In 1977, Strickland founded the Pacific Northwest Trail Association (PNTA), an organization responsible for education and information, maintenance, and advocacy for the PNT. That same year, the first five successful thru-hikes of the Pacific Northwest Trail were completed. Two of those hikers would later appear on the cover of Backpacker Magazine, in a 1979 issue which introduced the Pacific Northwest Trail to an international audience. Also in 1979, the first short guide for the PNT was published by Signpost Magazine, which would later become Washington Trails Association. The guide consisted of two pages that described the route, and came unaccompanied by maps.