PACIFIC CREST TRAIL ASSOCIATION

TRAIL AND LAND MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION:IN 2025, THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL ASSOCIATION (PCTA) PARTNERED WITH LAND TRUSTS AND FEDERAL AGENCIES TO EVALUATE ACQUISITION OPPORTUNITIES FROM PRIVATE OWNERS THAT OWN LAND INCLUDING OR ADJACENT TO THE PCT. THE PCTA WORKED WITH PARTNERS ON THE ACQUISITION OF 3,325 ACRES OF FORESTLAND IN THE CASTLE CRAGS AND TRINITY ALPS WILDERNESSES. PCTA ACQUIRED 1.3 ACRES ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF WHITEWATER, CALIFORNIA. IN ADDITION, PCTA ADVOCATED FOR LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND SUPPORT FOR THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE AND THE BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT.IN 2025, 532 MILES OF THE PCT WERE CLOSED BECAUSE OF FIRES. WITH 194 TRAIL MILES BURNED, PCTA ASSISTED THE FOREST SERVICE TO DEVELOP EXTENSIVE RESTORATION PLANS.PCTA ALSO MONITORED OR RESPONDED TO ONGOING THREATS OR LAND MANAGEMENT PROJECTS AND PLANNING EFFORTS ALONG THE TRAIL, INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING: - TRAILWIDE-TIMBER HARVESTING, FUELS REDUCTION, REFORESTATION, HAZARD TREE REMOVAL, INVASIVE PLANT ERADICATION, WATERSHED, MEADOW, AND FIRE RESTORATION, ILLEGAL AND INCOMPATIBLE USES, COMMERCIAL AND COMPETITIVE EVENTS, HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS, BRIDGE INSTALLATIONS, TRAIL NETWORK DEVELOPMENTS AND EXPANSIONS, ILLEGAL MOTORIZED AND MECHANIZED USE, PUBLIC LAND TRANSFERS, IMPACTS FROM INCREASED RECREATIONAL USE, BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT INVENTORY, ASSESSMENT, AND MONITORING, TRAVEL MANAGEMENT AND OVER-SNOW VEHICLE PLANNING; REPEAL OF PERTINENT AGENCY REGULATIONS, PROPOSED REPEAL OF THE "ROADLESS RULE; - CALIFORNIA-DAM REAUTHORIZATION, ENDANGERED SPECIES, OPTIMAL LOCATION REVIEW; LARGE-SCALE (FOREST WIDE) PRESCRIBED FIRE PROPOSALS; - OREGON-PEDESTRIAN WALKWAY ADVOCACY FOR THE BRIDGE OF THE GODS; POWER STATION CONDUCTOR REPLACEMENT;- WASHINGTON-GRIZZLY BEAR REINTRODUCTION IN THE NORTH CASCADES; VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PROJECTS; NORTH CASCADES BACKCOUNTRY CAMP MODIFICATIONS ALONG THE PCT; TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVELOPMENT/ENHANCEMENT PROJECT. OUR 2025 PROTECTION ACTIVITIES ALSO INCLUDED "HIKE THE HILL" MEETINGS TO TALK WITH FEDERAL AGENCY LEADERS AND CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES AND THEIR STAFF IN WASHINGTON, D.C. TO ADVOCATE FOR FEDERAL TRAIL MANAGEMENT, OPERATIONS, AND LAND ACQUISITION FUNDING FOR THE PCT.

TRAIL MAINTENANCE:EACH YEAR THE PCTA BRINGS TOGETHER AGENCY PARTNERS AND VOLUNTEERS WITH SHARED VALUES AND SERVES AS A LIASON BETWEEN PEOPLE AND PUBLIC LANDS. VOLUNTEERS AND CORPS CREW MEMBERS PERFORM THE HARD, PHYSICAL LABOR OF PERFORMING ANNUAL AND DEFERRED MAINTENANCE AND RECONSTRUCTION ON THE PCT, GIVING HIKERS AND HORSEBACK RIDERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENJOY THE BEAUTY OF WILD AND SCENIC LANDS WHILE TRAVELING ON SAFE AND PASSABLE TRAIL. PCTA VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTED 56,844 SERVICE HOURS IN 2025, AN IN-KIND VALUE OF $2 MILLION. THESE HOURS INCLUDED:- 1,140 MILES OF TRAIL MAINTENANCE- 21 MILES OF TRAIL RECONSTRUCTION- 50 VOLUNTEER TRAINING EVENTSTRAIL SKILLS COLLEGE - RECRUITING AND EDUCATING VOLUNTEERSPCTA'S COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO ACTIVELY SUPPORT AND INVOLVE OUR VOLUNTEERS IN CARRYING OUT SAFE AND TOP-NOTCH WORK ON THE TRAIL. LED BY SEASONED STAFF, AGENCY PARTNERS, AND VOLUNTEER LEADERS WELL-VERSED IN TRAIL MAINTENANCE AND LEADERSHIP, THE PCTA'S TRAINING EVENTS PROVIDE AN ENGAGING PLATFORM FOR VOLUNTEERS TO LEARN THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF TRAIL DESIGN, RECONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE, AND UPKEEP. ADDITIONAL TRAINING EVENTS FOCUS ON EVALUATING AND CERTIFYING VOLUNTEER SAWYERS UNDER THE NATIONAL SAW PROGRAM AND PROVIDING WILDERNESS FIRST AID AND CPR CERTIFICATIONS. - 2 TRAIL SKILLS COLLEGE WEEKENDS- 8 SAW TRAINING WEEKENDS- 32 CLASSES- 173 VOLUNTEERS- 176 SAW CERTIFICATION REGISTRANTS- 26.5K HOURS CONTRIBUTED BY FIRST-TIME VOLUNTEERSGREAT AMERICAN OUTDOORS ACTTHE GREAT AMERICAN OUTDOORS ACT PRESENTED A DISTINCT OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE BACKLOG IN OUR NATIONAL PARKS, FORESTS, MONUMENTS, AND OTHER PUBLIC LANDS. IN 2025, THE PCTA SUCCESSFULLY ORGANIZED 105 GAOA-FUNDED TRAIL PROJECTS ACROSS NATIONAL FORESTS IN REGIONS 4, 5, AND 6.