Pacific Crest Trail side quests are objectives PCT hikers can choose to accomplish during their hikes, but that don't need to be completed to finish a PCT thru-hike. Before beginning a Pacific Crest Trail hike - or perhaps any thru-hike - it's common for would-be hikers to spend vast amounts of
NOW OPEN: 2023 Pacific Crest Trail Hiker Survey
The 2023 Pacific Crest Trail Hiker Survey is now open for responses - fill it out here! If you hiked the Pacific Crest Trail this year (2023), 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
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT Review
The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT from Cascade Designs is a three-season 13 oz / 369 g inflatable sleeping pad with a 4.5 R-value (the measure of resistance to heat flow through a given thickness of material). It's the next evolution in what's essentially become the default ultralight,
The Best Pacific Crest Trail Moments in 2022
Hikers filling out the Pacific Crest Trail Hiker Survey are asked about their lowest moments on the PCT and their scariest moments on the PCT, so I thought it fair to also ask about hikers' best moments on the PCT as well. Most of the moments hikers recounted were short and sweet. They range from
The Most Popular Thru-Hiker Trail Names
Trail names are a tradition in the long-distance hiking community. They're essentially nicknames that hikers go by while on the trail - and sometimes off the trail as well. Generally, but not always, these names are fairly abstract (i.e. not something that would traditionally be someone's name).
Guide to the Unwritten Rules of Trail Names
Trail names and trail name rules are a simple but sometimes confusing part of trail culture within the long-distance hiking community. At their core, they're a fun part of the thru-hiking culture that can allow hikers to connect. Don't know what to say to your new friends? Ask about their trail
New Northern California PCT Resupply Stop: Regeneration Base Camp
Pacific Crest Trail hikers have a new option for resupply in Northern California at Regeneration Base Camp. Regeneration Base Camp can be accessed via Scott Mountain Summit (map) on Highway 3 at PCT northbound mile 1561.3 / southbound mile 1093.9 (according to FarOut). It's located north of
Discrimination on the Continental Divide Trail (Class of 2022)
The Continental Divide Trail is growing in popularity and is hiked each year by a growing number of people from around the United States and around the world. As with its counterpart, the Pacific Crest Trail, the CDT has slowly become a more diverse and less exclusive space over the years as it's