Posts
Life on the Edge
Before I came to the PCT, navigating through snow was one of my biggest concerns with the terrain I’d face while on trail. I had considered taking a
Escaping the Storm, Embracing the Storm
Escaping the Storm For the first three weeks we were on trail, we were playing hide and seek with the weather. Weekly rain or snowstorms dictated
Magic in the First 150 Miles
“The trail provides.” Everyone says it here, as both a promise and a prayer. Every past hiker has some story about how the trail gave them exactly
On Firsts and Lasts
That weekend was full of firsts - My first few steps on to the PCT, first time hiking through a downpour and pitching my tent in the rain, first ever trail burger, and my first experience with the kindness of other hikers. But it might also have been full of lasts - I might have exchanged a few friendly words to a hiker who has since sped on; I wouldn’t be sorry if it was the last time I ever hiked through hail.
How to (un)pack your fears
A common refrain that backpackers hear when it comes to gear is that “you pack your fears”. What this means is: you can usually tell by what gear a
Learning to Trust on the PCT
Through-hiking, however, feels like another beast entirely. I first came to the decision to hike the PCT as a reaffirmation of my autonomy, but the more I’ve actually planned out my trip, the more I realize how much of a communal effort it is to enable these adventures.