By Jonathan B. Grant
Veterans have used nature and hiking to come to terms with their combat experiences since the Revolutionary War, when the primary form of transportation to return home was by foot. The first documented thru-hiker of the Appalachian Trail was Earl Shaffer, who told a friend in ... Read more
By Mick Mc Bride
I’ll be honest, when I started the PCTA Southern Oregon Rockers I went into it with eyes wide open, and I had no idea what to expect or if I would even like it.
I knew that we would improve the trail and feel good about ... Read more
By Laura Johnston, PCTA P3 Hiker (2017)
The Pacific Crest Trail’s half-century birthday on Oct. 2 has me thinking about how much the trail means to me, someone born 14 years after it was established. I thru-hiked the trail and fell in love with it, but I also a discovered ... Read more
By Kara Kieffer, PCTA P3 Hiker
2000 miles feels like waking up tired every morning, like eating the same food again and again until it loses all meaning. It feels like wondering with amazement when 20 miles became a short day. Like pushing yourself up the last climb of the ... Read more
By Barry Stuart Keller, Mount Hood Volunteer Wilderness Stewards
I have been a volunteer wilderness ranger in the Mount Hood Wilderness, 62 miles east of Portland, Oregon, for 19 years. I educate day hikers and campers on the trail in the Wilderness about Leave No Trace along the Pacific Crest ... Read more
By Geolyn Carvin
You’ve probably seen a Boots McFarland cartoon somewhere: online, in a hiking club newsletter or perhaps the black and white comics featured years ago in the PCT Communicator. Where do these cartoons originate and where do the ideas come from?
I’m a nature lover, like you. ... Read more
By Kara Kieffer, PCTA P3 Hiker
The sun is cresting the horizon, the air is cool on your face as you take your first steps down the trail. And what is that in the distance? A white flower blooming in the harsh desert environment? The fluffy tail of a wild ... Read more
Pacific Crest Trail volunteers have many motivations for their service. If you ask volunteers what inspires them most I believe many of them would tell you that the camaraderie of their fellow volunteers keeps them coming back year after year.
There are many incredible volunteer crews up and down the ... Read more
Welcome to the blog of the Pacific Crest Trail Association. Check back often for news about the trail.