Hiker Headlines: Leave No Trace in the Enchantments, Outdoor Funding, Fighting Weeds

It’s Thursday, July 11. The Enchantments are getting some LNT Hot Spot love. Washington state awarded grants across the state to fund outdoor projects. And, toxic weeds? There’s an app for that. 

Here’s some hiker news you might have missed while out on trail this week:

Photo by Jenny Hu. 

Enchantments LNT education: The Enchantments Permit Area in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, which received over 30,000 visitors in 2018, has been designated a Leave No Trace Hot Spot. The area will become a center for LNT education and advocacy from July 15 - 22. Can't make it in person? Test your knowledge: What are the seven LNT principles?

Funding the outdoors: The Washington state Recreation and Conservation Funding Board awarded nearly $142 million in grants to fund a variety of projects focused on outdoor recreation, including $5 million to Whatcom and Skagit counties for trail-specific work like new trailheads, connections and maintenance. Interested in learning more about WTA’s advocacy in the region? Join us next Thursday at Larrabee State Park in Bellingham for our Northwest hiker potluck!

Noxious weeds no more: King County’s mobile app, King County Connect, allows users to upload a photo of noxious weeds — which can be toxic to humans and animals and invasive to native species — and automatically send the info, including specific location and date, to King County’s Noxious Weed Control Program. Also, learn how you can help control the spread of invasive weeds while in the backcountry. 

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