By Chelsea Bodamer
Through the cold winter months, I find no greater pleasure than wrapping up in a blanket and reading a book as I patiently await the warmth of my favorite season – sweet, abundant spring. Thus was the case this January as I read Cheryl Strayed’s Wild. I ... Read more
This year’s class of PCT thru-hikers will have to find a new place to stop and rest after descending the San Gabriel Mountains northeast of Los Angeles. Hiker Heaven, the Agua Dulce oasis that is woven into nearly two decades of PCT lore, is no longer an option.
Trail Angel ... Read more
Get even more pumped for hiking season this year! Enter to win this pretty stellar pile of ultralight backpacking gear from Platypus Hydration, Therm-a-Rest, MSR, PackTowl and Scarpa! Special thanks to Platypus for being the title sponsor and for making this big-pile-of-gear contest happen. They’re our favorite partner that’s also ... Read more
By Jack Haskel, PCTA Trail Information Specialist, and Dana Hendricks, PCTA Regional Representative.
Let’s start with a rough estimate. One habitual thru-hiker estimates having seen at least 70 water and food caches last year on the PCT. These outposts of civilization are increasing at a rapid rate. There are a ... Read more
Justin “Trauma” Lichter and Shawn “Pepper” Forry completed a winter thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail today. They generously sent us this video. They started their hike on October 21, 2014 and finished March 1, 2015 for a total of 132 days. That a remarkably fast hike considering the conditions ... Read more
Thyra Bessette, PCT class of 2013, does just a wonderful job poking into her phone and managing an Instagram page for PCTA. Eye-popping Pacific Crest Trail photos stream in from people doing neat things in beautiful places. Follow along on the #PacificCrestTrail hashtag (you can see it at ... Read more
Justin Lichter and Shawn Forry are 180 miles from the Mexican border and the completion of their remarkable winter thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail. They started in October and have been snowshoeing, skiing and hiking ever since.
Journeys on the PCT are remarkably personal. The trail is truly a ... Read more
As the PCT traverses the Soda Mountain Wilderness in Southern Oregon, it rarely crests above 5,000 feet. This section of trail affords outstanding views and takes in some of the region’s mixed coniferous forests as it passes well-known Pilot Rock. Some winters at elevations below 5,000 feet, minimal snow may ... Read more