Anyone who has spent time kicking up dust on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) knows the journey is about much more than just putting one foot in front of the other. It is about the profound connection forged with the land and the community built along the way. Since 2009, ... Read more
This is a guest post by Susan McDonnell, Pacific Crest Trail Association’s Mount Hood Chapter Chair & PCT section caretaker. Thank you, Susan, for all that you do!
In December 2025, a series of storms hit the West Coast.Rain, wind, and more rain. Torrential rain! In the Columbia River ... Read more
We’re thrilled to welcome our new North Cascades Regional Manager, Sam Webster, to the Pacific Crest Trail Association team! With deep roots in land management, wilderness education, and a passion for on-the-ground trail stewardship, he brings a lifetime of experience and sincere enthusiasm to this rugged and remarkable stretch of ... Read more
As cars fly by on Interstate 10, the significance of the land around Whitewater, California rarely enters the conversation. Travelers are more likely to notice the wind turbines, soaring temperatures, or Joshua trees. Yet the 1.3 acres the PCTA has protected in the hills above Whitewater plays an outsized role ... Read more
Each year, PCTA’s volunteers, corps crews, and staff put in tens of thousands of hours toward maintaining the PCT. This devotion of time and energy yields extraordinary results: over 2,000 miles of the PCT have been maintained since ... Read more
The federal government shut down on Oct. 1 after Congress could not agree on a Fiscal Year 2026 budget or a resolution to continue funding from the previous fiscal year. 28 days in, the stalemate continues.
The shutdown is about important and complicated issues like healthcare funding and the downsizing ... Read more
Written by Justin Kooyman, PCTA’s Director of Trail Operations.
Earlier this year, we faced a kind of uncertainty that’s hard to plan for. Federal budgets were delayed, new direction from the administration came down to our partner land management agencies, and suddenly our calendar of trail maintenance projects looked like ... Read more
Special thanks to our Northern California/Southern Oregon Regional Trail Stewardship Coordinator, Spencer ‘Mr. Kitchen’ Valenti, for their retelling of a five-day Hart’s Pass North Cascade Pro-Crew Project. And of course, to the rest of our wonderful crew for their hard work: Claire Persichetti, Kathryn Conley, Andy Nguyen, and Jake Rawdin.... Read more
Welcome to the blog of the Pacific Crest Trail Association. Check back often for news about the trail.