PCTA strongly supports this new bear canister requirement. We hope that you protect bears by carrying a canister anytime you visit their home, whether they are required or not. We thank our agency partners for instituting this new order. Learn more about protecting your food on the PCT.
The following ... Read more
By Southern Sierra Regional Trail Stewardship Coordinator Michelle DiMeglio
Trail work facilitates a unique connection to the land. We’re not just caring for the trail, we also benefit from spending time in that place, in stewarding a section of this 2-foot wide, 2650 mile long footpath.
How often do you ... Read more
With input from Training Coordinator Landon Welsh.
Trail Skills College is back in session!
It’s finally summer, and field season is well underway across the Pacific Crest Trail—check our Project Schedule for a long list of upcoming volunteer opportunities.
Whether you’re brand new to trail work, or a seasoned volunteer ... Read more
Note: This story also appears in the Summer 2022 issue of the Communicator magazine.
As a land protection professional, Virginia Esperanza Lorne is deeply influenced by her outdoor play as a child growing up in San Francisco. She is guided by a desire to protect wild places, with the knowledge ... Read more
Note: This story also appears in the Summer 2022 issue of the Communicator magazine.
In 2004, Ian Nelson was in his second year as an associate regional representative for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) when he applied to be the first regional representative for the Pacific Crest Trail.
After the ... Read more
My time on the PCT in 2021 shifted my perspective about my Footprints for Change mission. A beautiful aspect of Footprints for Change is that change is ever-evolving—like Nature and like myself.
Yes, I still believe we need more BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) representation outdoors, and I ... Read more
To be on the PCT at any point in its 2,650-mile stretch is incredible, but for those of us near mile marker 601 in Southern California’s Kern County, the walk is now a little bit sweeter. Two individual private contributions to PCTA’s Land Protection Fund made the acquisition of ... Read more
By Michelle Daneri. Michelle is our Southern California Regional Trail Stewardship Coordinator. She is an avid naturalist, who spends free time camping, surfing, and bird watching all over Southern California.
Having worked in the outdoor industry for eight years, I’ve been fortunate to befriend my fair share of thru-hikers. One ... Read more