Pokey2006
06-07-2008, 01:31
This was on the wires earlier today. Thought you guys might find it of interest.
By JEFFREY P. MAYOR
Tacoma News Tribune
Bart Smith has completed 85 percent of his goal. But when you realize the Lakewood, Wash. man's goal is to hike all 16,000 miles of the National Scenic Trail system, you comprehend the remarkable challenge he still faces.
His plan this summer and fall is to hike the final 2,180 miles of the Continental Divide Trail, completing his journey at Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park on Oct. 2.
Smith is now in Montana, hiking south on the trail toward Yellowstone. But he'll have to hike sections of the trail out of sequence to allow the deep snows in the Rockies to melt.
It's a rare instance for Smith to impose a target date for his journey, but this one has merit: the 40th anniversary of the law creating the scenic trail system.
"It's a way to honor the National Scenic Trails and the volunteers who keep them maintained," Smith said during an interview last week on a rare day at home.
What began as a hike up the Pacific Coast National Scenic Trail 16 years ago has morphed into an epic adventure that has taken him on eight trails and through 35 states. He's completed seven of the eight scenic trails.
"This is a good old-fashioned monumental undertaking," he said in an understatement of equally monumental proportion.
Adding to his story is the fact that he is lugging of 20 pounds of camera equipment along with his 50 pounds of backpacking gear.
"I wouldn't be doing this without that gear. It puts me in places I normally wouldn't visit. I've seen some remarkable things," he said.
Hauling that gear has produced four books, and there are more on the way.
"It's an odd marriage, hiking and photography, because they are in constant conflict," he said.
Smith tries to average 18.5 miles a day while on the trail, much of it alone as he photographs the diverse countryside. Some days, he motors up the trail to reach a spot to be there when the light is right. Other times, he shoots the same scene over and over for minutes on end. Both scenarios can tax the patience and stamina of any hiking partner.
Smith said it is hard to pick just one favorite moment, a spot or incident from 16 years of traveling the four corners of the nation.
Still, he said, some stood out.
He recalled walking through knee-deep water for miles as he crossed Big Cypress National Preserve on the Florida National Scenic Trail. "Coming from the Northwest, it was the most primordial landscape, a place where man hasn't had a big impact yet."
He told of the kindness he received from strangers in Wyoming while hitchhiking to get back to his van. He got rides from a cowboy, a town sheriff, an Amway representative, the driver of an 18-wheeler, a fishing guide and two members of a band driving a Wonderbread truck converted to biodiesel.
He cited the beauty of the high Sierra Nevada. "But to be honest, my favorite spot might be Harts Pass in the Pasayten Wilderness in the North Cascades. I just love the Pacific Northwest."
Smith, who turns 49 on Saturday, shared his dream of some day having a photo exhibit of his adventure at the Smithsonian Institute. But dreams are expensive.
"This is not about money. I haven't even gone out to get sponsors, and that'd be no-brainer for most people. It's been done on a boot-string budget, a frayed boot string."
His journey has been financed mostly by his wife, Bridgie, who is a nurse.
Through it all, Smith is a champion of the trail system. He's even prepared to hike the 2,500 miles that could be added if Congress adds three more trails.
"The National Scenic Trails characterizes America in an ambitious way," Smith said. "Imagine 16,000 miles of trails maintained. The number of volunteers needed to maintain it is amazing.
"It surprises me we don't talk about it on a national scale. But it says something about the United States and how we value our natural resources."
(E-mail Jeffrey P. Mayor at jeff.mayor(at)thenewstribune.com (http://thenewstribune.com/))
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com (http://www.scrippsnews.com/).)
By JEFFREY P. MAYOR
Tacoma News Tribune
Bart Smith has completed 85 percent of his goal. But when you realize the Lakewood, Wash. man's goal is to hike all 16,000 miles of the National Scenic Trail system, you comprehend the remarkable challenge he still faces.
His plan this summer and fall is to hike the final 2,180 miles of the Continental Divide Trail, completing his journey at Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park on Oct. 2.
Smith is now in Montana, hiking south on the trail toward Yellowstone. But he'll have to hike sections of the trail out of sequence to allow the deep snows in the Rockies to melt.
It's a rare instance for Smith to impose a target date for his journey, but this one has merit: the 40th anniversary of the law creating the scenic trail system.
"It's a way to honor the National Scenic Trails and the volunteers who keep them maintained," Smith said during an interview last week on a rare day at home.
What began as a hike up the Pacific Coast National Scenic Trail 16 years ago has morphed into an epic adventure that has taken him on eight trails and through 35 states. He's completed seven of the eight scenic trails.
"This is a good old-fashioned monumental undertaking," he said in an understatement of equally monumental proportion.
Adding to his story is the fact that he is lugging of 20 pounds of camera equipment along with his 50 pounds of backpacking gear.
"I wouldn't be doing this without that gear. It puts me in places I normally wouldn't visit. I've seen some remarkable things," he said.
Hauling that gear has produced four books, and there are more on the way.
"It's an odd marriage, hiking and photography, because they are in constant conflict," he said.
Smith tries to average 18.5 miles a day while on the trail, much of it alone as he photographs the diverse countryside. Some days, he motors up the trail to reach a spot to be there when the light is right. Other times, he shoots the same scene over and over for minutes on end. Both scenarios can tax the patience and stamina of any hiking partner.
Smith said it is hard to pick just one favorite moment, a spot or incident from 16 years of traveling the four corners of the nation.
Still, he said, some stood out.
He recalled walking through knee-deep water for miles as he crossed Big Cypress National Preserve on the Florida National Scenic Trail. "Coming from the Northwest, it was the most primordial landscape, a place where man hasn't had a big impact yet."
He told of the kindness he received from strangers in Wyoming while hitchhiking to get back to his van. He got rides from a cowboy, a town sheriff, an Amway representative, the driver of an 18-wheeler, a fishing guide and two members of a band driving a Wonderbread truck converted to biodiesel.
He cited the beauty of the high Sierra Nevada. "But to be honest, my favorite spot might be Harts Pass in the Pasayten Wilderness in the North Cascades. I just love the Pacific Northwest."
Smith, who turns 49 on Saturday, shared his dream of some day having a photo exhibit of his adventure at the Smithsonian Institute. But dreams are expensive.
"This is not about money. I haven't even gone out to get sponsors, and that'd be no-brainer for most people. It's been done on a boot-string budget, a frayed boot string."
His journey has been financed mostly by his wife, Bridgie, who is a nurse.
Through it all, Smith is a champion of the trail system. He's even prepared to hike the 2,500 miles that could be added if Congress adds three more trails.
"The National Scenic Trails characterizes America in an ambitious way," Smith said. "Imagine 16,000 miles of trails maintained. The number of volunteers needed to maintain it is amazing.
"It surprises me we don't talk about it on a national scale. But it says something about the United States and how we value our natural resources."
(E-mail Jeffrey P. Mayor at jeff.mayor(at)thenewstribune.com (http://thenewstribune.com/))
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com (http://www.scrippsnews.com/).)