In the second installment of this year's Pacific Crest Trail Thru-hiker Survey, we dive into PCT hikers' gear. Pacific Crest Trail gear lists vary wildly between hikers and (spoiler alert) it's impossible to find a perfect PCT gear list. That said, we can try. I've organized this post in a way
The Pacific Crest Trail Hiker Survey (2021)
After an interesting year of Pacific Crest Trail thru-hiking and PCT survey results in 2020, we're back up and running with a (more) normal year in 2021. The PCT Survey is in its ninth year and I would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to everyone who took the time to participate. The PCT Survey is
A Note on this Year’s PCT+CDT Surveys
Hello, friends! This year's Pacific Crest Trail and Continental Divide Trail Surveys will be posted a little later than normal. This is due to two factors. First, there are still people completing trails and filling out the surveys. Second, I am going to be completely disconnected from the date
7 Tips for Getting a PCT Permit
Getting a Pacific Crest Trail permit is the first step of any PCT thru-hike. A lot of future thru-hikers stress out over this process since it's essentially a lottery. That said, your odds of getting a permit are excellent. However, your odds of getting a permit for one specific date are less
(Un)Popular Opinion: Thru-Hikers Stop Depending on Trail Angels
The thru-hiker/trail angel relationship has been put under strain with the increasing popularity of thru-hiking. And it's not just because thru-hikers are hitting the trail with zero money (but that's not helping). For this article, we're going to define trail angels as being anyone who regularly
(Un)Popular Opinion: Trail Angels, Stop Asking Hikers for Money
After my tirade calling out thru-hikers who hike with zero money, I thought it appropriate to examine another money-adjacent aspect of the thru-hiking world, trail angels. If you're unfamiliar with the concept of trail angels, they're basically people who help hikers during their thru-hikes. A
(Un)Popular Opinion: Stop Thru-Hiking with Zero Money
Carrying a backpack through the wilderness for thousands of miles for what could be as long as six months may not sound like an activity that demands much financial support, but thru-hiking is not as inexpensive an endeavor as you may imagine. According to the Pacific Crest Trail Survey, thru-hikers
NOW OPEN: The 2021 Pacific Crest Trail Hiker Survey
The 2021 Pacific Crest Trail Hiker Survey is now open for responses - fill it out here! If you hiked the Pacific Crest Trail this year (2021), as a thru-hiker or section hiker, this survey is for you. It doesn't matter whether you completed the entire PCT (i.e. if you got off early or section
What to Put In a Thru-Hiker Care Package
If you know someone who is hiking or plans on hiking a long-distance trail, you may want to send them a hiker care package at some point along the trail. The trick of sending a care package? Knowing what to put in it. At first thought, you may be tempted to fill it with "things hikers like" -