Trail advice

Itching to go Hiking – First Let’s Have a Talk About Poison Oak

Disclaimer: This article is intended to provide general information about poison oak and its effects. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing what you suspect may be a severe reaction to poison oak… or are experiencing a severe reaction, it is ... Read more

So, what’s snow-free?

We all want to know what’s melted out. In short: the lower elevation stuff. Up high, be prepared, or wait.

The Sentinel-2 Satellite imagery is the first place I look. A generous donation to PCTA from the European Space Agency (ESA) allows us to have this outstanding resource available to ... Read more

Returning to the Sierra: local permits and being prepared

What a year it’s been! Last winter’s record snowpack lingers in the highest reaches of the Sierra Nevada.

Get the right local permits.

Many northbound thru-hikers made the choice to skip and bypass the Sierra due to the record snow year. Are you looking to come back to hike the ... Read more

Those seeds clinging to your hiking socks may be from invasive plants

Here’s how to avoid spreading them to new locations

By Megan Dolman PhD candidate in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Boise State University

[This article was originally published in The Conversation.]

With spring settling in across the U.S. and days lengthening, many people are ready to spend more time outside. But ... Read more

You Share the Trail, But the Path is Your Own

By Tristan Oliver

I recently finished reading Falling Upward by the ecumenical teacher Richard Rohr and it resonated deeply with me. I was struck by his passage,

We are here to give back fully and freely what was first given to us—but now writ personally—by us! It is probably the

... Read more