[pct-l] to olympia from manning park

[roni h]

If You do decide to take the pnt route west from the canadian border (which is a great Idea, as it will mean You will only have to backtrack a few miles on the pct from the canadian border monument), You might want to check an alternative to the pnt.
   
  If my memory serves me right (and it often doesn't) there is a new rails to trails 20 mile hiking path from concrete to sedro-wolley, which paralles the pnt. 
   
   If I had taken this trail last september I would have saved myself 2 or 3 3000 foot climbs up and down mostly viewless ridges, climbs that sucked quite alot in the fog drizzle and rain, and that consistetd mostly of logging roads, some active, some of which had "closed to the public due to arial fumigation" signs which I Ignored (and I ignored also the  possible need for a permit from the timber company which might only be requested for cars). 
  If You do hike that section, You might want to time Yourself to the weekend, to avoid the loging trucks.
   
  Regardless of Your path, You will probebly want to go through concrete anyway, for resupply, and that town also has, if You decide, a bi(?) daily bus to the puget sound area, if You decide You had enough of hiking for september.
   
  Apart from the sucking viewless climbs near concrete, the pnt west (and east) of the cascades is realy nice and varied, with some interesting low tide beach walking (check your tide tables).
   
  A few more points.
   
  If Your an extreme Purist You might feel bad about taking the ferry from keystone to port townsend (its the official pnt route and it beats swimming). The alterntive through the southern end of puget sound would inverably take You through heavily populated areas. 
   
   
   
  Warning - the pnt guidebook tends to rediculesly underestimate the diffculty of the trail. For example it rates a 6000 foot continous climb up the olimpic mountains ( which adds up to a few other mile-plus climbs east of the cascades)  as easy to modrate.  It is not!
  Apart from that the Ron Stricklands guidebook is surprisngly good, though You might want the relevent Delorme maps if You decide to take alternatives.
   
  Good Luck
   
  Roni (still in Israel)
   
  P.S.
   
  I wrote a couple to Journal entries of the pnt at:
  www.trailjournals.com/roni

 
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