The PCTA has just posted some shocking news on their blog. Apparently, some of the people living in our one and only greatest nation that ever was or ever will be have decided that the law does not apply to them. And they are growing marijuana along the Pacific Crest Trail. Shocking, I
What Is The ADZPCTKO?
Every year around the end of April, hundreds of past and prospective hikers gather at Lake Morena for the Annual Day Zero Pacific Crest Trail Kick Off or ADZPCTKO. The event marks the unofficial start of the PCT thru-hiking season (although plenty of hikers will be departing prior to and after
Gifts from the PCTA!
When applying for a Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike permit, you have the option of also joining the Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA). Since I am taking advantage of the countless man-hours needed to maintain this 2,600 mile long trail across the country, I decided it would be only fitting
Therm-a-Rest Z Lite SOL Sleeping Pad Review
The Therm-a-Rest Z Lite SOL was the pad I decided to use on my Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike. This versatile foam pad from Cascade Designs uses an aluminized surface to reflect heat (yes, the silver side goes up) back up towards the user (that's you) and can be used alone or in conjunction with
Hiking the 700 Miles of PCT Desert
For the first 700 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail, northbound hikers have the Southern California desert to look forward to. It is only fitting that the trail begins in the desert, as hikers will need to be getting acquainted with how sweaty and uncomfortable they are capable of becoming (better
PCT Permits: Permission to Walk Outdoors
If you plan on hiking more than 500 continuous miles of the Pacific Crest Trail, you are required to obtain a PCT permit from the Forest Service. You need a permit to go for a walk in the woods? Silly, I know, but you also need a passport to cross imaginary lines between "countries" - equally
Ultralight Backpacking Explained
Given that I am relatively new to the long distance hiking scene I feel that now would be a perfect time to express some of my partially informed yet surprisingly staunch opinions regarding the perceived debates surrounding the activity. On the spectrum of how much gear hikers decide to bring
The PCT-L (Listserv): Pacific Crest Trail Email You Don’t Want
Members of the Pacific Crest Trail hiking community have taken to using various forms of social media and electronic communication as a means of keeping in touch with one another. The PCT-L (or PCT-Listserv) relays emails from individual members to the entire group as a means of facilitating
The Pacific Crest Trail: Two Months Out
According to what can loosely be defined as my "plan", in precisely two months (that's May 15, 2013) I will begin a 2,660 mi / 4,281 km journey north from Campo, California (just over the border from Mexico) to a place called Manning Park in British Columbia (that's Canada for all you geography