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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Looking down from San Lois Peak this summer at miles and miles of brown dead pine it was obviously a fire waiting to happen. Fires will clean up some of the problem with downed trees.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>It is also a time for the aspen to reclaim those same slopes for themselves. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> cdt-l-bounces@backcountry.net [mailto:cdt-l-bounces@backcountry.net] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Trekker4@aol.com<br><b>Sent:</b> Sunday, January 06, 2013 10:25 AM<br><b>To:</b> cdt-l@backcountry.net<br><b>Subject:</b> [Cdt-l] Fwd: Brief trail report<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Forgot to add cdt-l; sorry Stephen.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Bob "Trekker" Brewer<br>Naturalized Citizen - Republic of Texas<o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid blue 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 4.0pt;margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><div><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><hr size=2 width="100%" align=center></span></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>From: <a href="mailto:Trekker4@aol.com">Trekker4@aol.com</a><br>To: <a href="mailto:olshanskystephen@yahoo.com">olshanskystephen@yahoo.com</a><br>Sent: 1/6/2013 11:23:58 A.M. Central Standard Time<br>Subj: Re: [Cdt-l] Brief trail report<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> 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. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> 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 ). <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> 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...<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> 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. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> 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. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>IMHO<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Bob "Trekker" Brewer<br>Naturalized Citizen - Republic of Texas<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>In a message dated 1/5/2013 3:46:13 P.M. Central Standard Time, <a href="mailto:olshanskystephen@yahoo.com">olshanskystephen@yahoo.com</a> writes:<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid blue 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 4.0pt;margin-left:3.75pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><br>2012 brief trail report<br>Not only is the trails popularity increasing, but its notoriety is really catching on. <br>The trail is remarkably well marked and easy to follow. ...<br>Much easier then its reputation. <br>I am really interested to see how the aspens react this spring in northern NM and if the caterpillars return in such numbers. <br>I was taken aback by the beatle damage. Jaw dropping extent of it. The Beatles are winning; incredible amount of standing/fallen dead timber. <br>"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" <br>I simply don't know, but I believe the trail is in good hands with the likes of...<br>Jim Wolf<br>Jonathan Ley<br>Jerry Brown<br>Jim and Ginny<br>Shannon F.<br>And many others....<br>Ty all out there in Cdt -l thanks for the help along the way this year. <br>Peace<br>Life is a Hike<br>Otter<br><br>Sent from my iPhone<br>_______________________________________________<br>Cdt-l mailing list<br><a href="mailto:Cdt-l@backcountry.net">Cdt-l@backcountry.net</a><br><a href="http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/cdt-l">http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/cdt-l</a><o:p></o:p></span></p></blockquote></div></blockquote></div></div></div></body></html>