While completing the Pacific Crest Trail Hiker Survey hikers share the moment(s), if ever, they found themselves in a situation where they felt they were in legitimate danger or when they were legitimately afraid. The Pacific Crest Trail is a test of mental, physical, and emotional endurance.
Hikers’ Lowest Moments on the Pacific Crest Trail (Class of 2022)
In the yearly Pacific Crest Trail Hiker Survey, hikers share their lowest moments on the trail. That is, physically, mentally, and/or emotionally; the literal lowest point of the trail is Cascade Locks, Oregon. Yes, social media is filled with photos of sunrises, sunsets, and mountain vistas, but
No, You Don’t Have to Hike to Lake Morena on Day One of the PCT
Lake Morena is approximately 20 mi / 32 km north of Pacific Crest Trail's (PCT) southern terminus at the US-Mexico Border and is a landmark of sorts for PCT thru-hikers. Many hikers have it in their heads that they need to make it to Lake Morena on day one of their thru-hikes; many hikers are
Discrimination on the Pacific Crest Trail (Class of 2021)
The Pacific Crest Trail is hiked by thousands of people each year - from all over the United States and the globe. The trail has (slowly) become a more diverse and less exclusive space over the years as it has become more accessible. better documented, and more well-known. One thing that needs to
How to Get Your Thru-Hiking Triple Crown Award
This post was originally published on April 1 in the spirit of April Fools' Day, i.e. the entirety of the below post is a work of fiction. The Triple Crown is thru-hiking's most coveted award. Only awarded to those bold enough to complete the Pacific Crest Trail, Continental Divide Trail, and
Pacific Crest Trail Horror Stories (Class of 2021)
In the yearly Pacific Crest Trail Hiker Survey, hikers share both their lowest moments on the trail (physically, mentally, emotionally - the literal lowest point of the trail is Cascade Locks, Oregon), as well as when, if ever, they found themselves in a situation where they felt they were in danger
(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