Surveyors, prospectors, timber cruisers, rockhounds, hunters of every type- cats, bears, elk, sheep, deer, mushrooms, birds, etc, fur trappers, thru-hikers, Rock scramblers and mountain climbers, botanists (ever read about some of the hikes that David Douglas went on? How about that poor bugger John Day?), desperados and the men that chased them, snowmobilers, ice climbers, etc etc etc. The list is nearly endless.
As dear and important to our Western psyches as true wilderness is, I believe ALL of the PNW has been walked on. Sure there are some small pockets that are less often visited.. and even less often than that talked about by the guys that regularly hunt them, but still..
Geno, More than 40 years ago I was getting out the old 1950s topos of our beloved High Sierras and looking specifically for small lakes that had no name and no trail associated. I'd spend a couple of weeks each summer building a x-country loop trail of my own to visit these places. If *I* was doing it... Well... I'm sure it wasn't the only fella that came up with the idea.
50 + years ago our Explorer post leader was taking our groups overland because the Muir trail was too crowded. Saw some cool territory that way too. One place he took us too was up a scree slope steep enough we were grabbing scrub trees and each others' legs to pull ourselves up the next step.
Almost every time I climb up somewhere I think maybe no one (since the Injuns) has been, I end up disappointed and finding a candy wrapper or a sardine tin from 50 years ago.
I keep holding out hope, and maybe one day I'll find that special spot...........and a .................................BIGFOOT!
