GO WILD ON THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL
The second-longest route in America, the PCT, runs through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington on its way from Mexico to Canada. The high route via the Sierra Nevada and Cascade ranges is ideal for adventurous hikers seeking a challenge, and they'll get to see some of America's most picturesque and varied terrain along the way, from scorching deserts to snowy mountains.
The Pacific Crest Trail is 4,265 kilometres (2,650 miles) long. It begins in Campo, a small community on the US-Mexico border, and travels through California, Oregon, and Washington until coming to an end at Manning Park, British Columbia, which is the US-Canada border.
There are 30 segments of the path, including 18 segments in California, 7 segments in Oregon, and 5 segments in Washington. Each segment is 91 miles long on average.
What to Expect When Thru-Hiking the PCT
Photo by Sebastian Goldberg
Naturally, you won't start out carrying all of your food and supplies with you. During your walk, you won't actually carry more than 10 days' worth of food at a time, and you'll frequently have much less. Send resupply boxes to supply towns along the way before you go. The clothing, equipment, and food supplies you'll need for the following part of your journey are all included in these boxes. While on the path, you will also send yourself replenishment boxes filled with food.
For the majority of your thru-hike, you'll spend your nights in the wilderness in your tent, but occasionally you'll pass through route towns and spend a comfortable night in a motel or hostel.
Bears and mountain lions are the least concerning of all the things to be afraid of along the PCT. Rattlesnakes frequently appear, obstinate bikers may run you over, lightning strikes may send you fleeing for cover, bees in Northern California and Oregon may sting you as a reminder that you are travelling through their domain, and butt chafing may strike at any time. On the other side, encountering bears or mountain lions are uncommon.
You may go for extended stretches (25–30 kilometres) without coming across a water source. This applies to all regions, not just desert ones. Between trustworthy water sources, the Hat Creek Rim in Northern California is a 30-mile hike. Thankfully, kind hikers and locals who go by the name of "trail angels" put empty water jugs in water caches along the trail so you can use them to refill your bottle. Don't rely on these caches, though: When travelling across the desert or other locations without reliable water supplies, you should always have at least 2 litres of water with you—more in very long dry portions. You will drink from streams in the majority of the PCT's sections.
the length of the Pacific Crest Trail hike
Photo by Sebastian Goldberg
A long-term commitment is needed to complete a path in one season while thru-hiking. It takes the typical hiker four to six months. No matter how long it takes, aim to finish before the winter's unfriendly weather arrives. The average hiker covers 10 to 20 miles per day, but they tend to go more quickly in the desert and more slowly in the snow.
The trail has been completed in less than two months by seasoned hikers. But completing a speed trek in less than 100 days required those fit few to average roughly 30 miles per day.
Eating on the trail
Purchasing six months' worth of food in advance would be the worst of all the foolish things you could do on this journey (and there will be many humorous stories). You won't know how much you'll eat or, more significantly, what foods you'll appreciate eating until you've already completed a lengthy thru-hike. You'll probably become tired of the food you brought and wish there was a wider variety. For the first stage of your journey, pack snacks and meals, but make plans to purchase food in resupply towns along the way because it will be less expensive than shipping a package from home. A resupply site farther up the trail can receive food that you purchase on the trail and ship there.