[pct-l] Why California?s Trails Are Disappearing From Our Maps

[Anthony Biegen]

I think it's a matter of perspective. I looked at Ken's pictures and that
looks like a trail that needs work but one that is certainly passable. I
did hike through that section last April and did loose the trail in upper
Cow Canyon. Wandered around a bit before I pulled out my GPS. Not really a
terrible experience

I will add that Terry is from my area, Los Padres NF behind Santa Barbara.
Ken's before pictures look like a really good trail to us in LPNF. Most of
our trails are sometimes less easy to see than an animal trail. No self
respecting animal would put up with the ceanotheus and scrub that we push
through.

The trails that I work on no longer exist. That is to say, rather than
standing and cutting, I am on my hands and knees cutting at the base of
trees and on my belly looking for the trail bed. This is no exaggeration.
The Ocean View Trail has been closed for 50 years and the last successful
person to push through was in 1986. We call it double deep in scrub when
the wall of tearing bush is twice as tall as you are. That's what we are
working on now.

I really appreciate all the work that Ken and his crew do. I know what goes
into it. I would suggest that people try it out. See what it takes to clear
a couple hundred feet of trail and then in your mind multiply that by the
length of the PCT.

TrailHacker