A few summers ago, I got the inspiration to start section hiking the 2,663 mile Pacific Crest Trail. It all started when I was on a backpack trip in the Sierras. A lady was resting on a rock and I stopped to talk with her a bit. She told me she was a retired stewardess from Chicago and had been hiking sections for a few years to complete the entire Pacific Crest Trail and she was solo. She even said that her family jokes that if she dies before it is completed they will have to carry her ashes to finish the trail. WELL, just this small moment in time with this lady on a rock gave me the courage and inspiration that I too could do it. Thank you to the Lady on a Rock.
I have now completed all 2,650 miles spanning from the Mexican border to Canada section hiking during my summer breaks from teaching. It has been an amazing journey.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3D0XPwLoH9I?rel=0&w=853&h=480]
Pacific Crest Trail Movie Trailer I use to introduce my students to the hiking the PCT. Who wouldn’t want to hike it after viewing this fun adventure?
Resources
Favorite and essential:
- Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA)
- Halfmile’s PCT Maps, Tracks, and Waypoints
- Halfmile’s PCT App
- Halfmile’s Map on the PCTA – View waypoints, track, and snow depth
- Craig’s PCT Planner
- Online Permits
- Yogi’s PCT Handbook
On trail Blogging Essentials
- Evernote
- WordPress iPhone App
- Notes iPhone App
- Photogene Photo Resize
- Photos iPhone Editor
Extra Resources
- Wilderness Press – PCT Guidebooks on PDF
Southern California
Northern California
Oregon and Washington - As the Crow Flies Town Guide
- Resupply
- Southern California Water Report
- Plan Your Hike
- PCT Trail Journals
- ADZPCTKO
- PCTHYOH App
- Viewranger GPS App
- Guthook’s Trailguide Apps
- PCT Terminology
Gear
Click HERE for my complete lightweight backpack list for long-distance hiking.
Trail Food
- Gear and Food
- Operation Food
- Hey Dehydrators
- Trail Food Gluten & Dairy Free
- The Hungry Hammock Hanger Dehydrating Recipes
- Backpacking Chef
- Trail Cooking and the Outdoors
- Harmony House Backpacking Kit
Blog Posts
Before the Hike Preparation 2010 – 15
- Why Didn’t I Think of this Before
- GAS and the PCT
- PCT Gear List and Hiking Solo
- My New Friend
- L O S T . . . the essential question.
- ADZPCTKO 2010
- Changes!!!
- Let the Packing Begin!
- FYI: My Trail Journal
- 2011 PCT Plans
- Gotta See It!
- 2011 ADZPCTKO
- New Plan, Gear, and Ready, Set, Go!
- Team Tehachapi Magic
- 2012 PCT Plan and Gear on Pinterest
- Hey Dehydrators
- Thru-hiking
- Team Tehachapi on the Trail
- Gear and Food
- Connect the Dots
- ADZPCTKO 2012
- Bags are Packed and I’m Ready to Go
- Pics and Plans
- Hey Class of 2014 PCTers!
- The Pacific Crest Trail Calls
- Washington Here we Come – Food and Gear
Hosting Hikers in Tehachapi
- Fellow Gearheads – Yellowstone and Skyward
- Ahhhh! Those Trail Angels
- ***Reverse Trail Magic*** – Chinchilla, Pyrite, Kung Fu
- The Pigs were Here! – Tequila Kid and Boo Boo
- Way Wired! – Wired, Blister, Top Shelf, Wandering Dot
- Team Vagabundas – Serenity, Crasher, Ramblin’ Rose, Half Step, Yard Sale, Soft Walker
- Guest Blogger- “Wired” on Pacific Crest Trail Relationships – Wired
- A Great Start – Andy, Ooops, and Heart
- Thank You Halfmile and Friends – Halfmile, Deb
- Trail Talk – North Star, Shutterbug, Lisa, Border Patrol
- Totem and Jungle Cookie – Totem, Jungle Cookie
On Trail Journal posted from my iPhone
Southern California – Campo to Tehachapi
- March 31 – Trek from the Terminus
- April 1 – Climb On
- April 2 – Blue Skies
- April 3 – A Relief
- April 4 – Moving’ and Goovin’
- April 5 – Laughter
- April 6 – Silly Chili
- April 7 – Part 2 Paradise
- April 8 – Happy Easter!
- April 29-30 – What IS the Big Deal?
- April 22 – A Hat, a Patch of Shade, and Gatorade
- April 23 – Poodle-dog and Views
- June 27 – Nero Day
- June 29 – Gnats, Heat, and Deep Creek
- June 30 – Bed of Roses
- May 19 – Surprises!!!
- May 20 – Hiking with the Pack
- May 27 – Go BIG, Baden-Powell, Bear
- May 28 – Wilderness and Road Walk
- June 7 – Don’t Pick the Purple Ones & the Longest Road EVER
- June 8 – Easy Street
- June 9 – Hiking Hard and Having Fun
- June 10 – Make Your Own Wind / Biting Flies are BAD
- April 19 – So Much Water Yet No Water
- April 20 – We are lucky we know
Central California – Tehachapi – Sonora Pass
- June 12 – Surprises
- June 13 – Life of a thru-hiker
- June 14 ~ HOT
- June 15 – Solo Hiking
- June 16 – Resupply
- June 17 – Trail Names at Last
- June 18 – Laughter
- June 19 – Kennedy Meadows
- June 20 – High Sierras
- June 21 – Wildlife
- June 22 – Just Stunning
- June 24 – Going In
- June 25 – Microspikes on Logs
- June 26 – Way Wet Feet
- June 27 – Teamwork
- June 28 – Lady on a Rock
- June 29 – What?!?! Snow Storm and Deep Water
- June 30 – Temporarily Misplaced
- July 1 – Waterfall Cool Off and Boot Skiing\
- July 2 – What Downhill?
- August 28 – The Ideal
- August 29 – Swimming
- August 30 – Ups and Downs
- August 31 – Almost a Walk in the Park
- September 1 – BIG Views
- September 2 – The Best Yet and Pics
- July 3 – Snow
- July 4 – Outstanding
- July 5 – Just Beauteous!
- July 6 – Mosquitos have Arrived!
- July 7 – Generosity
- July 8 – Forest
- July 9 – What am I Doing
- July 10 – Bear, Potatoes, & Friendly People
- July 11 – Campground
- July 12 – Sierra City Nero
- July 13 – Trail Crews
- July 14 – Hot, Sweaty, and Tree Branch
- July 15 – Last Day Hiking, Buck’s Summit & Quincy
- June 16 – Blessings and BIG Party
- June 17 – Happy Father’s Day!
- June 18 – Gifts
- June 19 – Company
- June 20 – Networking
- June 21 – Hike Naked Day on the Hat Creek Rim
- June 22 – Beauteous Burney Falls
- June 23 – Rain
- June 24 – TiredJune 25 – Dancing with Poison Oak
- June 26 – Oh California
- June 27 – Love and Generosity
- June 28 – Zero in Dunsmuir
- July 14 – Now That’s What I’m Talkin’ About
- July 15 – Yes Virginia there really are flat trails
- July 16 – FOG
- July 17 – WIND
- July 18 – Hiker Hut at Etna
- July 19 – Big Courage
- July 20 – Not Easy But Should Be
- July 21 – Seiad Valley Baby
- July 22 – Sweat and Dirty Feet, Yeah!!!
- July 23 – Oregon!
- Cow Video from July 22
- July 24 – Callahans!
- July 25 – Happy HikersJuly 26 – Messy Forest and Super Trail Magic
- July 27 – Tree Trunks for Legs
- July 28 – New Strategy
- Snow Videos from July 28
- Lava Video from July 27
- July 29 – Cars, Trolleys, Bars, and Trains
- June 29 – Be Careful What You Wish For
- June 30 – When to Turn Back
- July 18 – More than I Could Wish For
- July 19 – It is a Carpet Ride
- July 20 – shelter Cove…the devil
- July 21 – Butterflies
- July 22 – Oh Those Sisters
- July 23 – The Reminder
- July 24 – Brand New Day
- July 25 – Making New Tracks
- July 26 – Drop n’ Roll…a good hiker and friend
- July 27 – Timberline Lodge
- July 28 – Rain Forest, Rivers and Waterfalls
- July 29 – oh Cascade Locks!
Cascade Locks to Washington/Canada
- July 5 PCT – Drive, Fly, Shuttle, Walk, Heat
- July 6 PCT – Deep and Dark
- July 7 PCT – Up and Out of the Deep and Dark
- July 8 PCT – Lame Sauce and Thunder
- July 9 PCT- Meet Stealth, 10 by 10, and Trout Lake Nero
- July 10 PCT – Go with the Flow
- July 11 PCT – The Grandeur of Goat Rocks
- July 12 – Mount Rainier and White Pass Nero
- July 13 PCT – Trading Pains, Lots of Walking
- July 14 PCT – Classic Ridge Walk
- July 15 PCT – Things are Looking Up
- July 16 PCT – Snoqualmie Aardvark
- July 17 PCT – Snoqualmie Nero and Chills
- July 18 PCT – Sure Spectacle Photo Day
- July 19 PCT – Sweat and More Sweat
- July 20 PCT – Stevens Magic and Leavenworth
- July 21 PCT – Teamwork Nero
- July 22 PCT – Hey I’ve Got Some New Shoes On and Suddenly Everything is Right
- July 23 PCT – Keeping Pace in Glacier Peak Wilderness Photo Day
- July 24 PCT – Let it Rain!
- July 25 PCT – Transformation
- July 26 PCT – Buy the Chairs and Reunited Nero in Stehekin
- July 27 PCT – Bee Stings, Blisters, and Skyward Magic
- July 28 PCT – It’s a Ten
- July 29 PCT – Breakfast Chicken and Reflections
- July 30 PCT – Oh Canada
- July 31 PCT – The Real Finish
Videos
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZclQRpTYjAw?rel=0&w=853&h=480]
Shawn “Pepper” Forry and Justin “Trauma” Lichter completed the first ever wintertime thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail through snow, ice, wind, rain, mud, and freezing cold. They were kind enough to agree to a video interview answering student generated questions by my tHInK outsidE outdoor class. These guys are unique. Don’t miss this viewing treat.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8aj4tIdj84?rel=0]
This is just for fun about Life on the PCT
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnGqy1uhBfU?rel=0]
PCT – Southern Terminus to Warner Springs March 31-April 4, 2012
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9A_YwbEGLg?rel=0]
PCT – Warner Springs to Idyllwild April 5-8, 2012
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mH10MPaFK0?rel=0]
PCT – Idyllwild to Onyx Summit April 2012
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90MZRN3-eMo?rel=0]
PCT – Bucks Summit to Castella June 2012
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- 35 additional short videos on my You Tube “Pacific Crest Trail” Channel
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Photos on Flickr
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- Southern Border to Warner Springs
- Warner Springs to Idyllwild
- Idyllwild to Cabazon
- Cabazon to Onyx Summit
- San Bernardino Mountain Traverse
- Silverwood Lake to Three Points
- Inspiration Point to Three Points
- Three Points to Pine Canyon Road
- Three Points to Teh-Willow Springs Road
- Tehachapi to Walker Pass
- Walker Pass to Whitney Portal
- Onion Valley to Below Kearsage Pass
- Kearsage to Wood’s Creek
- Wood’s Creek to S Fork of the Kings River
- S Fork Kings River to Mid Fork Kings River
- M Fork of the Kern River to Colby Meadow
- Colby Meadow to Sally Keyes Lakes
- Sallie Keyes Lakes to Vermillion Valley Resort
- VVR to Fish Creek
- Fish Creek to Red’s Meadow
- Tuolumne Meadows to Sonora Pass
- Sonora Pass to Echo Lake
- Echo Lake to Buck’s Summit
- Bucks Summit to Drakesbad Guest Ranch
- Bucks to Castella
- Drakesbad to Burney Falls
- Castle Crags to Etna Summit
- Etna Summit to Seiad Valley
- Seiad Valley to Ashland, Oregon
- Ashland to Crater Lake
- Crater Lake to Cascade Locks
- Cascade Locks to Manning Park, Canada
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