Thru-Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail

2016-05-03-10-03-28

The Pacific what…?

The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is a footpath spanning from Mexico to Canada. It’s 2650 miles in length – a somewhat unfathomable distance when one considers walking it. Nevertheless, this 2 foot wide strip of dirt and rock, and the surrounding campsites, towns and terrain become home to hundreds of crazy adventurous souls every summer.

“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity; and that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life.”  John Muir

Hiking the PCT is in no way easy. The drudgery of walking all day to the point of exhaustion, the constant battling of pain and injury, the tiresome diet of junk food, and the brutal heat or freezing cold, all discourage a lot of people. Many quit along the way. Hiking can also be extremely boring or frustrating. Climbing over your 898th downed tree is absolutely mentally exhausting.

So why hike this trail? The PCT provides countless opportunities for growth, an amazing community of people on and around the trail, and absolutely stunning scenery, day after day after day. And you get to eat as much junk food as you want with seemingly no detrimental consequences. It’s an adventure.

Resupply and Food

PCT Resupply – Our resupply strategy and favorite foods.
Breweries along the PCT – Welcome to the world’s longest brewery tour!

PCT Gear

PCT Gear – How the heck do we decide what to carry for 5 months?
Christa’s Gear List
Rob’s Gear List
What worked? What didn’t? Stay tuned… our post-PCT thoughts on gear are coming soon.

Life on the Trail

Posts From the Trail

Part 1: The Desert

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Day Zero – Is This Really Happening?
Day 1 (Miles 0 to 20) – Southern Terminus to Lake Morena
Day 2 (Miles 20 to 32) – Lake Morena to Fred Canyon
Day 3 (Miles 32 to 47.5) – Up and over Mount Laguna
Days 4 to 6 (Miles 47.5 to 101.5) – San Felipe Hills
Days 7 to 10 (Miles 101.5 to 151.9 – Eagle Rock, Warner Springs and Mike’s Place
Days 11 and 12 (Miles 177 to 194) – Idyllwild and Fuller Ridge
Day 13 (Miles 194 to 211) – Ziggy and the Bear
Days 14 to 16 (Miles 252 to 293.8) – Hiking around Big Bear Lake
Days 17 & 18 (Miles 293.8 to 333.5) – Deep Creek and San Bernardino NF
Days 19 to 23 (Miles 333.5 to 412) – Cajon Junction and the San Gabriels
Days 24 to 26 (Miles 412 to 255) – Acton KOA and Hiker Heaven
Days 27 to 30 (Miles 455 to 530) – Casa de Luna, Hikertown and the Aqueducts
Days 31 and 32 (Miles 530 to 558) – Windmills for Days
Days 33 to 38 (Miles 558 to 652) – Tehachapi to Lake Isabella
Days 39 to 42 (Miles 642 to 704.7) – Walker Pass to Kennedy Meadows

Part 2: The Sierra

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Days 42 to 46 (Miles 704.7 to 760.5) Into the Mountains
Days 47 and 48 (Miles 760.5 to 786.8) – Forester Pass
Days 49 to 51 – A Nearo and Zero in Lone Pine
Days 52 to 55 (Miles 788.5 to 833.6) – Kearsarge, Glen, Pinchot and Mather Passes
Days 56 and 57 (Miles 833.6 to 861.5) – Muir Pass and Evolution Valley
Days 58 to 60 (Miles 861.5 to 903.2) – Selden Pass to Mammoth Lakes
Days 61 to 64 (Miles 903.2 to 948.3) – Mammoth to Yosemite
Days 65 to 70 (Miles 948.3 to 1016.9) – Water Water Everywhere
Days 71 to 73 (Miles 1016.9 to 1076.8) – Sonora Pass to Carson Pass
Days 74 and 75 (Miles 1076.8 to 1114.7) – Desolation Wilderness
Days 76 to 79 (Miles 1114.7 to 1153.4) – A Windstorm and a Stop in Truckee

Part 3: Northern California

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Days 80 and 81 (Miles 1153.4 to 1195.4) – Donner Pass to Sierra City
Days 82 to 84 (Miles 1195.4 to 1257.5) – Sierra Buttes and the Middle Fork Feather River
Days 85 to 87 (Miles 1257.5 to 1328.8) – Belden Town, PCT Midpoint and Chester
Days 88 to 91 (Miles 1328.8 to 1416.5) – Lassen, Hat Creek Rim and Burney Falls
Days 92 to 95 (Miles 1416.5 to 1498.7) – Hiking West to Interstate 5
Days 96 to 99 (Miles 1498.7 to 1597.2) – Castle Crags, Trinity Alps and Etna
Days 100 and 101 (Miles 1597.3 to 1647) – Marble Mountains
Days 102 to 104 (Miles 1647 to 1716.2) – Seiad Valley to Oregon!

Part 4: Oregon

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Days 105 to 108 (Miles 1716.2 to 1818.4) – Downed Trees and Mosquitoes
Days 109 to 111 (Miles 1818.4 to 1904.1) – Crater Lake to Shelter Cove
Days 112 to 115 (Miles 1904.1 to 1981.3) – The Three Sisters and a Resupply in Bend
Days 116 to 119 (Miles 1981.2 to 2094.5) – Lava Rock, Huckleberries, Timberline Lodge
Days 120 and 121 (Miles 2094.5 to 2144.2) – Columbia River Gorge

Part 5: Washington

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Days 122 to 125 (Miles 2144.2 to 2226.4) – Bridge of the Gods to Trout Lake
Days 126 to 128 (Miles 2226.4 to 2292.4) – Mt Adams and the Goat Rocks Wilderness
Day 129 to 132 (Miles 2292.4 to 2390.6) – White Pass to Snoqualmie Pass
Days 133 to 136 (Miles 2390.6 to 2467.3) – Goldmyer Alternate to Stevens Pass
Days 137 to 142 (Miles 2467.3 to 2569.4) – The North Cascades and Stehekin
Days 143 to 146 (Miles 2569.4 to 2643.8) – Rainy Pass and Harts Pass
Day 147 (Mile 2643.8 to Northern Terminus) – The End