[Cdt-l] Fwd: Brief trail report

[Trekker4 at aol.com]

Forgot to add cdt-l; sorry Stephen.
 
Bob "Trekker"  Brewer
Naturalized Citizen - Republic of Texas


  
____________________________________
 From: Trekker4 at aol.com
To: olshanskystephen at yahoo.com
Sent: 1/6/2013  11:23:58 A.M. Central Standard Time
Subj: Re: [Cdt-l] Brief trail  report


I've hiked by or on at least a dozen CDT slopes,  in the last 3 years, with 
90% dead trees. I believe the tipping point is  coming within 10 years--the 
point where there are too many dead trees across  the trail to hike it. The 
budget simply won't be there to keep up that kind of  maintenance. 
    I do pray I'm wrong; however, the CDT simply  doesn't have the 
maintenance support structure of the AT & PCT. The  CDT's only hope was the CDTA, 
which went down due to an overpaid,  poor leader, who didn't even raise enough 
money to pay his  own, 6-figure salary (info from an in person conversation 
last  summer with a former paid staffer ). 
    I went around the section just S of Grand Lake  last summer, where the 
FS says they're waiting for more trees to fall before  clearing it; granted 
it's a Wilderness Area where hand tools have to be used,  but...
    2K down, 800 to go, hopefully this Jul-Aug; glad  I can finish the CDT 
before it becomes impossible. Part of CO will be  okay, because the COT 
(Gudy Gaskill & sucessors, who know how to make a  trail happen) has taken over 
maintenance on the W side of the Collegiate's;  MT/ID will be okay, because 
MWA has assumed oversight of that (Shannon Freix,  who does an excellent job 
of oversight). I know of no other large NGO's  helping the CDT. That leaves 
us with the government, who won't be able to  keep up; I'd bet my this 
summer's hiking budget on that.   
    Mega kudos to the people named below, for all  they do, but they can't 
do all the basic maintenance. There was a post-CDTA  Demise rumor about 
someone trying to step up, but I've heard nothing else. To  personally get the 
CDT finished , I'm taking a basic course on climbing over  blowdowns. I'm 
also wondering if there's some kind of laser gun to make tree  cutting safer 
and faster. 
 
IMHO
Bob  "Trekker" Brewer
Naturalized Citizen - Republic of Texas



In a message dated 1/5/2013 3:46:13 P.M. Central Standard Time,  
olshanskystephen at yahoo.com writes:


2012 brief trail report
Not only is the trails popularity  increasing, but its notoriety is really 
catching on. 
The trail is  remarkably well marked and easy to follow. ...
Much easier then its  reputation. 
I am really interested to see how the aspens react this  spring in northern 
NM and if the caterpillars return in such numbers. 
I  was taken aback by the beatle damage. Jaw dropping extent of it. The 
Beatles  are winning; incredible amount of standing/fallen dead timber.  
"Freebird" stated, "this is the best you will ever see the trail. With  
budgets being cut and so many dead trees about to come down we won't be able  
to keep up with it. It's going to deteriorate" 
I simply don't know, but  I believe the trail is in good hands with the 
likes of...
Jim  Wolf
Jonathan Ley
Jerry Brown
Jim and Ginny
Shannon F.
And  many others....
Ty all out there in Cdt -l thanks for the help along the  way this year. 
Peace
Life is a Hike
Otter

Sent from my  iPhone
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