When the opportunity arises, we like grass between our toes, island camping and quality time with friends. Smash that together with movies, a delicious food truck and hyper-local brewery, and the most well-stocked raffle ever and we know we’re going to have fun.
The great joy of PCT Days is that its purpose is basic and fundamental – to celebrate the Pacific Crest Trail. It’s the spirit of summer: kick back, slow down and laugh. Fuse the feeling of summer with the passion that we all share, the PCT, and you get one darn good weekend. Whether you spent the summer racking up trail miles, feeding hungry hikers, digging trail, or working on policy (like we did), by September, it’s high time to celebrate.
Five hundred people came. Twenty-one very cool organizations and outdoor companies brought gear and friendly faces. Contests were won and gear and advice was dished out. By the end of the weekend, $6,000 was raised for the benefit of the PCTA. That’s money that will go exactly to where it’s needed.
Friday night saw the clouds leave and a beautiful screening of the JMT documentary Mile, Mile and a Half. Saturday was a day of chatter, frisbee, tasting Thunder Island Brewing’s first ever batch, and getting to meet the companies that make the gear that we play with. We watched eagerly as the raffle unfolded and sat through lectures about topics like hiking with dogs. Stuffed with local salmon and pulled pork, we settled into the night with an excellent slide show and very fun dance party. The thru-hikers impressed; still ready to dance even after 2155 miles.
On Sunday, some hit the trail or the road home, and others gathered for a disc golf tournament or lingered around the gorge.
PCT Days was such a success because you made it so. Thanks for coming. Thanks for being a part of the community. Special thanks to the outdoor brands that showed up. That’s business giving back to the places where we play.
For the organizers of the event (it’s volunteer run), we save our sincerest applause. You did an amazing job infusing fun into summer. You raised funds for PCTA and gave Cascade Locks a shot of PCT eco-tourism dollars.
With that, we hoist Jason “Nabor J” Waicunas up on stage. Jason’s volunteerism makes our community stronger. When not volunteering, Jason is a photography teacher and outdoor guide. Fully licensed and permitted, Outdoor Viewfinder offers photography workshops on Mt. Hood National Forest and in the Columbia River Gorge. Outdoor Viewfinder is a Mojave Desert Partner of the PCTA. Thanks for your support Jason!