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.
December 3, 2023
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.
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