I was afraid of a few things on trail, but hitchhiking was never one of them. Before hiking the PCT, I had never hitchhiked before. Sticking my thumb out and asking a complete stranger for a ride into or out of town was something very new to me. I guess the reason why hitchhiking never […]
Planning A PCT Hike When planning both my PCT thru-hike in 2018 and again in 2019, the most stressful part of the process was applying for the permits. There are three permits every PCT thru-hiker should obtain before getting on trail and making their way towards Canada: PCT Long-Distance Permit California Campfire Permit Canada PCT Entry Permit […]
A question I often get asked by people new to hiking is, “What should I bring on a day hike?” Whether you’re just getting into hiking or are a seasoned professional, it doesn’t matter where you go, how hard/how easy the hike might be or even how many times you have/haven’t gone hiking, there are […]
Planning A PCT Hike Having a bounce box sounded like a great idea for my 2018 PCT thru-hike. Instead of keeping excessive items in my pack I’d only need in town or further up the trail, I’d use USPS to carry these items for me to the next big town. I did a fair amount […]
Backpacking Recipes Dehydrating your own backpacking meals for your next trip doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. I recently took my roommate’s mouthwatering spaghetti recipe and turned it into an easy DIY backpacking meal that’s delicious, hearty and easy-to-rehydrate in the backcountry. Ingredients 2 lbs mild Italian sausage 1 small onion, diced 3-4 garlic […]
Hiking The PCT Food is important to every PCT thru-hiker. It’s also the thing I spend the most money on out here. PCT hikers always seem to be REALLY hungry, especially on town days. Food is the fuel that keeps the body going out here on the trail. When you hike 20+ miles a day, […]
An Old School PCT Blaze I remember the first time I heard thru-hiking terms. I had just started planning my own thru-hike along the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and was sitting in the audience, waiting to listen to a thru-hiker talk about how she hiked the PCT. A few moments before the event was set […]
Before you step foot on any trail, whether it be for a day hike, overnight backpacking trip or a long-distance thru-hike, make sure you have the 10 Essentials packed in your pack. The 10 Essentials concept was originally developed by The Mountaineers in the 1930s. The Mountaineers believed anyone getting out on trail should always […]
One of the big decisions PCT thru-hikers have to make before choosing a start date is which direction they want to travel along the trail in. PCT thru-hikers are known as either a NoBo or SoBo hiker. “NoBo” is short for northbound. A northbound PCT thru-hiker will start from the southern terminus at Campo, California along the […]
A lot of people get scared away with the cold, wet weather, but I personally LOVE fall and winter hiking. There’s hardly anybody out on the trail. Most of the time, I have the trail all to myself. I get to enjoy the lake or summit all to myself. I also love not having to […]
Hiking Advice Have you ever gone hiking alone? If someone had asked me this question a few months ago, I would have looked at them like they were crazy. A female hiking alone in the woods, all by herself? Are you nuts? Now that I have four solo hikes under my belt, my only question […]
Planning A PCT Hike When people ask me about hiking the PCT, I’m often asked how much it costs to hike it. How much does it cost to take five or six months off from life to live on a dirt trail? How much money did I save for my hike? How much money did […]
Planning A PCT Hike Disclaimer: I’ve made some updates to my First-Aid Kit since I originally posted this on January 18th, 2018 The one thing that’s constant about my preparing to hike the PCT is that the gear list is ALWAYS changing. There’s an ongoing effort to reduce the base weight in my pack. Not […]
Hiking Advice, Hiking the Grand Canyon It’s been a week since I completed my Rim To Rim To Rim hike across the Grand Canyon. I not only survived it, but I enjoyed taking every single step. Hiking the Grand Canyon Rim To Rim To Rim was easily one of the hardest and most challenging things […]