This late into the year, I'm sure we've all been reminded plenty that 2020 is/was, to say the least, different. The 2020 Pacific Crest Trail thru-hiking season was no exception. I considered not conducting a survey this year as I didn't want to encourage getting on the trail. But since I don't
Pacific Crest Trail Hiker Comparison (Class of 2019)
In preparation for what's going to be a very odd year of hiker surveys (the 2020 surveys for anyone reading this sometime in the future - if the world has managed to survive), I've decided to finish the final member (for now) of the Pacific Crest Trail Survey Family from last year's PCT Class - the
The Best Bear Canisters for the Pacific Crest Trail
The bear canister: an essential piece of Pacific Crest Trail equipment that reminds thru-hikers of what they're truly afraid of out in the wilderness - being torn to pieces by a ravenous bear in the middle of their night (but we all there know there are some scarier things than bears out there). If
Hiking the PCT Northbound: A Stupid Idea
There are two directions to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, northbound and southbound, but there's one correct direction to hike the PCT - southbound (SOBO). If you're considering a PCT thru-hike, do yourself a favor and don't even consider hiking northbound - it's a stupid move. The only way
Hiking the PCT Southbound: A Stupid Idea
There are two directions to hike the Pacific Crest Trail, northbound and southbound, but there's one correct direction to hike the PCT - northbound (NOBO). Hiking the PCT northbound it the only reasonable way anyone should complete this hike. The notion of hiking the trail southbound is absurd -
Why You (Probably) Don’t Need an Umbrella on the PCT
Should you bring an umbrella on your Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike? A question many of you have probably asked yourselves (and that others of you have been asking me). The gear you bring on a thru-hike is something hikers love to research, stress over, and talk about, so it's worth examining whether
Why Water Caches Are Bad for Thru-hikers
Water caches are locations where water is stored or left out where there would otherwise be none. They have become increasingly common on long-distance trails such as the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail, which may sound like a good thing - water caches mean hikers aren't forced
The Pacific Crest Trail Survey: Seven Years of Data in Review
I've been saying I'll do it for years, and now that we are all locked up thanks to COVID-19, I've finally gotten around to it - a comparison of (what is now) seven years' worth of Pacific Crest Trail hiker data. If you're new to the Pacific Crest Trail Hiker Survey, it's something I began in 2013