Signpost Blog
"This little newsletter has been an experiment so far, testing a hunch I've had that such a means of communication among walkers is needed." — Signpost magazine, 1966.
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Hiker Headlines: Free Day, Closures, Youth Trail Work Parties
Jun 16, 2022
This Sunday, Juneteenth, is a fee-free day at state managed lands. Ruby Beach is now closed for construction. A restoration project in the Upper South Fork Skokomish and repaving projects along Highway 20 will impact some trailhead access. Your hike can help inform research on pink snow. And, WTA invites you to join us on a youth trail work party this summer.
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5 Tips to Get Your Friends to Help Protect Trails
Jun 15, 2022
We recently talked to three hikers who have advocated for trails in official and unofficial ways about what works best to get friends on board for saving trails.
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Hiker Headlines: Free Days, Outdoor Rec Funding, Road Openings, Methow Planning
Jun 09, 2022
Enjoy a fee-free visit to the trailhead weekend. The Department of Agriculture unveiled $503 million of funding for outdoor recreation projects. Chinook Pass is set to reopen on June 10. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is hosting a public workshop to discuss development of the Methow Wildlife Area. And, Washington State Parks will be starting up their summer outdoor concert series.
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Using Trails to See the Bigger Picture
Jun 08, 2022
Bri Ross, a member of WTA's Emerging Leaders Program, has long been interested in using recreation ecology to understand the natural world.
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I'm a Hiker. This is What that Means to Me.
Jun 06, 2022
What does it mean to be a hiker? The question is our own to answer.
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Lost Trails Found Crews Bring Big Boost to Backcountry Trails
Jun 03, 2022
This summer, WTA will be leading two six-person crews into the backcountry to tackle some of our biggest projects.
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Hiker Headlines: Hike the State, Campground Openings, Hike Closures, More Rain
Jun 02, 2022
Join Washington Trails Association for Hike the State next Wednesday, June 8. Some campgrounds in Mount Rainier National Park have reopened for the season. Upcoming construction will close a few hikes and cause some delays in the I-90 corridor. Sula Jacobs has been selected as superintendent for Olympic National Park. And, prepare for more rainy weather this week.
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Is it Summer Yet? What Hikers Found Around the State on Memorial Day Weekend
Jun 01, 2022
For many, Memorial Day weekend is a perfect time to get outside. With summer approaching, countless hikers are often itching to hike in nicer weather. This year, it was a little harder to find sunny weather, but that didn’t stop hikers from heading somewhere to spend some time in nature to kick off the summer season. Here are some of our favorite recent trip reports showcasing what hikers got up to over this long weekend.
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Why is That Snow Pink?
May 27, 2022
If you hike near snow in the summer, you’ve likely seen pink snow. It’s a striking sight, sometimes quite a vivid color pooled in melted areas, sometimes just a blush of pink dusted across a lingering snowfield.
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Hiker Headlines: New Beer, Road Openings, Campground Delay
May 26, 2022
Join WTA, Fremont Brewing and REI at a launch of a new beer to celebrate Washington’s trails. Some campgrounds in Gifford Pinchot National Forest have delayed opening. Cayuse Pass will open for the season on Friday, May 28. Fees at some recreation sites in Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest are increasing. And, a section of the Mountain Loop Highway has opened early after the winter season.
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Take the Bus: Trailhead Direct is Back for 2022
May 24, 2022
Trailhead Direct is starting its 2022 season this Memorial Day weekend. The service provides transit access to nearby trailheads from Seattle. Ryan Miller from King County Metro and Ryan Dotson from King County Parks give some insight into the service.
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WTA Helps You Hike Like A Pro
May 24, 2022
Our mission is to mobilize hikers and everyone who loves the outdoors to explore, steward and champion trails and public lands. And that means empowering our hiking community to tailor their time outside to what they need, when they need it.
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Hiker Headlines: Trailhead Direct, North Cascades Walk-Up Permits, Palouse to Cascades Forest Project
May 19, 2022
Trailhead Direct is returning for another summer of transit to trails. Point Defiance Park’s Five Mile Drive has been closed to motorized vehicles due to erosion, but remains open to hikers and bikers. A forest health project to help prevent wildfires may impact parts of the Palouse to Cascades State Park Trail. And, starting May 20, North Cascades National Park backcountry permits can be reserved in person.
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How Kitsap County Volunteers Are Building Up Their Trails
May 17, 2022
Over the last few years, volunteers, including volunteer crew leaders, have accomplished a lot of work to give hikers and other trail users improved opportunities to get outside in Kitsap County. Two of those volunteers, Patrick and Marji Sullivan, have become integral in the Kitsap County trail work community and are helping expand access to public green spaces in the area.
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How Backcountry Crews Put in Log Bridges in Challenging Locations
May 13, 2022
If you’ve ever crossed a log foot bridge, you’ve probably been grateful for the safe route across a river. But have you ever wondered how those log bridges get installed?
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Hiker Headlines: Hike the State, Check Out Washington Expands, Road Openings and Closures
May 12, 2022
Join Washington Trails Association for Hike the State on June 8. The Check Out Washington program has expanded to allow more library users to check out Discover Passes with adventure packs. The North Cascades Highway has re-opened for the season. But some roads on the highway will also be impacted by a repaving project in July.
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Feed Your Curiosity. How to Dig Up New, Personalized Hike Ideas on WTA
May 11, 2022
Here's how an account on wta.org can help you find new hikes. When you save more hikes or file trip reports, the recommendations get better.
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How WTA's Second Gear Library is Helping One Group Get Outside
May 06, 2022
In August last year, WTA was excited to open the doors to a second gear library, located in Puyallup’s Meridian Habitat Park. We choose this location to help us better meet the needs of communities in the South Puget Sound region. And we’ve been thrilled to see groups already getting outside, with support from the new gear library.
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Hiker Headlines: Thank You to GiveBIG Donors, Meteor Shower, Land Management Change
May 05, 2022
A huge thank you to everyone who donated to WTA during GiveBIG! Keep an eye out overhead for the Eta Aquarids meteor shower tonight. A bill was passed that will provide resources for better access to the outdoors. And, starting July 1, a few additional trailheads near Riverside State Park will require a Discover Pass.
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Hiker Headlines: GiveBIG, Road Closures, Spring Hiking Prep, New Trail
Apr 28, 2022
GiveBIG is on May 3-4! Roads to Ira Spring and Talapus trailheads will be closing on a regular schedule this summer. WTA wants to help prepare you for spring hiking. A new trail that would give safer access to Clayton Beach is slated to be completed this summer. Priest Point Park will be renamed Squaxin Park, after the Squaxin Island Tribe.
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Empowering One Another: A Personal Reflection on My Experience With WTA's Emerging Leaders Program
Apr 26, 2022
I recently finished 12-week's in WTA's Emerging Leaders Program, a paid development opportunity for individuals who are historically underrepresented in the outdoor industry. Now, as I'm moving onto a permanent position at WTA, I'm looking back on what I learned and the power of the connections I made.
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