PCT History

Some at camp reading

This page is for people interested in knowing the history of the trail or around the trail. I find that history fascinating. I sometimes like to do some light reading in my tent or when resting on trail and what better to read about than the trail itself. I've tried to keep these stories brief while still giving you the relevant background.

These stories are ordered by PCTA mile marker and in order from south (bottom ) to north (top). The stories build on each other assuming the reader is a northbound hikers. I suggest reading ahead a bit, rather than waiting until you arrive at that place. For southbound hikers just go in reverse and maybe read ahead a bit past where trail sections end.

Here are instructions on how to download the entire website for offline reading while you are on trail. I will be constantly updating these stories and adding new ones.

Section L

2655.8 About the US/Canada border

2648.5 Alternate route 1962

2638.7 Holman Cabin

2629.1 Windy Pass cabin, yurt, New Lite Mine and Barron

2625.2 Harts Pass history

2624.1 Slate Peak

2607.1 Mebee Pass Lookout

2594.3 State Route 20 (Rainy Pass)

2592.8 The old CCT route to Harts Pass (Bridge Creek Trailhead)

Section K

2580.3 Bridge Creek, Upper Stehekin River, Cascade Pass

2576.3 Howard Lake

2575.2 Stehekin and the Stehekin River (High Bridge)

2573.1 History of the NCNP (Agnes Gorge)

2555.2 Holden and Lucerne (Suiattle Pass)

2546.9 Miners Ridge Alternate Route

2547.4 William Douglas and the Kenncott Mine

2544.1 Ancient Trails

2543.7 The Suiattle Bridge

2529.1 West of moon and east of sun

2528.0 The old CCT Route (Milk Creek to Suiattle Pass)

2514.7 Kennedy Hot Springs

2492.7 Cady Pass

2469.1 The Cascade Tunnel 1900

2468.7 Yodelin Ski Resort and Village

2467.3 The Great Northern Railway Spurs

Other Stevens Pass stories are listed in Section J below.

Section J

2467.2 Discovering Stevens Pass

2466.9 Wellington train disaster

2466.4 The 2nd Cascade Tunnel 1929

2465.1 Stevens Pass early history

2464.4 Stevens Pass Ski Area

2435.7 Scenic Hot Springs

2402.0 Cave Ridge and the phone booth

2401.9 2018 Death near Kendall Katwalk

2403.2 The Namer of Names

2396.6 The old CCT route north from Snoqualmie Pass

Other Snoqualmie Pass stories are listed in Section I below.

Section I

2396.1 Laconia and the Milwaukee Railroad

2395.3 History of Snoqualmie Pass

2394.1 Lodge Lake and the Mountaineers

2387.5 Morris Jenkins and Mirror Lake

2386.6 History of Yakima Pass

2350.2 History of Naches Pass

2326.7 History of Chinook Pass

2316.1 Brief history of Mount Rainier (Tahoma)

Section H

2279.5 Dana Yelverton and Old Snowy Mountain

2273.9 Alt Route: The old CCT at Cispus Pass

2243.7 Mt St Helens eruption and ash cloud

2240.9 Mount Adams Lookout

2217.9 The Handshake Agreement of 1932

2204.3 Indian Racetrack

2203.7 Indian Heaven National Wilderness Area.

2203.4 Red Mountain Lookout

2197.7 Mysterious hands and feet

2194.3 Back on the old CCT (Big Huckleberry Mountain)

2150.4 The old CCT Route north from Dog Mountain

2150.3 The fastest known time to Canada

2150.1 The Columbia River and the Bridge of the Gods

Oregon