SEATTLE (AP) — The woman who recruited thousands of people to build Washington’s Iron Goat Trail is being remembered as a passionate advocate for hiking and a master mobilizer of volunteers.
The Seattle Times reports that Ruth Ittner died June 3 at age 92, of lymphoma. Ittner approached the U.S. Forest Service in 1987 with the idea of building a trail to mark the state’s centennial. The agency suggested rehabilitating the old Great Northern Railway grade west of Stevens Pass because of its historical value.
She organized countless trail-building parties and lobbied for financing. Today, the trail is among the most popular in the state and features parking areas, an interpretive center and restrooms.
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Information from: The Seattle Times, http://www.seattletimes.com
