This article caught my attention the other day, and I was reminded of how precarious things can be out on the trail. It seems that every year, there has been a fire somewhere along the trail that has forced hikers to be cautious or get shuttled up the trail and beyond the fire danger. In 2003, I remember that the trail was closed at Rainy Pass in Washington, which had many hikers taking different routes to Canada.
Hiking through recently fire devastated areas can be depressing. The canopy from the trees is, in most cases, gone. The soil is loose and dry, and dust flies up from each step of the hiker in front of you. Little vegetation grows from below.
However, hiking through burnt areas that have been recovering for several years shows promise and hope. There is something to be said about the natural effect that fires have on a landscape. They return nutrients to the soil, sometimes release seeds from pine cones, and they strengthen forests by eliminating dense underbrush. Some of my fondest memories from 2003 was when I was hiking through burned forests filled with young saplings and beautiful wildflowers. It was like I was experiencing a piece of the resurrection in my own hike.
That said, I hope fires are not being set intentionally for the sake of aforementioned benefits. Of course, the forest service does controlled burns to "help" forests, but I'm talking about the PCT here. Hopefully, the hikers out there can enjoy the rest of the trail without having to be diverted or denied access.
