Pacific Crest Trail - Prehike Thoughts

It just seems time for another one of these. After all, people went to all the trouble to build and maintain these trail systems, so I figure the least we can do is to go walk on them.

My PCT hike begins May 16th at Campo, California.

The Pacific Crest Trail is probably the second most popular of the long distance hiking trails in the U.S. It spans more than 2,600 miles between the California/Mexico border and the Washington/Canada border. It crosses six different ecosystems, from deserts to 13,000 foot snowy mountain passes to rain forests. This makes planning a bit difficult, as far a what gear to bring along.

I don't pretend to think I can make it all the way, end to end. It's pretty late in the season to start, and I pushed back by more than six weeks from my original plan for one big reason... the Sierra Nevada. In case you haven't heard, the California drought is over. The mountains experienced the most snowfall in decades, and even into July, passing through them will be technically challenging. I've added gear that I had never heard of for mountaineering purposes, to be shipped to me after the first 700 miles, the desert section.

Ah, the desert. The good news about the desert is that the storms that socked the mountains have the seasonal creeks still running in the arid zones. So maybe it won't be necessary to carry 15 lbs. of water in my backpack. Still, this is going to be tough.

People often ask why I do this, and it's not easy to answer. It is no vacation; it's the hardest thing I've ever done. But I know that each time I complete a difficult hike, it gives a great sense of pride and accomplishment. It's that feeling when I get my trail legs, just waking up one day to start walking and realizing that things are feeling normal and I'm in the zone. I'm starting out solo, but I don't expect to stay that way for long. It's meeting interesting people, overcoming incredible obstacles together, standing in places where few people will ever stand and experiencing things that few people will ever experience, that's what makes it all worth while, for me anyway. It makes me feel alive.

I'm stepping up my photography game this time, with a new Sony a6000 and a little tripod. I'll mostly be figuring it out on the fly, but I am excited to see what happens with it. It adds to my pack weight significantly, but I'm sacrificing a few niceties to make room, like my camp stove and fuel.

Camera and electronics setup on point!

I'll try to update my blog as time, energy, and phone signals permit, as well as the twitter @FittyShrimp and instagram @FittyShrimp. Also, please follow my progress on my map page "Where Fitty At?", send me messages, and come join me for a section if the urge strikes!

So until next time, happy trails!

Fitty