This program is sponsored by the Foothills Hiking Committee and program participants will have access various programs starting in March and to a series of day hikes and back packs throughout the hiking season, starting in mid-July and running the end of October, depending on weather conditions.  In many cases these will be point to point hikes, or key exhanges.  In some cases, a back pack may be involved, or an overnight stay at a lodge such as the Mountaineer’s Meany Lodge.

The PCT Series Program has the following objectives:

• Introduce Mountaineers Members to sections of the Pacific Crest Trail that may not normally be thought of as accessible by day hiking.
• Challenge participants both physically and mentally.
  
• Participate in both hikes and back packs (develop skills for back packing).
• Develop friendships through repetitive opportunities to hike together.
• Create opportunities to meet Through & Section Hikers while on the trail as well as at camp sites.
  
• Develop Skills for logisitics.
• Trail work parties on the Pacific Crest Trail to help protect this wonderful resource.
  
• Optional class on "Light & Healthy Backpack Food Made Simple"
• Optional class on "Light Weight Backpacking"
• PCT Film Night (Seattle: March 9, 2012; Bellevue: March 16, 2012)

 

"GRADUATION" - Participants of the Pacific Crest Trail Series will be given the opportunity to "graduate" from the program by accomplishing one of two milestones.

In order to Graduate "with honors" you will need to earn a Cumulative Award.  This award is givn for every 75 unique miles of the Pacific Crest Trail that is hiked on a PCT Series Hike up to and including 500 miles (e.g. 75, 150, 225, 300, 375, 450 & 525).  After 525 miles, awards will be given in 500 mile increments.   Awards up to 450 miles will be given in the form of a patch.  For 525 miles and above, pins will be issued.  Anyone completing the entire lenght of the trail will be given a specially designed vest. Mileage will accumulate from year to year for these awards.

In order to earn an Annual Award, you will need to complete 50 miles of PCT Series hikes in a single year, but mileage does not need to be "unique" and does no carry over from one year to the next.  Persons earning the Cummulative Award in a given year are not eligible for an Annual Award.  Mileage is typically earned while on a PCT Series Hike, however, waivers can be submitted due to extenuating circumstances to have mileage earned on a non-PCT Series Mountaineers hike or back pack.

Our goal is to schedule a hike or backpack on every weekend starting in Mid July and running through the middle of October.   

Some participants may be able to hike the entire length of the PCT in Washington State in about 5 years through this program.

What to expect:  Most participants will want to do a hike on Saturday, camp, and then do a hike in the same nearby area on Sunday.  You will likely spend a lot of time driving on Forest Service Roads to get to these trail heads.  Due to the logistics, you are likely going to meet at the designated Park & Ride at 6:00 a.m. (or earlier), and it is likely to take 3-4 hours to get to the Trailhead and arrange for car shuttles.  Our goal is to be on the trail by 9:00 a.m.  Even if doing just a day hike, do not make plans for the evening after the hike.  In most cases, a dinner stop will occur on the way home.

For 2012, we are including several value added seminars, a Light Weight Hiking and Backpacking Seminar and a Light and Healthy Backpack Food Made Simple Seminar.

How to Enroll: You must be a Mountaineers Member to enroll in this program. 

An introductory presentation on the Mountaineers PCT series, along with the club’s Conditioning Hiking Series and Basic Wilderness Travel program, will be held on February 22nd, at 6:30 p.m. at the Mountaineer’s Seattle Program Center in Magnuson Park.

This is designed to answer all (well, at least most) of your questions.   Priority for enrollment will be given to those that attend this informational program.  If more attendees are present than space available for the program, a lottery will immediately be conducted.  

Program Fee: 2012 - $50.00.  As with all club hikes, participants are expected to pay the current car pool rate as established by the Mountaineers Board of Directors. Due to the nature of this program, it will be desirable to utilize AWD or 4WD drive vehicles as we will be spending a lot of time on Forest Service Roads.  Accordingly, riders should be very respectful and appreciative to the drivers and their vehicles.

Point of Contact for the PCT Series is Monty Pratt, westseattle207@yahoo.com.