The PCT community has lost one of our own this week with the death of NO Way Ray Echols. He fell over the edge of the trail by Deep Creek in So Cal. Anyone out there who knew Ray and want to send condolences and or little stories about your meeting him can send them to my
email acount and i will see his family gets them.
Meadow Ed
Meadow Ed
Lion King, PCT '06, reports “Recycled” has also died on the trail. Trails, though maybe not “untracked wilderness” are, nonetheless, not without risk.
BenEClone
While I never had the pleasure of meeting No Way/Recycled, I am saddened to lose another member of our small community to a trail-related cause. Last year we also lost John Donnavan in the San Jacinto Wilderness after he became lost during bad weather.
Please be safe and watch out for each other out there, especially when the trail conditions get difficult.
-Chipper '04
Chipper
Thanks for stepping up to the plate and passing along our condolences and stories. No Way Ray was a kind person and a TRUE hiker. We feel bad that a member of our '05 class gave him such a hard time about not being a “thru-hiker”. We know he truly enjoyed being out there year after year and we admired him for it.
Little Bump and Stick Girl
In hindsight we should of spoken out more about this issue, though whom ever it was wrote him off list. No Way Ray certinly was a kind man and deserved no questioning about his hiker “status.” Here are some photos to remember him fondly by.
Batteries Included
I am so sorry to hear about Ray. We were only able to hike with No Way Ray and Alice for a short time.Ray seemed to be a smart wonderful man.I feel bad for Alice, and often think of her while hiking.My thoughts and prayers goes out to Alice that she may heal with time.
puff puff & snappy
Lucky and I had been leap frogging with No Way Ray and Alice for several days into Idyllwild and always had a wonderful time talking with them. Ray was always cheerful and sincerely eager to meet and talk with people. A nicer man you could never hope to meet on the trail or otherwise. The world is the less without him. I think of Ray and Alice often as I hike.
Puck-Fu
I was stunned to read of No Way Ray’s death on the trail. He overnighted with us here in Old Station, in '04 and was one of the most pleasant, unassuming folks you could ever hope to meet. He was so happy to be where he was, doing what he loved to do, taking lots and lots of photos, traveling at his own pace, Híking His Own Hike. I caught up with him again at this years Kick-Off, and met his sweet Alice. It was so nice to know they were doing the trail together and she was very excited. Alice and I share a love of spinning and weaving, we wereplanning some time together when they arrived here in Old Station later on in the summer. What a sad, sad thing, hard to believe he’s really gone. My heart weeps for Alice.
Ray, if there are long trails in the Hereafter, I’m sure you’ve fould one, and have already begun your next great adventure. God Bless, my friend…, you are missed!
Georgi Heitman