Planning for the PCT

Zosia Stafford
Jul 9, 2022
5 min read

Updated: Jul 20, 2022

Planning for a trip this long can be really overwhelming, so it's best to do it little by little. I've done a number of backpack trips, but never longer than a week or so. So while I felt confident that some parts would come naturally, there's also a lot about thru-hiking I wasn't familiar with. To start planning, I created a spreadsheet where I recorded all my thoughts. Then I watched a bunch of Youtube videos that got me really inspired, and started my gear list. This was a long process - over the course of multiple years, my plans shifted and changed as I learned new information about my hike and the trail. It's important not to rush the process - you want to feel confident in your choices before you start. But it's likewise important that you don't overplan. It's easy to obsess over every detail of this hike, and get too caught up in the minutiae. Things are bound to change once you begin hiking, so be flexible and know that it's okay not to have all the answers.

Planning Process

To hike the PCT, there's really only three major things you need: a gear list, a resupply list, and a PCT permit. A gear list will include everything you'll be taking with you for 5 months. Sounds simple, but it took me about a year to finalize my list and over two years to get everything on it (taking advantage of sales and gifts). A resupply list will tell you what food you'll be eating on trail and where you're getting it from - whether that's from mailed boxes or in trail towns. And a PCT permit requires that you know your start date and location, and have enough luck to get your first choice.

A general outline of my planning process was:

Decide I wanted to hike the PCT
Watch a bunch of videos, read some books
Write out my motivations and inspirations
Look at some maps and get a general idea of the trail
Think about my resupply strategy
List the various foods I'd want on trail
Start my gear list
Get dragged into the abyss of gear reviews
Watch a bunch more videos and read more books
Refine my gear list
Choose a start date and plan out my pace for the trail
Refine my resupply strategy
Make a plan for training and shakedown hikes
Slowly accumulate all my gear
Get PCT permit!
Do a couple shakedowns, confirm I have all my gear
Think hard about safety on trail (mandatory lecture from my mom)
Start accumulating food for resupply boxes
Pack resupply boxes, get everything together
Get to Campo and start hiking :)

Obviously this is vastly simplified - I started planning during the summer of 2021 and never really stopped. Throughout this whole process, there were a number of resources that were completely invaluable to me. At the bottom is a list of some of those, though I'm sure there are hundreds of others out there that are just as helpful.

Know what kind of hike you want to hike

Everyone says to hike your own hike, but to do that, you need to know what that hike actually looks like. You'll figure most of it out on the trail, but it's good to know a couple basic things about yourself before starting. Will you be hiking solo or with a partner? Do you like hiking alone or with people? These aren't the same - I'll be hiking solo, but I do like to hike with someone near me. I know I prefer to hike with a couple people that know where I am, and maybe have lunch with them, but I like to be alone on the trail for the most part. I also know that I like doing long miles, but I'm definitely not going to push myself the first month or so. I'm interested in night hiking but only occasionally, and I'll probably cowboy camp a couple times. I also know that I like to take down camp before eating breakfast, and eat dinner a couple miles before I camp. I'm not interested in too many zeros, but when I take them, I want to be with a couple people. Obviously this is likely to change, but it's helpful to have some idea of your habits before starting off. That way, you have more control over the people you hike with - you'll know pretty quickly whether they match your hiking style or not.

That being said, you can't always get the kind of hike you want, and you should be realistic about your expectations. If you idolize the trail, you'll end up being disappointed when it doesn't live up to your hopes. So have some idea of the things you'll dislike before leaving. I know the large crowds are going to annoy me, and I'll try to speed up to skip them. Novice backpackers will probably get on my nerves, but I'll try to remember to be respectful and supportive of everyone. And I know it'll bother me that despite all my experience backpacking, the trail is still going to kick my ass. My feet are going to hurt and I'll be sore everywhere and very dirty. I'll be frustrated that I can't brush out my hair, or get the dirt out of my nails, or that I brought the wrong kind of gear or food that I can't stand. Going into a hike knowing this is going to prepare me for the low points on trail, and I can push past them to the highs.

Plan for before and after the PCT

Hiking the PCT can be a logistical challenge - its important to know what you'll do with yourself and your belongings before you leave. That way, it doesn't catch you off guard a couple months beforehand. Personally, I'll have graduated my Master's program in December, and will store most of my belongings in Boston, as that's where I plan to return to after the trip. Then I'll be living with my parents in Northern California until April. I'm hoping to have a part-time job for those three-ish months, possibly as a lab technician. My hope is to know that by the middle of my last semester. During that time, I'll also be getting together all the odds and ends for hiking. Confirming I have all my gear, printing everything out, gathering supplies for my resupply boxes, and doing lots of hiking. Then, I'll take a plane to San Diego, and take bus #894 to the Southern Terminus. There's also a shuttle run by trail angels and a place to stay, which I'll definitely consider using. My hope is to start quite early in the morning, if possible.

It's equally important to have some kind of plan for when you finish your hike. Post-trail depression can be severe as you reintegrate into the 'real world.' It helps to have some kind of drive or goal for after you finish. I plan to stay with my parents until the New Year, applying to jobs, and hopefully move out in January. My plan is to go back to Boston, where I will have stored some of my belongings. There, I have a number of friends in the area that I can stay with until I've found an apartment.

It's also great to know other hikes you might be interested in too! It'll help with post-trail depression if you happen to have caught the thru-hike bug and want to keep hiking. I know I'm very interested in hiking the Continental Divide Trail, Arizona Trail, Te Aroara, and the Hayduke in the future.

Resources

Books

PCT Trials

Thirst

Walk in the Woods

On Trails: An Exploration

Adventure Ready

PCT Trailside Reader

I Promise Not to Suffer

PCT Visual Compendium

Podcasts

Hiking Thru