Sycamore, my comment about the toad being a trouble maker was a joke of course. It is my belief, given what I've read, and what I have seen of the Deep Creek area, that if this toad is disappearing, its because of reasons that have nothing to do with the few humans who visit this area. I think the whole area may be getting dryer over time which could have very well changed the habitat that this toad was used to. Also toads and frogs world wide are disappearing because of infectious agents. The environmentalist might decide that this toad needs the whole creek to itself, all the time, because the few visitors along the PCT and at DCHS are impacting it. I would challenge a move like this. In my view it would be nonsense. Thats just my opinion. I realize fully that species are disappearing at a dramatic rate worldwide. I just don't buy that this toad is disappearing because of the relatively few visitors in the area. I got nothin against the toads :-)