The Pacific Crest Trail is a 2,668 mile (4,294 km) trail running through the tallest mountain crests and volcanic peaks of California, Oregon, and Washington from the Mexican border to the Canadian border. I walked its entire length in 2013 and was back on trail for more casual fun in 2014 and 2015. In my opinion, it is a 16″ by 2,668 mile slice of heaven.
Ultra lightweight sleeping bags are purpose-built for long-haul treks where space is at a premium and weight is counted in grams, but they can also be used on your ordinary family camping trips. I call that win-win! The sleeping bag is part of “The Big Three:” your backpack, your tent, and your sleeping bag. These… continue reading
I did done a ton of solo hitch-hiking both during and after my PCT thru-hike — over a thousand miles and many dozen hitches. I learned a lot about hitching and from hitching and thought I’d share with you. Before my thru-hike it never occurred to me to hitch-hike. Not only that but it seemed… continue reading
(UPDATED 2019) Here is a run-down of all the popular backpacks on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Also included are a couple pack comparison charts for you, looking at a range of the most common and reasonable packs for normal people. I hope this helps your selection. Please correct any mistakes or omissions in the… continue reading
I was super excited to find this excellent photo gallery of PCT hiker photos over at Outside Online today (thanks Pacific Crest Trail Association for the link). How cool is it that an unwitting trail angel became a documenter of some of the 2014 personalities? I met a few of those hikers (Justin, Blanco, Far… continue reading
Shit isn’t easy on the PCT, and I’m writing now to share things I learned about feet for those of you considering your first long hike. The PCT was my first long hike, and I had my fair share of feet trouble, but I made it. And I learned a lot. And I’m going to share it all with you here.
My purple New Balance Leadvilles join the other shoes left in the hiker boxes at the Saufleys in Agua Dulce. These are the shoes that marched me into Canada last October. Bye bye cool shoes. Shoes that are not taken for use by PCT hikers are donated to charity in Los Angeles.
I skipped the ADZPCTKO PCT Kick Off party the year of my hike. I watched dozens and dozens of hikers get carted south from Warner Springs, but I chose to keep walking north. But I certainly would not miss the opportunity to reunite with my fellow 2013 hikers at the 2014 Kick Off. I’ve heard… continue reading
A month ago I gave away two copies of the excellent PCT documentary “Tell it on the Mountain.” That was fun; people had a lot of interesting things to say in the comments of that post. This month I am giving away one brand new camp stove from Soto — the OD-1R. This excellent little… continue reading
Dear Eric Ryback, Thank you for my PCT medal. It means the world to me and I carry it everywhere. Puppy (class of 2013)
It’s now been 6 weeks since I walked off the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) in Canada. A lot has changed. Although I plan to adventure again very soon, my life has settled back into a reasonably-normal holding pattern. I’m eating wholesome foods, showering regularly, and sleeping on mattresses that hold air! I’m not walking much…. continue reading
