The U.S. Forest Service and the PCTA work together to help minimize the increasing effects of a growing number of PCT users, especially during the peak thru-hiking season. In 2015, this partnership sprouted the PCT Crest Runners program. It continued growing in 2017 with the first volunteer Southern Terminus Trailhead ... Read more
2021 will not be a normal year on the Pacific Crest Trail. The Covid-19 pandemic and closures from 2020 wildfires will present challenges to long-distance PCT travelers. In this Q&A, Acting PCT Administrator for the USDA Forest Service Togan Capozza and PCTA’s Associate Director of Trail Operations Justin Kooyman answer ... Read more
Here’s a lighthearted post about an email we received recently from Rick Hubbard of South Burlington, Vermont—a member of the PCT Class of 2003…
Greetings:
In your recent [Over the Pass] email, David Rolsten’s poem, “I Took a Walk” brought back memories of my own (Rick Hubbard—aka trail name “Newsman”) ... Read more
June 3, 2020
Like so many, we are heartbroken by recent events that have highlighted the systemic racial injustice that continues to divide our country.
Thank you to those of you who have reached out to us about this issue. Our silence until now in no way reflects a lack ... Read more
Many of us have been on the Pacific Crest Trail and heard the percussive roll of a woodpecker, seen swallows darting overhead at dusk, or watched from a high ridge as hawks soar thermals below. Whether you’re new to birding (the preferred term for “birdwatching”) or an experienced birder, the ... Read more
The COVID-19 pandemic has upended people’s lives everywhere, including in the Pacific Crest Trail community. Those who canceled or postponed a thru-hike on the PCT have turned to Facebook to show the many ways they’re coping with the loss of their dream.
Ale and Gian, from Sestriere, Italy, posted ... Read more
UPDATE: As of April 13, 2020, the PCTA Store is officially closed.
In the days before the internet, the PCTA store was a “bricks and mortar” operation: in 1992, volunteer and board member Laraine Downer managed the store out of her garage. The Communicator magazine once had several pages ... Read more
With use of the Pacific Crest Trail continuing to increase, it’s crucial for everyone on the PCT to believe in and practice Leave No Trace ethics. It’s how we’ll protect the trail for future generations. Equally important is staying safe while on the trail. To get the message out there ... Read more
Welcome to the blog of the Pacific Crest Trail Association. Check back often for news about the trail.