If you have read my PCT FAQ then you already know that I have only myself to keep me company on the Pacific Crest Trail, and if you haven't, then you know now. When I first decided to hike the PCT, I very much wanted a companion (other than Moustachio), but following my initial research, I
Water: The One True God Of The PCT
On the Pacific Crest Trail, hikers have only one god to answer to: water. Where the next water source is, how much water you currently have, and the reliability of your water information are all incredibly important pieces of information on the trail. And said information will easily occupy 50%
The Poodle Dog Bush
The wildlife and foliage along the Pacific Crest Trail is quite diverse (even through the 700 miles of desert). Unfortunately, like some of the animals along the PCT (bears, rattlers, and mountain lions), some of the PCT's plants are also to be avoided. Namely, the poodle dog bush. Now I
Resupply Boxes (Food On The PCT)
If you haven't read my PCT FAQ, then you may be wondering how one replenishes their food supply whilst hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. The simple answer is: you either buy food along the way, mail food to yourself ahead of time, or employ some combination of the two. The PCT-L and the hiker
The New Worst Day On The PCT
After taking my first zero in Idyllwild, I felt it necessary to make up for lost time and go from Idyllwild to Cabazon in one day: a 33-mile trek (spoiler alert: this was a terrible idea). Armed with new socks, new insoles, and a freshly laundered wardrobe I felt rather invincible (especially
Faith In Humanity: Restored
If you find yourself doubting the future of the human race as a species, I have a simple solution for you: hike 2,600 miles from Mexico to Canada on the Pacific Crest Trail. Now I'm not saying this is the only way to go about restoring said faith in humanity (there are plenty of other long
Taking A Zero
Sometimes when you punish your body in ways you have never experimented with before (namely, walking long distances in rugged terrain with a backpack that is in all likelihood entirely too heavy), it decides to fight back. Begging you to stop with an aggressive arsenal of aches, cramps, blisters,
The First 100 PCT Miles: Lessons Learned
Today I arrived in Warner Springs, marking the end of California Section A and the first 110 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail. Over the course of the past week I have learned much of hiking, camping, the Pacific Crest Trail, and myself (I don't like mashed potatoes as much as I thought, and
Sleepless Nights On The PCT
I thought sleep would come easily on the Pacific Crest Trail, but once again I was wrong. It is only night six, and I have yet to enjoy a full night's sleep. Night one it was aches, then the wind, then cottonmouth, then cars, then coyotes, and now, as I am writing this, a symphony of frogs is
