[Schroder]

The fire lookout history predates the CCC. The Great Fire of 1910 , which killed 87 people in the PNW, resulted in Congress passing a bill that would fund the fire lookout program. The earlier Yacolt burn in 1902 killed 38 people in southern Washington and covered 370 square miles. WWI delayed the projects and then they got well underway in the early 1920's.

[alpinelakes]

Kendal Katwalk was built in 1979. I walked from Snoqualmie to Stevens in late August that year, and we were bummed out because the new trail wasn't ready. We heard blasting on Kendal ridge as we went over Red Pass and down to Goldmeyer. No cabin at Goldmeyer then, just junk in the forest. No stairs, no railings, no changing shack. And no fee. And no people, either. I think we saw two pairs of hikers between Alpental and Deception Lakes. At Deception we passed through an entire scout troop playing tackle football on the meadow. We managed the trip without a tent, and several nights didn't even bother with the tarp. My friend brought his MSR stove, but we hardly used that, either. Roaring bonfires every night. The cooking pot was an old MJB coffee can with a coat hanger for a handle. I did the entire trip in canvas tennis shoes. The old trail over Surprise Gap was very nice- Surprise Mtn is an easy detour with stunning views in all directions.

[cascadeclimber]

In about 2007 I went in to try the Edmunds Headwall on Rainier. We got weathered off the route, but my partner was rooting around at the high camp and unearthed a bit of history, including empty tins of canned food, some bits of clothing, and an old chunk of newpaper. The paper included a public notice of bids to complete the last section of the Cascade Crest Trail. I think the paper was from the 30s.

[Scaler]

Hi I have a folding map that measures about 2 by 3 feet and one side is 15 small maps covering the Crest Trail from the Columbia River to the Canadian border. The other side is a description of the route. This map shows the distance as 457 miles. This map is labeled "Cascade Crest Trail, Washington Pacific Crest Trail System" and was put out by the Forest Service in 1961. What it says about what I think is the Alpine Lakes area is: Trail between Goldmeyer Hot Springs and Snoqualmie Pass climbs over Red Mtn and is impassible for horse travel. One of the interesting things in a note about using the trail was the statement " Do not tease skunks of porcupines" Scaler

[lopper]

Minor Katwalk Korrection: The blasting work and trail-tread construction at the breach were completed by 1975. These two shots are from a trip to climb Thomson in early August of 1976. At the time of this trip, there was still solid snow from the KW to Bumblebee Pass, so I don't know if the trail tread past Gravel Lk etc was complete yet.

76Breach

76Katwalk.jpg

[Snowday]

Blue_Tuberosa: I think that would be an interesting presentation. I'd certainly like to come hear it if you gave a talk (not a thesis defense) over here in Central Washington. Any chance of posting your thesis or highlights on the web for all to read?

[b00]

i did the snoqualmie to stevens section of the pct twice. once in either 73 or 74 and the second time in 1974 or 1975. the pct was routed past snow snow lake and went down the rock creek trail and eventually up to dutch miller gap. for a while the pct was routed over red pass(between red mt and lundin) during the mid 70's. i always assumed they stopped using red pass because the injuries that occurred on the steep snow that lingered there. one of my acquaintances, trailer bob, was working on the blasting crew up on the catwalk. i remember staying at his trailer in the spring of 77 for a day or two. if i remember right, he had worked up on the catwalk the previous year or two. i know the catwalk was not officially in use prior to 77 as i also made an attempt during spring break on that same section of the pct, but we stopped to help with a rescue (fallen climber on chair peak) and then the next day or two it rained, so we bailed. a little thread drift - when we stopped to help with the rescue, two of us went to help(we were not needed), while our third friend, tim, ran back to the trailhead. since we had hitchhiked there, we did not have a car. when tim got back to the trailhead, he found two hikers departing and told them about the fallen climber and asked them to give him a ride to the ranger's station. they said yes, but proceeded to dally around changing their clothes and boots and such. tim said he considered beating them up and taking their car, but they finally got going. the ranger ended up ordering a heli-rescue for the climber . i sure hope the guy was alright. :>)

[wheezer]

Some of you may find this interesting - if you haven't seen it already. I stumbled upon it this morning while looking for something else on the Oregon Public Broadcasting website - PCT: A Ride to Remember. Here's how OPB describes the show: "In 1959 Washington ranchers Don and June Mulford decided to try what everybody said couldn't be done -- ride the entire length of the 2,400 mile Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada in one year. It would prove to be the adventure of a lifetime. Armed with a movie and slide camera they documented life on the trail and captured surprises along the way. A Ride to Remember showcases their stunning photography and will delight viewers with memories still fresh after fifty years." As for construction of the trail itself in the state of Washington, there are some photographs in it of a trail crew constructing a portion of the PCT in the Mt. Adams area. At the time of their ride, the narrator June Milford describes the PCT as a jumble of trails. The trail as we now know it would have to wait for the passage of the National Scenic Trails Act in the late 60's. The show is also an interesting period piece as it depicts the equipment and dress from a long ago time - in my case it brings back memories of camping and hiking with my folks in Oregon and Washington in the 50's and 60's!