Hikers dedicate months, if not years, to readying themselves for their shot at thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. They dump thousands of dollars into state-of-the-art ultralight gear. They cook, dehydrate, pack and ship dozens of boxes full of food. They adopt strenuous workout regimens to ready their bodies for the ... Read more
This essay first appeared in the PCT Communicator magazine. Visit our page about the history of the Pacific Crest Trail for more about this remarkable trail. See this article in PDF format here.
When I hiked the Appalachian Trail fresh out of college in 1996, the National Trails System was ... Read more
Along with other nonprofit partners, the Pacific Crest Trail Association’s volunteer program coordinates thousands of helping hands from the deserts of Southern California all the way to the Cascade Mountains of Northern Washington. Thinking of becoming a volunteer? Let me tell you a little about our trail maintenance program, and ... Read more
Planning ahead and preparing is a key Leave No Trace (LNT) principle. Having well laid plans in outdoor endeavors can make the difference between being comfortable or being uncomfortable; in more extreme adventures, planning ahead and preparing can be the difference between having a safe trip or ending up in ... Read more
Hi class of 2016,
Join us at pcta.org/tv on March 29 at 5:30 pm PST for a live webinar! It’s directed at long-distance hikers who are setting of on the trail this spring. You’ll see a live broadcast right here on our website.
We’ll talk about stuff that’s important, often ... Read more
The first principle of Leave No Trace is to plan ahead and prepare which, when done thoroughly, can help ensure a safe and enjoyable trip into the backcountry that also minimizes your potential to damage sensitive landscapes and ecosystems.
When planning for a backcountry adventure, one of the first things ... Read more
Come find out more about how your gifts and volunteer hours have made a difference this year on the trail. Our Annual Meeting will be held on Saturday, April 16, in the Bannon Island Room at Sierra Health Foundation. Join us afterward for refreshments at an Open House at PCTA‘s ... Read more
By Kathleen Lynch
When the fire swept across the PCT at Etna Summit in 2014, Mike Taylor was three days into a weeklong trail maintenance trip. The smoke and late July heat didn’t bother him, he had solo traversed Hat Creek Rim in August just a few years prior.
Mike ... Read more