Dear *{{First Name}}* ,

Name one thing cooler than retro photos of backpackers. Wait. There is one thing: retro photos of backpackers on the Pacific Northwest Trail.

Read on in this newsletter to learn more about the PNTA’s history through the comprehensive project of our archival intern, Hannah Morrison. Learn more about ways you can volunteer with the PNTA through our new volunteer coordinator, Seher Khan. Discover an open board member position and a suggested hike of the month — all featured below!

Janet and Rex Garner, the first thru-hikers on the PNT, hang their iconic thru-hiking shirts up to dry.

A Blast from the Past

This month, Hannah Morrison, our archival intern, finished processing the first ever archival collection at the Pacific Northwest Trail Association. She spent hundreds of hours since last summer organizing, preserving and cataloguing a donation of 27 boxes full of artifacts that were contributed by Ron Strickland, founder of the PNT. This included over 7,000 photos, documents, pieces of correspondence and artifacts that Hannah rehoused with professional grade archival supplies to preserve indefinitely for future research and interpretive purposes.

“The seventies feels like the past to me; it feels like something I can’t access personally,” Hannah said, “So to be able to ‘time travel’ through the collection and see the comparisons between how people were interacting with each other back then through photographs and letters, similar to how they still do today — it adds a lot of humanity to the past.”

Hannah traced the lives of several prominent figures in the PNT’s history, from Ron Strickland, the founder of the trail, to Ted Hitzroth, the first cartographer of the trail and many others. 

From the left, Fionn (the dog), Ted Hitzroth, Jeff Kish, Ron Strickland, Randy Urmston, Hannah Morrison.

“In archival work, it’s kind of like there’s recurring characters throughout your work. My favorite people that have gone in and out of the history include Janet Garner who thru-hiked with Rex Garner, they’re the first people to do a complete thru-hike of the PNT in 1977 when the trail was being established. Something about Janet doing this — it’s inspiring to see a young woman in the seventies doing something as tough as the PNT. She makes me want to be her.”

With each figure Hannah brought to life through her archived photos and artifacts, the PNT’s historical record became more comprehensive — not unlike the gradual process of forming the trail itself. 

“I love the cheeky letters and cheeky photos between Ron and his mates — the sense of humor that’s conveyed in them. It’s inspiring to see friendships centered around the trail through hiking, volunteering or advocacy and seeing the same thing persist today.”

You can see one of the illustrations by John McLaughlin, one of Ron's friends, in the picture below. In the coming months, PNTA is working to convert the main office into a display room for some of the artifacts and photographs to honor the rugged legacy of the PNT and its early adopters. This archival work will be Hannah’s capstone project for her Master of Library and Information Sciences, which she will receive from the University of Washington in June. Hannah will be presenting on her work on PNTA’s Archive at both the iSchool Showcase on June 4, 2025 and the Society of American Archivists 2025 Annual Meeting on August 24-27, 2025 in Anaheim, CA. Congrats and thank you Hannah!

An illustration by John McLaughlin included in one of his letters to Ron.

New Hire: Volunteer Coordinator

Our newest addition to PNTA is Seher Khan, our volunteer coordinator. Seher has served in seasonal roles since 2013, working as a field scientist, environmental educator, a river ranger and wilderness ranger. 

“I’m excited to create a volunteer program that gives people a sense of ownership of the Pacific Northwest Trail and gets people really excited about hiking the trail,” Seher said as she described her vision for the future of the volunteer program at the PNTA, “In terms of more tangible things, I would love every single trail town to have a bustling volunteer trail program with science opportunities and trail work.”

Her love for the national trail system began with a thru-hike of the John Muir Trail, soon followed by section hikes on the Pacific Crest Trail and Pacific Northwest Trail. Seher is interested in introducing citizen science opportunities to the volunteer program, such as Sword Fern Health Mapping and a Pika Patrol, both of which are accessible ways for volunteers to help monitor the populations of native plants and animals for local research projects.

“My ideal version of a volunteer program is one that helps people see that you don’t have to be a thru-hiker in order to enjoy having access to having a long trail in your backyard. I’m excited to create opportunities for all to interact with and enjoy the magic of the Pacific Northwest Trail.”

Seher can be reached with questions about the volunteer program at seherkhan@pnt.org or 360-230-8247.

Volunteer Opportunities

PNTA is looking for volunteers for our Baker Lake Trail Tally project!

In partnership with the US Forest Service and University of Montana, we are looking to see how much use the Pacific Northwest Trail receives in the Baker Lake area. If you've ever been curious about how land managers track how busy a trail is and what they do with this information, this is a great project to get an inside look at how your favorite trails are managed!

Volunteers will visit their designated trail at least once a month from July to September to collect visitor use data. We request all volunteers commit to the entire project, which means at least 3 visits over the course of the summer - or more, if you wish! Volunteers will need the ability to hike a 2 mile round trip, as well as a high-clearance vehicle capable of driving unpaved forest roads. You will not need to carry heavy packs or perform manual labor for this opportunity.

We do ask our volunteers to commit to the entire project, which means 3 visits over the course of the summer. 

Please sign up by July 1st if you are interested in this project. Orientation will be July 9th. If you are unable to attend orientation, please contact us to arrange an alternate training day.

If you have any questions, please contact volunteer coordinator Seher Khan at seherkhan@pnt.org or call/text her at 360-230-8247.

The students at WMAES posing with a log they cleared from the trail.

WMAES Volunteer Group

In our most recent volunteering effort, the West Michigan Academy of Environmental Science learned how to cut through logs using a crosscut saw, clear brush from the trail and repair retaining walls on a section of the Pacific Northwest Trail near Baker Lake. The crew was out in the field for a week and worked through rain or shine. 

“Before doing trail maintenance, I thought that the trails just magically appeared from people walking repeatedly in the same places,” Rey Masegoza, a student WMAES said, “Now I see the work that you put into it all and the work that the PNTA puts into the trail — and I have a new respect for the trail.”

Along the way, they learned how to identify Douglas Firs and Hemlocks, enjoyed the rich beauty of the Pacific Northwest and even crossed the log bridge above Swift Creek. They finished each night with a communal meal from the PNTA.

“I definitely want to come back again with our school and volunteer for similar trail maintenance projects in the future,” Yaiza Ayala, another WMAES student mentioned, “It was really rewarding to walk back past the work we did earlier in the day and see how much better it looked.”

Thank you for your help WMAES!

Board Member Position

The Pacific Northwest Trail Association (PNTA) is seeking new board members to provide mission-based leadership, strategic governance, and executional capacity to support our staff during this critical time for the organization, trail, and sector as a whole. 

Our volunteer board members come from various walks of life, professions, and backgrounds – and together with the staff, we share a deep commitment to stewarding the PNT.  

Board members are involved with fundraising, community outreach, strategic planning, and programmatic oversight working to see the PNT completed, protected, and funded while maintaining a commitment to the PNTA’s mission and values.

Board meetings are held six times per year (5 virtual and 1 in-person) and members are expected to participate in committee-driven work throughout the year. 

PNTA board members are expected to join with…

1. Enthusiasm and commitment to PNTA mission and values.

2. Values: Trust, Intentionality, Inclusion 

3. Commitment to attend board meetings, PNTA volunteer events, and actively engage in the work of the board including serving on board committees.

4. Willingness to contribute financial gifts to the PNTA and/or to actively participate in fundraising for the organization.

To apply, email board@pnt.org with your resume and a letter of interest. 

Ron Strickland admires the wildflowers along the PNT in the eighties.

Z Packs Sponsor Feature

Zpacks has sponsored PNTA since 2020, donating more than $17,000 to help us keep the PNT and its access trails safe and accessible. They show their commitment to hiking, backpacking, and preservation of our wild spaces and trails through their Giving Back program that shares 3% of their profits with organizations just like ours. Be sure to support their business and let them know you appreciate their commitment to the outdoors.

Your business could also make a significant impact by becoming a sponsor. We have opportunities for trailside community businesses, corporate giving programs, family foundations, and more. Show your support of the PNT and commitment to ensuring our wilderness areas are protected and cared for by becoming a sponsor today — you could be our next sponsor highlight!

Contact robynlynn@pnt.org for more information.

Sea anemones off the Washington Coast.

Hike of the Month

Eager to get out on your first backpacking trip of the season? The Ozette Triangle, also known as the Cape Alava Loop, is a fun and easy warm up to spring (see what we did there) you into the outdoors. It’s a 9.4 mile loop that takes you out to the western terminus of the Pacific Northwest Trail. At low tide, there are plenty of tidal pools to explore with inhabitants like sea stars and sea anemones. With everything else still packed in with snow, a peaceful walk along the beach is a perfect way to welcome in the warmth.