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Published on Wednesday, September 7, 2005
A hike William O. Douglas would have loved
By TRACY SAWYERYAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC
Submitted by: Bernadine Morgan (of the Paulson family)
William O. Douglas strengthened his polio-stricken legs on Yakima's sagebrush hills and the mountainous trails of the Cascades. Starting Friday, anyone with a decent pair of walking shoes will have an opportunity to walk in Douglas' footsteps.
A five-day hike begins later this week to commemorate the creation of a 75-mile continuous hiking trail that links Yakima to Mount Rainier. The hike will take place along the William O. Douglas Trail, named for the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice and Yakima native who grew up hiking local hills and mountains.
Ray Paolella, city attorney for Yakima and one of the event's organizers, said the hike is a way to show the people of Yakima the trail belongs to them. Over 90 percent of the trail route utilizes existing public trails, pathways and public lands.
The trail's remaining 10 percent is currently in private land. Paolella and others involved in the effort are looking into securing rights of way or even purchasing the remaining land so they can complete the trail and open it permanently to the public.
Besides the organizers, Douglas' widow, Cathy Douglas Stone, is scheduled to walk part of the five-day hike, as well as students from Davis High School, who will be excused from classes Friday so they can participate.
John Aylmer with the Cowiche Canyon Conservatory said organizers plan to make the hike as informative as possible. Some of the stops include the address where Douglas' former house stood as well as some of the various landmarks he mentioned in his writings.
Aylmer said he and others intend to read aloud from "Of Men and Mountains" and "Go East Young Man," Douglas' memoirs on Yakima, during the course of the hike.
Paolella said several local agencies are involved in the effort to bring the trail to life. These include the city and county of Yakima, the Forest Service, the Yakima Valley Museum, Cowiche Canyon Conservatory, the Greenway Foundation and the Cascadians, a local hiking group.
"Many people are involved in the effort," Aylmer said. "It's really the brainchild of several people who see the relationship between Douglas to Yakima and the importance of tying recreation to economic development."
No date is set for when the trail will be 100 percent accessible, but Paolella is confident it will be sooner than later. Once it's complete, maps will be created so that hikers can do the walk at one time, or break it into segments.
Portions of the trail are expected to be open to mountain bikes and could possibly include equestrian trails.
However, motorized vehicles will not be permitted. Douglas, who once lamented the completion of Chinook Pass, would be pleased about that.
* Reporter Tracy Sawyer can be reached by phone at 577-7628, or by e-mail at tsawyer@yakimaherald.com.
Published on Wednesday, September 7, 2005
A hike William O. Douglas would have loved
By TRACY SAWYERYAKIMA HERALD-REPUBLIC
Submitted by: Bernadine Morgan (of the Paulson family)
William O. Douglas strengthened his polio-stricken legs on Yakima's sagebrush hills and the mountainous trails of the Cascades. Starting Friday, anyone with a decent pair of walking shoes will have an opportunity to walk in Douglas' footsteps.
A five-day hike begins later this week to commemorate the creation of a 75-mile continuous hiking trail that links Yakima to Mount Rainier. The hike will take place along the William O. Douglas Trail, named for the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice and Yakima native who grew up hiking local hills and mountains.
Ray Paolella, city attorney for Yakima and one of the event's organizers, said the hike is a way to show the people of Yakima the trail belongs to them. Over 90 percent of the trail route utilizes existing public trails, pathways and public lands.
The trail's remaining 10 percent is currently in private land. Paolella and others involved in the effort are looking into securing rights of way or even purchasing the remaining land so they can complete the trail and open it permanently to the public.
Besides the organizers, Douglas' widow, Cathy Douglas Stone, is scheduled to walk part of the five-day hike, as well as students from Davis High School, who will be excused from classes Friday so they can participate.
John Aylmer with the Cowiche Canyon Conservatory said organizers plan to make the hike as informative as possible. Some of the stops include the address where Douglas' former house stood as well as some of the various landmarks he mentioned in his writings.
Aylmer said he and others intend to read aloud from "Of Men and Mountains" and "Go East Young Man," Douglas' memoirs on Yakima, during the course of the hike.
Paolella said several local agencies are involved in the effort to bring the trail to life. These include the city and county of Yakima, the Forest Service, the Yakima Valley Museum, Cowiche Canyon Conservatory, the Greenway Foundation and the Cascadians, a local hiking group.
"Many people are involved in the effort," Aylmer said. "It's really the brainchild of several people who see the relationship between Douglas to Yakima and the importance of tying recreation to economic development."
No date is set for when the trail will be 100 percent accessible, but Paolella is confident it will be sooner than later. Once it's complete, maps will be created so that hikers can do the walk at one time, or break it into segments.
Portions of the trail are expected to be open to mountain bikes and could possibly include equestrian trails.
However, motorized vehicles will not be permitted. Douglas, who once lamented the completion of Chinook Pass, would be pleased about that.
* Reporter Tracy Sawyer can be reached by phone at 577-7628, or by e-mail at tsawyer@yakimaherald.com.
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