Forest’s Pacific Crest Trail reopens to thru-hikers

Angeles National Forest firefighter Simeon Hagens walks along a trail already burned by the Sand Fire near Wildlife Waystation on Little Tujunga Canyon Road on Saturday, July 23, 2016. Katharine Lotze/The Santa Clarita Valley Signal
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The Pacific Crest Trail from Mt. Gleason and Messenger Flats to Soledad Canyon Road reopened to thru-hikers on April 29, 2017 after sustaining damage during the Sand Fire, according to a press release by the U.S. Forest Service. The trail was officially closed on October 11, 2016.

“We are pleased to reopen this trail section that has been closed since last summer. The public is reminded to exercise caution when recreating in the great outdoors,” said Jamahl Butler, Acting District Ranger for the Los Angeles River Ranger District, in a press release issued on May 8, 2017.

The closure area, which spans from mile 429.5 to mile 444 of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), is still closed to off-trail camping, according to the Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA). Hiking through an official closure area could result in a fine of up to $10,000 and/or up to six months in prison.

Thru-hiking season begins in March each year and typically runs through November, with most hikers moving north through California and a few opting to travel south. The Pacific Crest Trail crosses through Agua Dulce and Vasquez Rocks. The trail starts at the Mexico-California border and ends at the Washington-Canada border.

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