Hikers on the PCT
Hikers on the PCT

A Quick Guide to Thru-Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail

Thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail is a fun, powerful, and rewarding experience. After completing mine, I’ll never be quite the same. I took in so much fresh air and natural beauty - it’s still filling my soul and memory bank to the brim. Hiking the PCT taught me to be present and appreciate the small pleasures of life. I also learned to look to nature and exercise for health and sanity. On top of that, I forged some of the most meaningful friendships I probably ever will.

Long-distance hiking is a beautiful thing, but overcoming the challenges of a thru-hike requires a lot of research, planning and dedication. We put together this guide to help get you started. Below, you’ll find tips about choosing a start date, buying gear, what to expect on the trail, and so much more.

Have you completed a PCT thru-hike or are you planning to go for it?

Read the full article on Clever Hiker's website here.

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Media Mentions from Clever Hiker
Clever Hiker

CleverHiker.com is a website dedicated to providing knowledge, skills, and gear recommendations for lightweight backpacking adventures. We make tutorial videos, gear reviews, and in-depth trip guides to make backpacking easier for everyone.

We're Dave and Annie, the gear nerds behind Cleverhiker.com. Dave is a thru-hiker, Eagle Scout, and nature nut who's trekked every continent on the planet. Annie is a "retired" teacher who swapped out the classroom for wilderness adventures. We built CleverHiker.com to help share our backpacking knowledge, inspire people to get outdoors, and help conserve our wild spaces.

Media Mentions

It all starts with Sawyer Squeeze + Cnoc VectoX 2L, the best and most reliable filter-bladder combo and the core of my backpacking water storage and filtration system.

Jaeger Shaw
Owner & Managing Editor

Media Mentions

Our top water filter for thru hiking, the Sawyer Squeeze, is 15% off.

Naomi Hudetz
Chief Operating Officer & Online Editor

Media Mentions

People with alpha-gal syndrome show allergic symptoms such as rash, nausea and vomiting after eating such meat.

Stephanie Soucheray
Reporter