Eugene connects with international trail
By HARRY ESTEVE
Of the Emerald
Construction has begun on a
new 78-mile link-up with the
Pacific Crest Trail — and this
one is for hikers only.
When it's finished, a back
pack and a walking stick may be
all that’s necessary for a hiking
trip from Eugene to the
Cascades.
Local Sierra Club members
and several community
volunteers currently are clear
ing brush and flagging trees in a
narrow valley near Oakridge to
prepare it for the trail.
The new route is designed to
provide backpackers with
access to Oregon wilderness
areas without having to rely on a
car for transportation.
The Pacific Crest Trail, world
famous for its scenery and
length, covers about 2,000 miles
of switchbacks, traverses and
other wilderness meanderings.
Starting at the Canadian border,
it passes through the Cascades
of Washington and Oregon, and
continues along the Sierra
Nevadas until it ends in Mexico.
The idea for the Eugene link
originally was proposed in 1978
as part of a Willamette National
Forest land management plan,
according to Sierra Club
representative Jack Desmond.
The idea then became a project
of the Oregon Recreational
Trails Program.
Construction began after an
agreement was reached last
August between the state tran
sportation department, the
State of Oregon and the Many
Rivers Group, a local branch of
the Sierra Club.
Although the Many Rivers
Group has received $3,000 in
state funds, Desmond says the
money barely covers the cost of
the simple hand tools being
used to build the trail. The often
strenuous labor required is
provided entirely by volunteers.
Desmond says 50 people
have signed on as possible
volunteers, but not more than 10
actually show up to work.
Volunteers can expect a
“spiritual satisfaction of doing
something good for the com
munity,” if they give their time
and backs to the new trail, but
little else, Desmond says.
“It’s unfortunate that most
people don't appreciate those
intangible benefits of communi
ty work.”
The completed trail will begin
in Eugene at the bike path near
Beltline Road. It will pass
through Alton Baker Park and
follow the river to the Middle
Fork of the Willamette River.
From there it should continue
upriver, cross Lookout Point
Dam, pass through Westfir and
climb a long ridge above High
way 58. After ascending the
north side of Salt Creek valley, it
will connect with existing trails
and finally connect with the
Pacific Crest Trail near Waldo
Lake
“It’s going to be a very slow
project," Desmond admits. He
foresees a completion date of
1986
Desmond says he believes the
project will demonstrate a need
for trails such as the Eugene
link, because “people will be
more apt to start walking when
the gasoline starts to run dry.”
"This trail will be very feasible
15 or 20 years down the line.”
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