I wrote about half of this cozy in a pizza place as it rained outside, and the other half relaxing in a Casino as it gets to 85 degrees outside. You never know what the trail will bring! Day 13: miles 151-166.6 A bunch of us slept the night behind Paradise Valley Cafe, I set up right next to their massive propane tank haha. Gadget and I are partnering up to begin San Jacinto and do Apache Peak together, in case it's much worse than the recent comments make it sound. We got kind of a slow start but we're on the trail by 8:30. And ohhh man, no doubt at all that we're going into the San Bernardino mountain range. Immediate, grueling uphills met us. Unlike the last few days though, there were plenty of spots of shade. Very minimal water on trail though - there's a couple springs, but they're all a mile or so off trail, and wayyy downhill, so I was incentivized to carry quite a bit of water. The views were fabulous though! It was so cool to watch the snowy peaks getting closer and closer. Gadget hiked a decent bit slower than me, so I got to take plenty of pics while waiting for him. We didn't get quite as far as I hoped, but camped below the climb before Apache Peak, which we'll summit in the morning. Also, context that I'm not sure I gave last time: Apache Peak is a fairly minimal peak in the San Bernardino mountain range, but the PCT is particularly treacherous in that area, and Trevor 'Microsoft' Laher tragically died there in 2020. Since then, there's been a lot of awareness around how bad this otherwise unknown section is. Quite a few people go into Idyllwild via Devil's Slide Trail (which I'll be doing) and get their microspikes and ice axes there. But before the trail into town, you have to go over Apache Peak and a number of sketchy sections. People who don't know they need snow gear before then can end up in some really dangerous positions. That's why I got my snow gear Paradise Valley Cafe, so I'm fully prepared for this section. Day 14: miles 166.6-179 (plus 2.5 off-PCT) We started out pretty early, getting up with the sunrise, but the climb up to Apache Peak took awhile, so we didn't get there until around 8:45. I elected to take the alternate route, which goes up and over the saddle of the peak, while Gadget checked out the official PCT, where the really sketchy section is. Sure enough, the saddle trail was just as easy as previous comments said - I barely had to even touch snow, let alone use my microspikes. After about 10-15 minutes of bushwhacking, I made my way down to the trail on the other side. Gadget on the other hand took more like 45 minutes to complete the true PCT route, using ice axe and microspikes. I backtracked to wait for him on the section right after the snow, and he called out "it's definitely scary!" so I feel pretty good with my decision. Gadget and I split up after that, since I was hoping to make it into Idyllwild by the late afternoon, which required a much faster pace than he could do. The section he did was supposedly the worst bit of it, and he said he felt comfortable doing the rest alone. There were also quite a few people coming in behind us, so I hoped he could hike with them if needed. So I set off, encountering a few more sketchy areas, getting good mileage out of my microspikes, and seeing some fabulous views. The trail in this area goes past the 2013 burn area, so there's also a ton of dead and fallen trees everywhere, which made going slow. I counted around 92 blowdowns on the trail, 15 or so that required major effort to maneuver around. There was also a rock slide that looked bad but wasn't terrible so long as I didn't look down. For the sections with snow clinging to the sides of the mountain, I was very glad it was cold the night before and had all refrozen. Those bits are definitely cases where warmer weather isn't necessarily good - once the snow there starts melting, it becomes more detached from the trail and significantly less stable. Around mile 175, the trail was continuously under a couple feet of snow, with good tracks to follow. It was starting to warm up, making for slushy snow, and every 10 steps or so my foot would push through top layer and the snow would go up to my knees. It was very slow going and very wet, but the allure of a hot shower at the end of the day kept me pushing. Finally, I made it to mile 179, where the Devil's Slide Trail intersects the PCT. It's a 2.5 mile trail down to a parking lot for day hikers, and then another 2.5 down to the main road. I was really hoping there'd be someone in the parking lot to hitch a ride from, and I was in luck! About halfway down, I ran into Sherman and Kim, a couple from LA out with their dog Luna. We made some good conversation - Sherman is also a mechanical engineer, and Kim lived in Boston for eight years - and they very kindly offered me a ride into Idyllwild, which I happily accepted. I arrived in town around 5, got an ice cream and hot choc that came wildly recommended by Sherman (it very much lived up to the hype) and found an inn to stay at. I got to take a glorious hot shower before heading into the tiny town and getting some fantastic pizza. The. I got to relax and watch the rain come down outside, before bundling up and heading back to the inn. I'm very cozy in bed writing this, and ready for a good nights sleep. I'll leave all my town chores to the morning! Day 15: zero miles Today was my first zero!! The town of Idyllwild is really adorable and I enjoyed getting time to explore it. I slept in until 8:30 and then checked out the campsite in town, which had a cap of 10 hikers, so I snagged a spot. I also realized that I'd left my hiking poles in the hitch I got yesterday so I had to get some new ones :(( I'm really bummed because my sister got me my poles and they were fabulous. But it's a lesson hard-learned - hopefully that'll be the last thing I leave in a hitch. After replacing them, I did various other chores - I did laundry, fixed the leak in my sleeping pad, reheated my pizza for lunch, and went grocery shopping for my resupply. Then I explored the town a bit - lots of very cute gift shops and boutiques, a tea store, a few vintage stores - one with a sign proclaiming "hidden treasures and rusted junk!" - and quite a few restaurants and food places. I also got to meet the mayor! Mayor Max is an adorable golden retriever, and he pulled up with quite the retinue and adoring fans. (Idyllwild is an unincorporated county with no official mayor, but no need to tell Mayor Max). By the afternoon it was starting to rain pretty heavily, and I got a text from Chef that her group had rented a cabin with some extra room, so I decided to stop by and say hi. We chatted for a while in the warm, cozy cabin, and I decided to go grab my stuff, pack up my tent, and stay with them instead. We then had a wonderful potluck dinner with Chef, Lookout, Waddles, Cheers, Radio, Pitstop, and Martin. I'm very cozy on the pullout mattress right now as it lightly rains outside. I think I'll be going back out tomorrow afternoon (unless I get pulled in and stay another night). The question is if I go back to Devil's Slide, where I can off, or skip ahead to Black Mountain. I'd really like to get to San Jacinto peak, which Black Mountain would miss, but I have to skip Fuller Ridge and the alternate around that is really nasty. So we'll see - it might be influenced a bit by what the hikers around me do. Day 16: miles 190 - 193.6 (7 miles off-PCT) In the end, I decided to follow Chef and Cheers up Black Mountain Rd and skip 11 miles, including the San Jacinto Peak and the currently impassable Fuller Ridge. The alternate around Fuller alone would be 15+ miles, and had some sketchy private property sections apparently, so I'm okay to do that skip. The day was incredibly foggy too, so I wouldn't have been getting many views from the peak. We spent the morning finishing up chores, including shipping the ice axes back home, and then started up Black Mountain around 1. It was lots of uphill and some snowy sections, but nothing like earlier. We did about 10 miles and got to camp around 6. It was really lovely hiking with Chef and Cheers! Chef lived in Boston for a while, and Cheers is from the UK. I hope to stay with them for a bit, maybe until my next resupply in Big Bear Lake. Day 17: miles 193.6-206 A shorter day today as we came down from the mountains - the next section is incredibly windy, so we're hoping to have one last night of reasonable sleep haha. The views down the mountain were gorgeous, with so many flowering plants! And it was incredible to look across the valley and see the San Gregorino Mountains looming ahead. We also passed mile 200 :D We got down to the valley around 3, with rapidly warming temperatures, and Chef and Cheers needed to resupply in Cabazon. We got a ride over to a general store and then to the In n Out and the casino, where we charged devices and waited out the worst of the heat before returning to the PCT. It was very strange to be around all that noise and people after two weeks on trail! That's all for now, I'll hopefully be able to update again at Big Bear Lake!

Day 4: miles 39-56 Big mileage today! I had breakfast at Pine House Cafe and got to charge my devices for about 45 minutes. Then had some big climbs and gorgeous views of the various mountains, including the snow-capped San Jacinto in the distance. The trail had some really cool sections going along the side of these huge canyons. My toes are still bothering me, but I think the blisters are close to turning into callouses so I'm not too worried. The area I camped in was the only option for a while, and was very exposed to the wind. There were maybe ten other people camping in various spots amongst the shrubs, and were clearly going to struggle keeping their tents up in the night. The forecast was for high winds but okay temperatures, and no rain, so I decided to cowboy camp (aka camping without a tent). After a great dinner with everyone huddled in a windbreak, I set up under a two big rocks - it was a very windy night but ultimately not too bad! It was just annoying adjusting my sleeping quilt every time I turned over, since the wind always found a way in. But the stars were fantastic! Day 5: miles 56- 72 Today was another windy day, as the storm coming tomorrow gets closer. The day was mostly walking along the edge of these huge mountains, overlooking canyons and great valleys. It's always fun to round the corner of one canyon and get to see the view from the next. My feet are still bothering me a bit but as long as I don't think on them too much I can ignore it. And tomorrow I get to Julian, so I'll have plenty of time to rest them. Julian is at mile 77, so my plan was to get as close as I could, get an early night, and wake up early to hitch into town. The early night worked in my favor, as massive wind gusts picked up around 10:30 - I luckily already had about four hours of sleep. From then until around 4am I got very little sleep, needing to get out and adjust my tent stakes or guylines every 10-30 minutes. Ugh. But there've been worst nights for sure. It was mostly frustrating getting sand everywhere each time my tent collapsed and I had to fight my way out of it, and after midnight or so it started raining, making for a wet sandy grit covering everything. Also I'm afraid I've got a minor hole in my sleeping pad from last night - I'm hoping I can find it and patch it tomorrow in town. So a beautiful day but icky night. I'm ready for town for sure. Day 6: miles 72-77 Into Julian! I got up at 6 and saw sunrise as I walked the last five miles to Julian. The predicted storm was indeed here, and it started snowing lightly as soon as I packed up my tent. It eased into rain for a bit, then picked up in an earnest snowstorm right as I was ready to hitch. I got a hitch in about thirty seconds, as a car going the opposite direction took pity on me. It turned out to be Pitstop and her husband, who I'd met at the border!! She's hiking a second time, and he's following in his van. They were fabulous and dropped me off at Mom's Pie Shop around 9:15, as the snow was really coming down. Mom's pies give a free pie, ice cream, and drink to every PCT hiker, which was a wonderful breakfast as I huddled next to their wood fire, charging my devices. More hikers started coming in and deciding where they would stay the night. I thought Stagecoach RV park sounded ideal - they've got tent sites, dorm rooms, and mini cabins. I finished up in town, buying a bit more food, one more stake as I lost one in the night :((, and sending some post cards home. The gear store in town offered shuttles to people to Stagecoach, which was on the other side of the trail from Julian. By then the snow had tapered off and the sun was coming out. I got to Stagecoach around 1, washed and dried my yucky, sandy tent, got some pizza, then finally took a shower and did my laundry. How glorious hot water is after only a few days without!! My laundry has now finished and I'm sitting in my bunk bed in the dorm room - we each get a full bunk, the top for our gear, the bottom for our beds. Apparently some hikers are planning to make a campfire and s'mores in thirty minutes or so, but it's still extremely windy, so we'll see how that goes. One funny thing I've noticed is that people often ask "where are you coming from?" and it seems to mean a couple things. At the beginning of the trail, it meant "what state/country are you from?" At the end of a long day, it means "where did you camp last night?" And now in town it means "where are you hitching from?" With the storm today, Julian pulled hikers from all over it seems - anywhere from mile 40 to 77. It's very fun to see the people I passed in the beginning again! Thanks for tuning in to my update :) I think I'll only be posting when I have a good source of power, or else it takes way too much battery to do it. So the next time will either be in Warner Springs or Idylwilld!

First blog post from trail! I arrived in Julian this morning, my first resupply town, in a downpour of snow and sleet. Now I'm relaxing as I wait for my laundry to finish, dressed in my raincoat - my only clean piece of clothing. A lot has happened since the first day! I'm sure I'll miss things, but here's a brief synopsis. I'm splitting it into two posts so the pictures will all upload with my poor cell service. Day 1: miles 0-11.4 My mom and I drove down to Campo the night before and camped at CLEEF - an equestrian camp at mile 0.4 of the PCT that hosts hikers during the season. It was absolutely pouring the day we drove down, and had been for a few days, so a bunch of people had elected to start a day or so later, creating a bit of a 'bubble' of hikers on my starting date. I was expecting 5-10 people, but got probably 30 or so! It was really nice to meet everyone though and enjoy a campfire and hot breakfast. The morning of the 31st, I got my PCT tag, making me official, and mom and I drove up to the starting monument at the border. I'd never seen the border before and it was quite a sight. I took some pictures with the terminus and started out! It was pretty clear for the first few hours, and then started raining heavily. I had met up with three other hikers going a similar pace, and we all planned to camp at mile 11.4. We were all starting slow, not wanting an overuse injury so close to the beginning. We got to camp around 2 during a break in the rain, set up, and hung out until it started pouring again. I had dinner in my tent and was nice and cozy despite the rain continuing well into the night. There's definitely a communal feeling of surreal-ness. Most of us have been planning this hike for several years, some much longer. The rain didn't dampen the excitement at all, though I was glad it would be clear the next day. Day 2: miles 11.4-26 The next day I left fairly early, hiking by myself for the majority of the day. I think I prefer to hike alone and see other people during breaks and at campsites - that way I can keep a pace I like and take breaks whenever I want. I've been enjoying identifying all the plants on the trail. A large number are very similar to ones of the Bay Area chaparral, but I also use the app PlantNet for the occasional ones I don't recognize. It's a lot of chemise, deerweed, California buckwheat, ragwort, oak, ceanothus, and sugar sumac right now. Day 2 I was fast in the morning, hiking up Hauser mountain no problem, and stopped at Lake Morena. I encountered my first bit of trail magic - homemade cookies! - and stopped at the Malt Shop for a malt and onion rings. Then I continued on, crossing Buckman Springs creek and Cottonwood creek - my first river crossings! They were super slow but went up to mid-calf or so. I stopped at Boulder Oaks Campground and hung out with the other ten or so people stopping there that night. We saw a really pretty sunset, and what we think was a SpaceX rocket launch. Day 3: miles 26-39 Today I went slow in the morning, hiking alone, then met up with another hiker and went at a much faster pace. Probably a bit too fast, since I got some blisters in my heel and little toe. The landscape went from desert to oaks, back to desert, then into pine forests. The climb into Mount Laguna wasn't bad, though a bit hot. Overall felt good, but my feet are definitely the limiting factor. I'm really glad I brought my little massage ball, since that's been helping a lot. I got to camp early and was able to do some watercolors and stretch a bunch, then just relax in the sun. I got a great spot in the pine forest, and was only joined by one other hiker - a guy named Andy from Germany. It was a very comfy night, and I could sleep in since I was planning to have breakfast at the Pine House Cafe at Mt Laguna, which opened at 9.

With only three days until I start, I finally got around to taking pictures of all my gear! Now I'm all ready to go :) My gear is all dialed in, and the 'Gear' page of the blog is accurate now! My baseweight (without food or water) is about 19 lbs, which I think is pretty solid. There are definitely people going much lighter than I am, but I really value comfort in places and am used to carrying pretty heavy packs. I'm sure I'll send some pieces home along the way, but I'm happy with where I am starting out. I'm also carrying some luxuries, like my watercolor kit, a sleeping pad pump, a large first aid kit, a sit-pad, and an extra wide sleeping pad. Without further ado, here's all my gear. The first photo is how its packed in my pack, and the second includes all the details. And then it gets all crammed back into my pack, ready for me to head out on Sunday!

Now that I'm a month away, I've got a lot more details about my resupply strategy. This will cover an up-to-date plan of where I'm sending boxes vs buying in town and how I'm preparing my boxes . First, here's where I've decided to resupply. This took a while to figure out - mostly deciding what distances I was comfortable carrying food, which depends on my hiking pace and overall backpack weight. A huge thank you to Yogi and her advice and graphics, which really helped me piece together the best plan. This is all from my master spreadsheet, and includes the town, mileage to next, days to next, and info about the town/post office. I'm buying 13 resupplies in town (in green) and shipping 13 (in blue). The days of food I'm carrying is based on my estimates for hiking pace. I plan to start slow, going about 10 miles a day, before kicking up to 15 and eventually 20. When I hit the Sierras, I anticipate dropping down to 15, then bumping back up to 20 when I'm done. This is of course very subject to change. I'm grateful to have my mom back home, who's able to make some adjustments to food decisions if necessary. The ETAs are likewise very likely to change - that's assuming I maintain perfect pace, take no zero days, and take most of the day to resupply. Southern California In summary, I'll be starting at the monument, buying food in Julian, then meeting my mom in Warner Springs where she'll drop off my first package (and my snow gear!). Then I'll buy food in Idyllwild, Big Bear Lake, and Wrightwood, ship to Agua Dulce, and buy again in Tehachapi, where my dad might meet me on trail. Sierra The plan here is to resupply as little as possible in the Sierras - it's not as simple to get off the trail here. This year, everyone has to go into Bishop to navigate around the washed out bridge at S. Fork San Joaquin River, so that more or less determined the other towns I'd stop at. I plan to send all of my snow gear to Kennedy Meadows North, then buy food at Bishop, Mammoth Lakes, and Kennedy Meadows South Resort. Northern California In Northern California, I'll buy food at South Lake Tahoe, meet my mom at Soda Springs, where she'll collect my snow gear, and ship to Quincy and Burney Falls. Then I'll buy again in Dunsmuir and Etna. Oregon Here, I'll buy in Ashland and ship packages to Crater Lake, Shelter Cove, and Sisters. Washington Finally, in Washington I'll buy at Cascade Locks and ship to the last four resupplies at White Pass, Snoqualmie Pass, Skykomish, and Stehekin. Food Preparation Now that I know where I'm sending everything, I still need to make up the boxes. This is a lengthy process that includes buying all the food (mostly from Costco, Grocery Outlet, and Safeway), packaging the food into servings, and filling each box with the correct number of breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, drinks, and gear replacements. The gear replacements mostly consists of toiletries like extra toothpaste, chapstick, sunscreen, bandaids, tissue packets, and ibuprofen. I'm also sending individual packets of laundry detergent and mini shampoos for any laundry/showers I take in town. In a couple boxes I'm including some treats like face masks and candy. The final steps deal with choosing the right size box - either a Medium/Large Flat Rate box, or one of USPS' Cubic Rate boxes. If I can fit it, Cubic Rate is typically cheaper, but I'll likely be using the Large Flat Rate boxes for most of them. Finally, I'll label all the boxes using stickers so my mom can change the address if needed, include a piece of paper with the address inside in case the outside gets damaged, and stick some easily identifiable duct tape on the outside. I'll keep in contact with my mom in case anything needs to be changed or added, and she'll tape up and mail out each box about three weeks before I'm set to arrive at its destination. Hopefully the resupplies go out smoothly - with these almost done, its feeling very real.

Last week I went on a great shakedown hike to test out all my gear. I've used most of my gear before, but never on a solo trip, and I wanted to make sure I wasn't forgetting anything. The Ohlone Wilderness Trail is a 28 mile trail in the East Bay - starting near Mission Peak and ending at Del Valle. I planned to do it in three days, tacking an extra 8 miles or so on at the end to walk along the edge of Lake Del Valle. Day 1: Mission Peak Trailhead to Sunol Backpacking Camp The first day I started at the Mission Peak trailhead, where I had a bunch of elevation gain to the top of Mission Peak. It was pretty hot and unrelenting, but I was awarded with some prime views of the East Bay. Also greeted by lots of cows! Then I turned off the more well-traveled path and into the Sunol Regional Wilderness. It was very bucolic - lots of rolling hills dotted with cows, with many wrinkled oak trees along the trail. I also saw a coyote with a cub! The path was a little muddy, but not too bad, and it was clear that the trail's main users were the cows. I had lunch right after the Sunol visitor center, then continued up and finally into the backpacking camp. I camped at Eagle's Eyrie, which had beautiful views of the valley. I felt pretty good that day but was definitely happy to rest my feet - the last mile or so was steep and I was feeling it. I set up camp and rested until dinner! Overall I did 12.7 miles with 4,000 ft elevation. The best part of the day came at the end. My grandpa had put me in contact with a friend's niece who had hiked the PCT several years earlier. I had been meaning to call to schedule a time to talk but kept forgetting, and then learned she would also be backpacking this week, so decided to just wait until I was back too. As I was finishing my tent setup, someone enters the camp - the first person I'd seen since Mission Peak. She said hi and asked "any chance you're Zosia?" I had signed my name in the register, and there aren't too many Zosia's out there. Turns out we had been planning similar hiking trips and just happened to run into each other! We talked for a couple hours and had dinner together - it was so much fun to ask all my gear questions and to actually have the gear right next to me! She was so lovely and gave me some wonderful advice, plus it was just the coolest coincidence ever. Gear thoughts from the first day: it was my first time using my satellite communicator, and I liked it a lot! It was all very intuitive, though I think I'll be doing fewer tracking points to save battery, maybe every 4 hours. Also good to know that the device has to be on to track, and that intervals have to be frequent if I want it to give me any accurate stats about the day. And the 'route' option is definitely better than the 'tracks' when loading maps, even though it's not as detailed. I also enjoyed my new brand of ramen, the snacks I brought with me, and the Skratch electrolyte I was trying out. I definitely need to remember to glue/sew on some Velcro for my gaiters - with the shorter heels of my boots, they were riding up about. Also note to self to consider making a wind shield for my stove. But I loved my mini watercolor palette and will definitely keep using it! Day 2: Sunol Backpacking Camp to Stewart's Camp It was a little more overcast today, but not too bad. I left camp around 9:30 and was heading over to Stewart's Camp, passing over Rose Peak. Similar landscape, with some more oak forests and chaparral areas. Lots of poison oak in places. It started raining a bit in the early afternoon but wasn't terrible, just a drizzle. I got to Stewart's Camp around 4, giving me plenty of time to setup and do some watercolors. It got pretty cold that evening so I made dinner from the tent and enjoyed it from my sleeping bag. It was much less windy that night than the previous one though, so I was nice and warm in bed. Overall, it was 11.9 miles with 3,500 ft of elevation. Gear thoughts from the day: I'm thinking my camp shoes are a little overkill - I'd been planning to bring my Teva's so I could hike in them if needed, and have some solid shoes in camp. But I think that I'm going to spend less time walking around camp than I think I will, and their a bit too heavy to justify. Also, the velcro can get annoying when wearing socks. For my tent, I tried a different method of rolling it and it worked great for a faster setup. Also tried keeping my stakes tied to the corners which was equally good. Two of the stakes I brought in the regular size could be minis instead. Found a flavor of electrolyte I don't like much, but the rest of the food was great. Had my new soup brand and loved it. Also confirmed the pillow I brought was my favorite - it's an older one, but I just don't like the newer design as much. Decided I'll have both a clean and dirty bandana, and then won't need a camp towel. Discovered a tiny pocket at the top of my tent which I somehow had never seen before. Also decided a sit pad would probably get lots of use, so I might add that to my gear. Day 3: Stewart's Camp to Del Valle Lake Trail Woke up early and left camp around 8:30 - it was gonna be a big mileage day. Passed Marietta Falls in the morning, but I don't think I had the right vantage point, cause I didn't see much. Apparently it's the biggest waterfall in the Bay Area though, so I'm sad I missed it. Saw lots of deer getting down to Lake Del Valle, plus a couple of newts!! Walked along the river most of the morning, with lots of buckeye trees. Finished the official Ohlone Wilderness Trail at Lake Del Valle around 1, where I had lunch. Then I continued on to the East Shore Trail, which went along the edge of the Lake to the other end, connecting with other trailing and ending at the Del Valle Lake Trail. It started raining pretty heavily at this point, but I had solid rain gear and carried on. About halfway to to the end of the lake, my feet definitely started feeling the mileage. No blisters, but lots of soreness on the bottoms of my feet. But the rain had stopped and the views were still beautiful, so I got my headphones out, played some tunes, and carried on. Return of the cows in this section - I counted 42 on one slope alone. They were pretty chill, but having every one of them lift their head to follow as you pass was a little unnerving haha. Some climbs at the end, but I got a nice rest at the 'Del Valle Bench Under an Oak Tree' (as named by Google Maps) which had a nice bench on either side so you could pick which valley to look out at. Then I descended on the Del Valle Lake Trail and made it to the parking lot, where my mom came right in time to pick me up! Overall, today was the longest at 16.7 miles and 2,200 ft of elevation. Gear thoughts of the day: Rain coat was super solid but I probably don't need something that hardcore for the desert section. I might do a lightweight Frogg Toggs and then switch to my good one for the Sierra. Garmin Inreach conserved battery very well with minimal tracking points. Shoes continued to feel good, but not as much cushion as some of the trail runners. It'll be good for me to know which other shoes I like so I can switch if I need to. I always pack more food than I need - not a super bad thing, but something to keep in mind as I finish my resupply boxes. Definite yes on the sit pad - there were a few times when it would have been really nice today. Good to know my limiting factor with mileage isn't my legs but my feet - though my legs were definitely feeling it! This was a great trip! It was lovely to see the landscape - I'd gone on a day trip out here but had no idea the wilderness area continued so far! Also shockingly empty for how nice it was. It was really great to try out all my gear, I've got a couple things to change but overall felt really good! This takes me one big step closer to feeling fully prepared to leave :D

Two weeks to go! I'm getting really excited but it also feels like there's still so much left to do. But I got to take a nice break this weekend up in Point Reyes, attending a writing workshop. I'm not a writer by any means, but went with my dad, who definitely fits the bill. They did a fabulous job of interspersing writing time with ecology lectures from the rangers, which I particularly enjoyed. We got to learn all about the local spotted owl populations, human-bear conflict management, and marine mammals of the CA coast. It was a good lesson in how interconnected the landscape is. Another major thread that persisted across the three days was the main goal of ecologists: the modern thinking is more about preserving important processes of the land, and allowing the subsequent changes to occur, rather than forcing the landscape back to how it 'originally was', regardless of how feasible or rational that may be. There have been many permanent changes to the land, for example: the local extinction of grizzlies that cannot be restored. But allowing the natural return of black bears to Marin County will reintroduce the apex predator ecological regime and apply top-down pressure on the food chain, which will stabilize deer populations, limit disease, and improve riparian health. Here, the ecological management is about letting the environment change without interference, and educating humans on how our behavior must change in turn to cohabitate with these animals. There were many other examples, but it was fascinating to learn about and proved how much of an ever-changing field ecology is (due to the ever-changing landscape we exist in). While attending during the day, I had the pleasure to camp at Point Reyes those two nights. It was lovely to be immersed in nature after the day's lectures and observe some of the very things we'd discussed during the day. The first night, I heard the four-tone call of the northern spotted owl, and the next night had an up-close encounter with a deer mouse. Not to mention the many, many banana slugs I saw walking to and from the camp. I stayed at Glen Camp, which was almost exactly 5 miles from the Red Barn Classroom, so my hiking mileage was minimal but I got some good early morning hiking in in order to arrive by 8:45 am. The camping itself was lovely and the weather stayed beautiful the whole time. This short trip was particularly nice in confirming whether or not I have all my gear dialed in, and let me judge some of the recent changes I'd made. In no particular order, here are my gear thoughts from the trip: Definite yes on the pants. I've been wavering, but there was so much stinging nettle and other overgrown brush that I was very thankful to have them. I imagine there'll be several similar instances on the PCT Yes to the GG thinlight pad, but I think I'm going to cut it about a foot shorter. It doubles nicely as a yoga mat I like the Hoka shoes a lot. I'm thinking they may be the ones I start with, and I'll switch to my Merrel's at Warner Springs if I'm unhappy Yes to the Birckenstock camp shoes. The Tevas were wonderful but their function didn't outweigh their weight (haha) Patagonia black bean soup was superb, even better with chips Stove fuel lasted shockingly well - started with a pretty empty can and ran out right as my last dinner finished. Good to have a better idea of how many days they'll last me for on the trail Watercolor kit is dialed in pretty well, but may get a water pen over my brush. I got to try a few at the workshop and really liked them. Turns out I can watercolor in my journaling notebook (if I limit the amount of water), so I'll bring less actual watercolor paper. Also, got a great tip to use an old sock as a blotter rather than my handkerchief Plan to have one dirty and one clean bandana seems sound and worked quite well for this trip. Will require some divisive decisions about which activities count as clean vs dirty haha Always keep cheese in a plastic bag. It looked fine but leaked cheese juices all over the inside of my food bag :( Can keep mesh stove/spice bag inside food bag - doesn't save any time to have it separate and keeps all smell-ables in the same place Will definitely need to replace spices sooner than I'd like, should add them to my resupplies Snacks for breakfast worked very well New 10,000 mAh battery will work for the beginning - way lighter! Will prob want my 20,000 for the Sierra though Badge leash for pee cloth is a mixed bag. Need to find the right place to hang it where it won't get in my way but where the leash is actually long enough to be useful I don't like my pineapple flavored electrolyte :( thought it would be fun to mix it up but the flavor is too weird Should get a separate waterproof bag for my tent. A pack liner is great, but prevents me from inserting the tent from the bottom of my backpack which I greatly prefer. I should have everything else in the pack liner and the tent in its own bag Speaking of tent bag, I've yet to figure out the best way to fold it. I've done third, quarter, and quarter plus a bit, and they're all too long for the bag :(( just using a waterproof bag will be a good solution for this too It takes me almost exactly 40 min to pack up - less if I don't need to brace myself for the cold haha. I expect I'll bring this time way down a couple weeks in, but good to know my starting point Brought my mini daypack for this and going back and forth on whether to bring it on the pct. I think it'll be super nice to have it when I need it, I just don't think I'll need it often enough to justify having it New mini scissors work great! Cut my nails and everything Learned that my 'booking it' pace can be a pretty steady 3.5 mi/hr on flattish trail. Closer to 3.1 when not trying to rush, and drops to 2.5 with any kind of elevation That's it! This is all mostly for me to remember everything but congrats if you managed to find this page haha.

Once my gear list is more or less finished, it's important to think deeply about how the gear will be stored in my pack. Otherwise, I'll find it difficult to fit everything in, or even find it in the first place. This also gives me a sanity check for how much I'm bringing and where it'll all end up. On my shakedown hikes, I'll further refine this placement. Inside of pack (bottom to top) Pack liner (big trash bag) Sleeping bag (with liner, pillow, pad pump) Food sack (big compressible bag) Tent (with groundcloth and stakes) Sleeping pad Stove system (pot, gas can, headlight) Clothing sack (small compressible bag) 24hr food bag (mesh produce bag) Bits and bobs bag (massage ball, extra rope, journal) Outside mesh pockets Water bottles (smart water, cnoc) Water filtration Camp shoes Outside zip pocket Cooking bag (Stove, spork, knife, lighter, spices) Toiletry bag Electronics bag (Charging cables, battery bank, wall plug) Poop bag Microspikes Hip-belt pocket Sunglasses Headphones Chapstick Hand sanitizer Tied to outside of pack Bear canister Ice axe Garmin inreach Bandana Pee rag On my person Hat Hiking poles Hiking shoes (with gaiters and orthotics) Long sleeve shirt Athletic shirt Running shorts Bra + underwear + socks Watch Specifics: Clothing sack Long underwear shirt Long underwear pants Leggings Extra socks Rainjacket Puffer Wind pants Beanie Gloves Toiletries sack Meds (1 month) Toothbrush + toothpaste + floss Hair tie + comb Ear plugs Hand sanitizer Toilet paper + wipes Spade First aid kit (Ibuprofen, benadryl, campho-phenique, vitamins, anitdiahhreals, leukotape, ductape, sunscreen, mosquito repellant, lotion, chapstick, tiger balm, neosporin, anti-chafe, compressed towels, heat compress, backup water tablets) Bits and Bobs Bag Document bag (permit, paper map, ID) Journal (with pencil and pen) Miscellaneous: Mosquito net, tent/pad repair kit, journal, pen, safety pins, cork ball

There are many factors to think of when deciding starting and ending times for the PCT. On average, the PCT takes about five months to hike. The major considerations are temperatures in the desert, snowfall/snowmelt in the Sierras, and winter in Washington. There's a short window where all the timing lines up correctly. For NOBO hikers, this means leaving between late March and mid May, depending on how fast you walk and preferences on hiking company. Start Date The official start date of the PCT is April 24(ish). If you're a new hiker and want a whole lot of company when hiking, then this is a great time to begin the hike. You'll be part of what's called the "Bubble" - a bunch of hikers starting all together. Personally, that's not something I'm super interested. I'm pretty confident in my backpacking abilities, and want to have a little more space on the trail. That means I need to leave a couple weeks before or after this date. If I push into May, I need to be sure I can have a fast hiking pace in order to make it to the Sierras in time - the casual cut-off date for that is June 15th, though of course it changes year to year. This is because waiting too long means the snow is melting too fast - the river crossings will be significantly more dangerous, and hiking mountain passes in slush is not great. I'll also have to rush to avoid running into winter in the Cascades of Washington. Ending later in October runs a serious risk of catching a full winter climate, which is undesirable. Starting late also means the desert will be a little hotter, and hiking faster means that there's a good chance I'll catch up to the Bubble too, which doesn't interest me much. On the other hand, if I start late March, then I'll be fairly alone on the trail. The desert will be much cooler, and pretty free of bugs. And starting early means that running into bad forest fires is less likely, though of course never a guarantee. But getting to the Sierras early on a high snow year means I'll just be waiting around for the passes to open up, or try to go into the Sierras in potentially dangerous conditions when the mountains are fully snowed over. Therefore, my happy medium is to start early April. Starting between April 1-10 means I'll miss the crowds, avoid a scorching hot desert, and hopefully reach the Sierras at the golden time where the snowfall and snowmelt are both minimal. On a more personal note, once I decided the start date, I needed to choose when in my life I'd begin the hike. Then, I was just starting my senior year of college, where I was studying mechanical engineering at Tufts. I considered doing the hike immediately after graduation, but school ended mid-May, which would make starting very difficult. If I got a full-time job after undergrad, I could maybe work a year or two and then see if I could get time off or change jobs. But I was also considering going to graduate school, and ultimately that seemed the best plan - both for academic and professional reasons, but also for hike planning. I would do my Master's in materials science in three semesters, ending in December 2023, and then have a little over three months to finish preparations before starting in April 2024. General Schedule The PCT is divided into five main sections: the desert, the Sierras, Northern California, Oregon, and Washington. Three of these are in California - CA is loooonnggg. You reach the halfway point of the PCT before crossing the border, which can be quite demoralizing. A couple notes I've heard on how to tackle each of these sections are below. Desert: when the weather is too hot, take siestas during the day and night hike from 4am to 10am and then 4pm to 10pm. This will take you out of the sun for the worst of it. Carry a liter more than you think you need and never rely on water caches. The desert is not flat, be prepared for mountains as you pass through the Sonoran and Mojave deserts. The Sierras: be prepared for massive elevations - you'll be doing about a pass a day. Kennedy Meadows marks the beginning of the ascent, and you'll need a bear box starting then. Be careful with snow - use an ice axe if needed. There will be lots of river crossings, be sure to cross with people near you, either one at a time or holding hands with everyone. Northern California: often described as a bit of a disappointment after the Sierras, but still pretty. A number of burnt forests, and a bit more desert in Seiad Valley. Oregon: not very eventful, a lot of similar looking forests. A lot of sandy trails and volcanic ash - very rough on shoes and socks. Washington: be prepared for rain and snow, get a new raincoat. Cascades have some of the steepest sections, and there's fewer well-supplied towns. No lack of river and lakes, but don't be complacent - still filter water. Permits The PCT requires 3 permits: PCT long distance permit (hardest to get) California fire permit Canada entry permit The California fire permit is given to anyone who applies - it doesn't allow campfires, but lets you use a camp stove unless otherwise posted. Likewise, the Canada entry permit is fairly easy to get as a US citizen. You can leave the US on the trail, but without the entry permit, you can't leave the trail into Canada, and can receive a massive fine if you enter Manning Park without one. The PCT long distance permit is the hardest to obtain. It acts as a permit for the entire trail, and includes any individual permits you'd need to enter each park you pass through. It also allows hikers to climb Mt Whitney from the PCT trail side without needing a separate trail. These permits are getting more and more competitive to get, so you want to have a couple start dates you're happy with. These permits are available Nov 9 and Jan 11 at 10:30 (at least they were in 2022) - about 1/4 of the permits are reserved for the January release, so don't worry too much if you don't get what you want. Also, there's a large turnover of permits, so keep a lookout for any dropped dates. The permits go by lottery - everyone with an account is assigned a time between 10am and 3pm the night before. When it's your time, go onto the site and choose which date looks good (or whichever dates are left). When you get in, be ready to give your start date, start location, end location, name, address, email, phone number, date of birth and method of travel.

The decision about how to get food on trail is not a trivial one. You can only carry about five days of food at once, and must go off trail into nearby towns to restock. Resupplying in trail towns can look a couple ways. Some hikers solely buy food in town, often at the local grocery store. This can be a little unpredictable and expensive, particularly if you have a special diet. The other option is to mail yourself resupply boxes. These boxes are usually sent by flat rate USPS. They're either sent from a home base (like your parents' house), or from yourself on trail when you're at a particularly well-stocked town. Some towns are much better than others, and unsurprisingly, there's a plethora of resources detailing at which towns a resupply box is recommended. Pros and Cons of Packages My plan is to be mostly resupplying in towns, with the occasional package. I'm vegetarian and fairly picky, so I want to make sure I have good food at each stop along the way. I've spent quite a while researching the best towns to stop at, and where a box would be most appreciated. Packages are nice because you can buy in bulk and repackage, plus you can include treats you're unlikely to find in town. You can also cut down on the time spent in town wandering around a grocery store. But with packages, the schedule is less flexible. You often need to mail a package a couple weeks in advance, and be well aware of post office hours. Some towns have hostels, hotels, or trail angels that will accept packages as well. But it's hard to make last minute changes, like if the rest of your trail family is stopping one town over. Also, since you're packing most of your boxes months in advance, your eating preferences might change drastically. A food you loved at the start might be unbearable by the time you receive the box. On the other hand, buying food in town allows for a lot of flexibility. You can go into town on a whim, or match your schedule up with your trail family. You can also change your diet without any trouble - buying whatever appeals to you most. But some towns are very under-stocked, like Sierra City that only has a gift shop with snacks. These towns tend to be exorbitantly expensive as well, and you might find your shopping trips adding up. Every minute you're shopping is also a minute you're not on trail or relaxing in a hotel, so you can waste a lot of time finding food you want and consolidating and repackaging everything. Some grocery stores are also on the outskirts of town and harder to walk to. A good in-between is to send resupply boxes while on the trail. When you stop at a large town, you can make a couple boxes to mail on ahead. This lets you change your plans and food preferences if needed, while saving time and money at those future towns. Another good method to know is that you can always bounce boxes ahead. The USPS will let you forward a box to the next town free of charge, so if you change your mind, you can always pick it up later. The Plan This map details all of the potential trail towns to stop in. Below it, I've laid out my current resupply plans. They're definitely subject to change, but I'll start packing boxes about a month before the trail. Summary: 30 resupplies, 9 boxes sent (3 from home, 6 from trail) Visit: Friends/family will visit me on trail (may bring food) Bold: Possible zero

Here's a bunch of advice I've collected from various sources, mostly other blogs, books, podcasts, and conversations. These tips were all new to me, even as a fairly intermediate backpacker. This page will be updated as I prepare for the trail! General Hike your own hike - always #1 Keep a journal and write at least 3 sentences each night, include 1 good thing Don't overplan your resupplies - try to limit number of boxes and get diverse food Don't take yourself too seriously, the hike won't be perfect, there will be shitty days See more sunrises, night hike at least once, cowboy camp more Take pictures of other hikers, trail angels, and the trail culture Talk to everyone you meet, including day hikers, locals, and hitches Take SOBO advice with a grain of salt, try it yourself first Be comfy, a couple of ounces don't matter - you'll be adding 10+ lbs of food/water Let go of things when you want to, not when other hikers tell you to It's ok not to enjoy parts of the hike, but switch it up to avoid monotony, be spontaneous The greatest challenge is mental - your body can handle it, your mind might not Never quit on a bad day, but make a quitting plan before starting Know if you're goal oriented or experience driven Be prepared for a lot of Type 2 Fun - not great in the moment, but ultimately amazing Talk in detail with folks at home about when to be worried regarding missed check-ins, and give detailed description of yourself/trail name/gear. Give your 'person' specific advice on when to mail and how to label boxes Choose someone to give all of your login info to various accounts in case things need to be done while on trail There's nothing special about Canada, it's just an easy place to end - don't obsess Hiking Cross streams facing upstream with other people near, keep shoes on and unclasp belt - use 'i' formation if needed with tall person in front Worst river crossings: Evolution creek, Bear creek, Carrot creek (all in Sierras) Don't wear crampons when glissading, lift off the snow in a self-arrest To self arrest, throw axe over shoulder, lean in, get body off of snow - practice! Early morning or evening is best for snowy climbs - not too icy, not too slushy Take the Eagle Creek detour in Oregon Double-bag your DEET - you do NOT want that leaking on your gear Cook food a mile or two before camp so you don't attract bears and can sleep right away An ounce of protection is worth a pound of cure - address problems before they start Leukotape, tiger-balm, anti-chafe, and duct-tape are a must Know the difference between daily soreness and actual pain from damage Always carry a liter more of water than you think you need Just accept it and use DEET, but lotion is better than spray, and be careful with synthetics Wrap strips of fabric soaked in DEET around your hiking poles to minimize amount on skin Carry a mosquito hat early, there are gnats in the desert and bad mosquitos in OR/WA Don't reach into other people's food bags, your hands may not be very hygienic If you're planning to meet up with someone, make sure it can be flexible, and prepare to leave your trail family behind if you'll be hiking slower Fuller Ridge is rough and long, be prepared You can get snow as early as San Jacinto - know if you'll need microspikes by then Sunscreen bottom of your chin and ears in the snow The desert is not flat! Expect mountains and hard climbs Resupply toilet paper from gas stations/hotels/restaurants Never rely on a water cache, and be courteous of those behind you Longest official road walk is four miles out of Seiad Valley Longest food carries are typically from Tehachapi to KM and Cascade Locks to White Pass Longest water carry is often Lander's Spring to Walkers Pass, or Cajon Pass to Wrightwood Take free shuttle out of Mammoth Lake Rinse out socks before putting them in washer, send yourself individual detergent packets Kings Canyon is notorious for losing reception, plus many parts of Washington Try to camp on established sites that are not on FarOut - there will be less mice/wildlife. If disperse camping, be sure to return site to how you found it Flat rate box via USPS can be bounced forward on the trail Learn the footprints of your hiking partners Don't spend the night in Hikertown, can be a little sketchy and wastes time Steepest climb is up Old Snowy Mountain in WA Pink/red snow means algae, don't use it for water If your shoes hurt, try loosening/tightening laces first When hitchhiking, make small talk and ask where they're going, easy to say no if vibes are bad Smile and look friendly when hitching, take off pack and sunglasses, helpful to have a 'Hiker To Town' sign Singing on trail scares off bears, barking at mountain lions works but be wary of stalking As the sun sets, put finger between the sun and horizon - each finger is 15 min before dark

When you're walking the equivalent of a marathon a day, staying healthy and nourished is a must. You have to eat a large number of calories, and even then, you can expect to lose weight along the trail. But the majority of what I've heard from past hikers is that their diet consists of largely peanut butter, snicker bars, jerky, and poptarts - not exactly the healthiest meal. And when they arrive in town, they eat massive quantities of fast food. While I'm sure I'll engage in some of this behavior, I'd like to avoid large amounts of sugar in my diet, which means I'll have to plan ahead. And the healthier you eat on the trail, the healthier you'll eat in town, so I won't vacillate between rationing food and bingeing. As a vegetarian, I have to be prepared that some trail towns won't have the best options. Therefore, I'll be sending some resupply packages along the way, which I detail in a previous post. General tips One of the most important things in food choices with backpacking is what's called 'caloric density,' that is, calories per unit of weight. The higher the caloric density, the less weight you need to carry to make a full meal. Protein also matters - that's what's going to keep your muscles working as you trek long miles every day. On trail, you can either go the traditional route and bring a stove to cook all your food, or ditch the stove and do what's called 'cold soaking.' A lot of food will re-hydrate pretty easily, so you can stick in a jar (most people use Talenti gelato containers) and wait a bit to eat. Personally, I really value hot meals at the end of the day - particularly in the Sierras and Washington - so the extra weight of a stove is worth it to me. Regardless of meal preparation technique, there seem to be three general methods of eating while on trail: Buy foods in town Mail yourself foods you bought Mail yourself foods you prepared I think I'll likely do a combination of these. Buying food can add up - most towns are fairly expensive - and can be unpredictable in towns with limited offerings. This leads to people buying whatever food is available, which will likely not be particularly healthy. Mailing yourself resupply boxes lets you have more control over your diet, but it can also be pricey to send boxes. If you're sending yourself the same foods you bought beforehand, it's also likely you'll get completely sick of it before the trail's done. A variation of this is buying food at a well-stocked trail town and mailing it to a future stop on the trail - that way, you have more control over the kind of food you want to have. And the final option of preparing food allows you to have complete control over your diet, and introduce more diversity and nutrients, but can be time consuming. Most people that prepare foods own a dehydrator and will make mixes of curries, vegetable soups, bean dishes, and lots of trail snacks. If going this route, you can mix things up with every supply by using different vegetables and spices, more so than any premade meal. As I mention more in my Resupply post, I'm planning to do a bit of all three. In towns where there's a wide variety of resupply options, I'll buy everything there. But in towns with high prices and limited choices, I'll be mailing a box, which will include both homemade and purchased meals. Food Specifics This list is mostly for my benefit, but here's the main foods I'm planning on sending myself and finding in stores. Some of them are repeated if they work for multiple meals. Some of these are also from premade trail dinners, from companies like Backpacker's Pantry, Outdoor Herbivore, Food for the Sole, Wild Zora, Good-to-go, Alpine Aire, and Trailtopia. They're what I often use when backpacking currently, but I know the price will add up if I want to buy a lot. So I'll probably add one or two to each resupply box and try to recreate some myself. If I don't have time to dehydrate foods myself, then I'll also try to purchase some mixed vegetable bags, like Karen's Naturals and Harmony House. Also, there's some potentially surprising items, like cheese or avocados. Hard, sharp cheddar can last about two weeks on trail if its kept towards the bottom of the back, and avocados keep shockingly well. Apples also keep well, though they're not the most calorically dense. I've also considered a technique called trail sprouting - using a hemp bag to grow microgreens as you hike. It sounds fairly easy and very tempting to have fresh greens more frequently. Of these foods, some are probably better choices than others. Food is going to be HEAVY - the rule of thumb is 2 pounds per day. Water is worse, being over 2 pounds per liter, and you need about 1L per 5 miles. So on the first 20 miles day of a 5 day food carry, you could be looking at over 20 extra pounds to carry. I want to be as smart as I can about food, but also it also matters that I am both eating healthy and enjoying what I'm eating. So at the end of the day, a little extra weight is worth it to be a bit more comfortable. I'm hoping that by getting my base weight to around 15 pounds I can take on the extra weight that good nutrition costs. Of the food listed above, here's how some of them measure up in terms of grams of protein and calories for a one ounce serving size. The ones I think are particularly good are shaded.