by Michael Gil 

Fauna Category Winners

1st – “Always Bring A Buddy” by Ashleigh Mouttet 

2nd – “Posed to Strike” by Nick Kindred 

3rd – “California Sister Butterfly” by Ines Thissen 

Honorable Mention – “Western Tent Caterpillars” by Michael Weyrich 

Equestrian Category Winners

1st – “Not Horsing Around in the Sierra” by John Meehan 

2nd – “Rider Leading A Mule Train in Washington” by Jack Dorris 

3rd – “Following A Narrow Path” by Josias Martens 

Honorable Mention – “A Rest Break” by Rob Richie Trail Work 

Trail Work Category Winners

1st – “I Saw A Tree” by John Meehan 

2nd – “Tools in Transit” by Shawn Hoffman 

3rd – “Many Hands Make Light Work” by Christine Beatty 

Honorable Mention – “All in a Day’s Work” by Eric Tate 

Thank you to all the participants this year! Your photos inspire us more than you know.

The post Congratulations to the 2026 Pacific Crest Trail Photo Contest Winners appeared first on Pacific Crest Trail Association.

Photo by Shonda Feather

With around 70 participants, it was a beautiful weekend (May 1-3) featuring a wide array of classes. Sixteen total, ranging from plant identification, how to move complicated root wads upended on the trail, crew leadership, basic to intermediate courses in tread and drainage, an introduction to crosscut logouts, and the list goes on. We even hosted a course that included a start-to-finish completion of a turnpike, nothing short of impressive amidst a seasonally wet stretch of trail!  

 There is plenty to be learned at a Trail Skills College! This level of on-trail instruction and the willingness of those who come to learn are essential to our work on the Pacific Crest Trail. 

Photo by Les Taylor

We are incredibly fortunate to be supported by gracious partners who make the Central Cascades Trail Skills College the unique three-day gathering it is every year. 

Our thanks go out to the Port of Cascade Locks for granting us access to the always stunning Marine Park, providing the perfect location right in the heart of the Gorge. Thunder Island Brewing Company in Cascade Locks also kindly donated beer for our volunteers to enjoy after their long days out on the trail. Thank you to Osprey for the hydration pack donation as a door prize giveaway. To top it off, the team at CNOC generously donated a Pacific Crest Trail Vecto water container to every participant at Trail Skills College! This was such a popular and appreciated token of appreciation for everyone who came out to learn trail skills from us. CNOC is not only a partner of the PCTA off-trail but also on-trail, sharing their time as caretakers for a section of the PCT. 

Amongst individuals for us to thank is Tom Brauner, who donated the ever-popular and in-demand lightweight rock bar to our event! Thank you also to Shonda Feather and Les Taylor for donating their time and vision every year to help us capture Trail Skills College! You may have noticed that all the featured photos from the event were taken by these two. Their beautiful photos always go above and beyond in sharing what stewardship means to us here at the PCTA. 

Photo by Shonda Feather

Much of our season here in the Central Cascades is spent out and about on various stretches of the PCT. Small work parties will come together to complete scheduled projects multiple times throughout the week! While there are many opportunities to work on a crew, being together in a larger community like this is a much rarer occurrence. It is a real joy to come together and witness all of the incredible support for the PCT. The opportunity to spend a weekend learning from one another, making new friends, and connecting with local crew leaders, caretakers, and PCTA staff from across the trail is what makes this experience so special. 

For those who couldn’t attend Trail Skills College, you’re in luck!  

Photo by Shonda Feather

You can come learn on the trail with us all season long. There are many opportunities to join a project in the Central Cascades this season! Take a look at the project calendar and find some time to put those new skills to use! Project descriptions are always provided to help give you a sense of the required or helpful skills, and where we encourage and welcome beginners who are interested in learning with us. 

Once more, I’d like to give a massive thank you to everyone who contributed to making this happen–instructors, event support, and community partners alike! It is a real team effort and labor of love that does not go unnoticed. The PCT is a very special place, and helping preserve it is what we do best.

Photo by Shonda Feather

We hope to see you out on the trail with us sometime very soon and perhaps even at next year’s Central Cascades Trail Skills College! 

The post 2026 Central Cascades Trail Skills College appeared first on Pacific Crest Trail Association.

Along the Pacific Crest  Trail there are 71 Inventoried Roadless Areas that protect undeveloped National Forest lands. These special places not only protect 231 miles (9%) of the PCT, they provide ecological integrity for wildlife, supply clean air and water to our communities, and help local recreation economies thrive. 

The Trump administration wants to do away with the 2001 Roadless Rule, which protects 45 million acres of National Forests. And some members of Congress are pushing a bill that would expedite this destructive idea. 

On Feb 25, 2026, Congresswoman Harriet Hageman (R-Wyoming) introduced H.R.7695, which would nullify the Roadless Area Conservation Rule. Cosponsors include Reps. Troy Downing (R-Montana), Celeste Maloy (R-Utah), Pete Stauber (R-Minnesota), and Tom Tiffany (Wisconsin).  

A rider in the Kennedy Meadow area packs up camp before hitting the PCT. Photo by: Dylan Gordon

The Federal Lands Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee will hold a hearing on the bill this Thursday, May 21, at 10 a.m. Eastern Time. Please let your elected representatives, especially members of this committee, know that you oppose the idea. 

Roadless areas are not widely known of or understood as they are not visibly marked by signs. But if you regularly enjoy public lands, there’s a good chance you’ve marveled at the beauty of a Roadless Area. These are places outside of designated wilderness that are largely uncompromised by roads but highly used by recreationists and prized for protecting wildlife habitat and clean water. 

H.R. 7695 would ignore all this. It would also ignore public opinion. More than 90% of respondents to the administration’s original idea opposed it last summer. We want to make sure that House members hear from their constituents that this is a very unpopular bill.  

The roadless area abuts the popular Ramona Falls day hike, along the PCT. Mount Hood National Forest has approximately 118,000 acres of Inventoried Roadless Areas. Photo by: Sergey Pikhotskiy

View our interactive map to see the Inventoried Roadless Areas along the PCT.

The most effective way to reach the members of Congress ahead of this hearing is to call their Washington, D.C. offices. You can call the main Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be transferred to the appropriate office. If no one answers, you can leave a voicemail. If you don’t know who your elected House member is, you can find them here. 

• Let them know who you are, where you are calling from, and that you are their constituent 

• Ask them to oppose H.R.7695, which would nullify the Roadless Area Conservation Rule 

• Tell them you want your wild forest lands to stay protected because they shelter wildlife, filter drinking water and are important for recreation (You can mention your favorite forest, your favorite recreational activity or any other reason you care about wild forests) 

It is especially important to reach members of the subcommittee this week. They are listed here by political party. Members in bold are from states that include the Pacific Crest Trail.  

Republicans: Chairman Tom Tiffany (WI), Vice-Chairman Mike Kennedy (UT), Tom McClintock (CA), Mark Amodei (NV), Russ Fulcher (ID), Peter Stauber (MN), Cliff Bentz (OR), Wesley Hunt (TX), Celeste Maloy (UT). 

Democrats: Ranking Member Joe Neguse (CO), Teresa Leger Fernández (NM), Melanie Stansbury (NM), Jared Golden (ME), Maxine Dexter (OR), Emily Randall (WA), Susie Lee (NV).  

Some 30 miles of the PCT from Rainy Pass to Harts Pass, including the popular day hike to Cutthroat Pass, are within this large IRA. Photo by: Alexander Ure

Please make the call. It’s up to all of us to protect our public lands and the PCT. These places are our legacy. Thanks for getting involved. 

The post Call to Action: Tell Congress to Oppose H.R. 7695, a bill to cancel Roadless Area protections for 45 million acres of National Forests appeared first on Pacific Crest Trail Association.

Our annual “Hike the Hill” trip to the nation’s capital happened the first week of March. My apologies for the late recap. I would have reported sooner, but gravity got the better of me. The week after Hike the Hill, I had a downhill crash on my mountain bike. My left arm found its way between me and a rock. The rock won. I am now the proud parent of two titanium plates, 16 screws and two long scars on my forearm. I will have to avoid airport metal detectors, but I’ll always have a great story to tell in airport bars. Thankfully, the healing is going well, a minor setback at worst. 

Anyway, back to business.

Photo by: Josh Sanders

Hike the Hill is sponsored by the American Hiking Society and the Partnership for the National Trails System. It’s an important milestone in our collective work to advocate and conserve the country’s public lands and trail networks.  

PCTA Board Members Kevin Bacon and Ashley Martinez attended as volunteers. Staff included CEO Megan Wargo, Director of Trail Operations Justin Kooyman and me. Over four days, we met with 30 members of the House and all six senators from PCT states. Our targets were key lawmakers in PCT states as well as members from outside PCT states with committee assignments in appropriations and public lands. We also met with key committee staffers from both political parties who are working on crucial public lands budgets and legislation.  

Hike the Hill is a huge part of our ongoing discussion with Congress. It gives us face time with members and their staffs and helps cement relationships for regular video calls, occasional local site visits and constant information sharing throughout the year.

Congressman Don Beyer (left) is a Virgina Democrat who is a big supporter of National Trails, including the PCT. He is also a PCTA member. PCTA CEO Megan Wargo and Board member Kevin Bacon met with the congressman as part of our Hike the Hill visits in Washington, D.C.

“Hike the Hill is one of the ways the PCTA shows up for the Pacific Crest Trail beyond the trail itself,” Megan said. “This year, our team brought focused, thoughtful advocacy to Washington, D.C., ensuring that the trail and the people who care about it were represented in key conversations. I’m grateful for the commitment behind that work and for what it means for the future of the PCT.”

While the Pacific Crest Trail certainly is our team’s focus during these meetings, we convey a broader message about the PCT’s place in the nation’s trail system and what that system brings to our collective emotional, physical and economic wellbeing. Making sure Congress and the administration understand how much trails like the PCT mean to our country is key to our continuing success. 

In 2025, volunteers across the entire NTS dedicated more than 810,000 hours to trail maintenance, an in-kind value of just over $29 million. Private donations to the 32 National Scenic and Historic Trail nonprofits exceeded $22 million last year. Since 1995, our groups have brought 62% of the resources to maintain and preserve the NTS.  

Government funding and collaboration from agency land managers is certainly a vital part of the equation. Without agency expertise, our work would not be possible.  

From the trail operations and management perspective, Justin took the lead in engaging with our partners in the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management. In those meetings, he emphasized the success of the private and public partnership in the management and maintenance of the PCT.

Mark and Justin pause to take a quick selfie after a busy day on the hill.

“Agency staff deeply value the contributions that PCTA volunteers and staff make to trail each year,” Justin said. “They expressed their ongoing support for the partnership and the crucial role the PCTA plays to ensure that the trail remains open and accessible, especially in the face of increasing maintenance challenges resulting from wildfires, floods, and severe weather events.”

Recent federal priorities have signaled a reduced role for government in caring for our nation’s trails, with massive proposed cuts to trail budgets and significant reductions to agency staff. The Forest Service lost approximately 8,000 employees last year through layoffs, early retirements, and “Reduction in Force” efforts. Along the PCT, this has translated into ranger districts with little to no dedicated trail or recreation staff. As a result, projects are taking longer to approve and complete. We are seeing similar effects across the country. From our perspective, these changes are materially limiting the ability to care for the nations trails at the level they require.

This was one of our key points during our conversations with Congress and agency staffers this year. Priorities for the PCTA and the Partnership for the National Trails System included holding the line on regular agency, public lands and nonprofit group funding; restoring agency staff and trail oversight operations; and stopping the administration’s proposal to revoke land protections of the 2001 Roadless Rule.  

Our top funding priority for the upcoming Fiscal Year 2027 budget is the reauthorization of the Legacy Restoration Fund (LRF). 

The LRF was created with the passage of the 2020 Great American Outdoors Act, which set aside $9 billion over five years to pay for deferred maintenance on public lands. The program has been wildly successful.

“PCT Volunteers construct a small bridge over a section of trail that’s been washed out by water near El Cajon at the Crowder North March Project.” Photo by: Eric Tate

Just along the PCT, through 2025, we spent $3.2 million from this targeted grant program on deferred trail maintenance.

This funding harnessed 65,651 volunteer and corps crew hours while tackling crucial deferred maintenance projects on 872 miles of the PCT. The LRF funding expired in September 2025. Yet $40 billion worth of deferred maintenance remains on public lands across the country. Congress is working in rare bipartisan fashion to extend the funding stream, and the administration has signaled support.

Just before we arrived in D.C., Congress ended the longest major federal government shutdown in U.S. History. The mid-cycle budget bill passed in January was better than could be expected for trails. It included a 10% increase to the U.S. Forest Service’s trails budget, from $20 million to $22 million. The administration was pushing a 60% cut to the trails line item.

This reprieve was good news and gave us an opportunity to thank Congress for pushing back. However, as debate has started over the FY2027 budget, which begins Oct. 1, the administration has not changed its approach. The President’s Budget again proposes slashing the Forest Service trails funding, this time by 64%, from $22 million to $8 million. That proposal is extremely disappointing, and from our standpoint, unrealistic. 

Photo by: Julianna Tsao

Congress is working on the budget for the coming fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. In general, the President’s budget is considered a rough blueprint, and lawmakers have the ultimate responsibility to set spending priorities, generally after much consultation with constituents and internal deliberation. Regardless, we are taking the administration’s proposal seriously as it telegraphs its priorities for trails and public lands. Obviously, we are asking Congress to again push back and support trails, recreation, rural economies and public lands protections with a robust and realistic funding plan. We’re seeking level funding or another slight increase for trails for the next fiscal year. In the interim, we will make sure our elected representatives understand how much agencies already are relying on volunteers and groups like ours to maintain the nation’s trails, and that we still need and deserve federal funding and agency field staff to support our work.  

Left to right: Justin Kooyman, Megan Wargo and Mark Larabee, PCTA; California Congressman Kevin Kiley; Teresa Martinez, Continental Divide Trail Coalition; Michael DeCramer, Washington Trails Association; and Mike Passo, American Trails

Overall, I will say that we had a very successful Hike the Hill this year. I came away particularly energized by our encounters with Congressional and agency staffers from both sides of the aisle. While trails and public lands are up against major forces trying to erode or eliminate protections, funding and the public’s ability to engage in planning efforts, we found that Congress values trails and what the trails community contributes.  

The need to protect trails and public lands will always be there, so our efforts will never diminish. You can do your part by engaging with the people elected to represent you in Congress. They are listening and are making decisions based on what they hear from their constituents. We will continue to work on these issues and keep you informed. Meanwhile, keep the faith and keep up the good work for the PCT, all trails and the precious public lands they pass through.  

Thank you for all your efforts.  

The post Talking to Congress Yields Results for the PCT and Trails appeared first on Pacific Crest Trail Association.