My PCT Announcement and FAQs

Announcement

Hello! My name is Robby Gay (trail name TBD) and I will be attempting to thru-hike the Pacific Crest Trail in 2021. I’m 20 years old and a college student at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, but I grew up about an hour down the road in a not-so-small-town-anymore–Frisco, Texas. A few fun facts about me: I can solve a rubik’s cube, I am an avid fantasy reader, and I take my Fantasy Football League Commissioner duties very seriously.

This will seem like common knowledge for everyone on The Trek, but for my friends and family following along, the Pacific Crest Trail is a 2,650 mile long-distance hiking trail from the Mexican border to the Canadian border of the United States travelling through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. The PCT traverses a variety of different terrains–the desert in Southern California, the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountains, and the forests of Oregon and Washington. So yeah, those are my summer plans. Follow along to catch a glimpse of my journey starting at the Mexican border in Campo, California on May 11, 2021. Now for some frequently asked questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do you camp every single night?
A: Pretty much.

Q: (How often) Do you shower?
A: Rarely.

Q: Aren’t you gonna stink?
A: Yes.

Q: Shouldn’t you bring deodorant?
A: At a certain point, it wouldn’t even help anymore… Besides, it’s heavy.

Q: What is the whole pooping process like?
A: Dig hole. Poop in hole. Cover hole. Pack out toilet paper. Yes, you heard me. Pack out toilet paper.

Q: What part is the hardest?
A: The Sierras. Mountainous terrain and long carries.

Q: How do you get food, water, etc.?
A: You get water from sources along the way, making sure to filter it properly. You get food and other items like toiletries from resupplies whether they be boxes mailed to you or via shopping in towns.

Q: What do you eat?
A: Snickers, pop tarts, peanut butter, cheese, muffins, crackers, trail mix, nuts, granola, etc. Anything that is high-calorie and won’t go bad.

Q: How often are there towns?
A: Depends on the section, but fairly often. Not longer than once a week usually, but more likely every few days.

Q: Are you gonna be all alone out there?
A: Yes and no. You can typically be as social or anti-social as you want to be. A good thing to know is that the PCTA issues 50 thru-hiking permits for each start date, so there should always be some people around.

Q: What’s a trail name?
A: A nickname that other thru-hikers give to you while you are out on the trail. The thru-hiking community is very passionate about this.

Q: Why in the heck did you decide to do this, anyway?
A: I’m glad you asked, my next post will be answering the commonly asked question in the hiking community, “What’s your ‘why’?”

That’s it for frequently asked questions. If you have more, be sure to leave them in the comments. Subscribe if you are interested in following along with my journey, it should be a wild ride!

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Comments 5

  • GroundHog : Apr 30th

    That’s not your trail name… Texas!

    Reply
  • Would : Apr 30th

    Wow. A FAQ that includes questions about resupply and pooping. This is really groundbreaking stuff that I haven’t read a million times on the internet.

    Reply
  • Katie Houston : Apr 30th

    Can’t wait to follow along! I just moved from Bastrop Texas to Spicewood and did the Lone Star Hiking Trail outside of Houston not too long ago. I totally recommend it as a shakedown hike if you’re looking for a good one. Best of luck, happy hiking!

    Reply
  • Ralph Crandell : May 4th

    Appreciate your FAQ’s. Although I’ve hiked a lot it’s only recently that I considered a solo hike on the PCT. All the common questions are now in front of me. Eg, weight of pack, amount of food/water to carry, resupply etc..
    Looking forward to following you

    Reply
  • Shirley : May 4th

    I am so excited for you.

    Reply

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