More than 2,000 visit Pulaski Tunnel Trail
The Pulaski Tunnel Trail, located just south of Wallace on Moon Pass Road has attracted hikers from across the nation and foreign countries.
In 2012, foreign visitors included: France, Canada, Sweden, United Kingdom, Australia, South Africa, Germany, Brazil, Palestine, Turkey and Finland. In 2011, 15 countries of origin were noted in the registry: Canada, Denmark, Australia, Germany, Russia, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Colombia, France, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Tahiti and even Bhutan.
On busy days, a colorful array of license plates was often present in the trail parking lot. Hikers came from all parts of the United States as well. In 2012, Western states contributed most of them: Idaho (277), Washington (210), Montana (26), Oregon (36) and California (36). Yet visitors from these states represented only about a quarter of total trail use. The remaining three-quarters of trail users came from a great variety of other states, provinces, and foreign countries.
In 2012, 2,403 hikers, visited the trail providing 657 registrations (sometimes representing a single hiker, other times groups of hikers). That compares with 2011, when 2,169 hikers, provided 723 registrations.
June recorded the highest trail use, at 486 hikers in 92 registrations. July followed with 464 hikers, followed in turn by August and September with 423 hikers each. The lowest frequency of visits occurred in January and March, with nine hikers each.
Not every hiker or group of hikers will "sign in" at the register of course. Moreover, local hikers, who may sign-in once, are particularly likely to be underrepresented in the register data. Camera data on July 1, 2012, indicted that 52 hikers (36 adults and 16 children) in 14 groups used the trail. Guest registrations from the same day equaled 32 hikers in nine groups. Only 62 percent of hikers actually signed in the guest register.
Therefore, we can hypothesize that total hikers for 2012 would be estimated at 3,876 instead of 2,403 assuming only 62 percent actually registered.
Winter users sometimes snowshoe the trail. In 2012, total hikers numbered 15 in February, 38 in November and 16 in December. Winter snowshoe-using hikers compact the trial's snow cover making it possible for foot hikers to use it as well. Winter trail use treats hikers with that season's special beauty and memorable ice formations along West Fork Placer Creek. In winter, leafless deciduous trees also improve some of the trail's vistas.
The hiker register also provides space for brief comments from visitors. About half of registrants leave comments. Virtually all comments were positive, many glowingly so. Words like "great," "awesome," "wonderful," and "amazing" recurred over and over again in the registry - totaling 114 appearances in 2012. Fifty-eight people wrote that they "had fun," "enjoyed it," or "loved it." "Beautiful" was offered about the trail by 63 register users. Exclamation points were not in short supply.
It is interesting to note that 80 hikers make reference to reading Tim Egan's "The Big Burn" or otherwise indicated their historical or educational interest in the Pulaski Tunnel Trail. Forty-four hikers were kind enough to offer their thanks for the trail's creation, some directing their gratitude specifically to the U.S. Forest Service. Twenty-four comments came from firefighters and/or forest service employees.
The hikers of the Pulaski Tunnel Trail who "sign-in" at the register have given an indication of the trail's use. This data will be used to guide future maintenance and development of this important historic trail.
Forest Service Deputy District Ranger Kimberly Johnson said the "Idaho Panhandle National Forests is especially proud of The Pulaski Tunnel Trail. It is one of the best recreational attractions we have and it attracts visitors from far and wide to enjoy the Silver Valley."