I Thru-Hiked the PCT Without These Items — and Regretted It

When I started the Pacific Crest Trail at Campo, I was confident I had everything I needed to make it to Canada. I’d spent months refining my LighterPack and leaned on gear that had served me well on the Appalachian Trail and Arizona Trail. I also knew that, worst case, I could buy what I needed along the way.

Yet despite everything, once on trail I discovered that there were multiple items I wished I’d brought along. Each section of the PCT presented challenges I hadn’t fully anticipated. I finished the trail without these items, but I spent plenty of miles wishing I had them.

Continue reading to learn more about gear needed for hiking the PCT, written by Anna McKinney Smith.