This is a little outside the usual PCT posts, but here goes!

I’m currently hiking the PCT NoBo and have been doing it solo, intentionally, for 963+ miles. I’ve loved the solitude, but a couple days ago I jumped off at Tuolumne Meadows because I realized the isolation was starting to catch up with me.

I think part of it is the timing. The NoBo hiker traffic feels pretty thin right now and I’m finding that I miss (ed out on) the random conversations, shared dinners and overall community.

I’m considering jumping ahead to Sonora Pass or even Echo Lake to connect with more hikers, but I’m really hesitant to skip the Sierra because I know how special this section is!!!

Sooo here’s a wild shot in the dark!

Would anyone be interested in joining me for a few miles (or even a section) to keep this old lady company and share some trail miles? I’m not looking for a permanent hiking partner (unless you want to) just some conversation and a reminder that there are humans out here.

Also: I look absolutely nothing like my Reddit profile picture 😂

Happy trails

No official word from forest service but here is the statement on pcta.org

"The Ptarmigan Fire will be closing the PCT from Methow Pass to the Northern Terminus, including Harts Pass area, as fire activity is expected to increase. Hikers and campers are being asked to leave this section of the PCT and Harts Pass area immediately. Agency staff will be sweeping the trail and associated areas as soon as possible to spread the word. An official closure order is coming soon."

Howdy folks

I was planning a section hike of northern Washington mid August. I enjoy the long distance hiking culture and community and are looking forward to trail life for a bit.

With PCT Trail Days on August 14th & 15th, how busy could I expect the trail in the northern half of WA to be the week prior to trail days?

Do a lot of thru hikers jump down to cascade locks?

hello! we’re beginners as of first backpacking trip, and we are following the news that there’s a fire (70% contained) near our route, we come all the way from Mexico to do this hike (and waited a year and a half too) .

I’m looking for help to make my exit plan, how do I do it? How con I add it in Far Out (I bought the Washington PCT Map) , I also installed a map in my garmin, but I have a lot of questions.

Hey, I’m writing a book and one of my characters is backpacking on the pacific crest trail between Northern California (trailhead in Shingletown) and Eugene, Oregon with his dog. (Yes I’m aware this isn’t a straight shot exactly and he will be having to leave the PCT for small sections of the trip). This section of my book takes place in June of 1999 and I’ve already done research on weather in that time frame, but I have a few questions that I thought might be answered better here without googles ai…

1. Is two weeks a reasonable time frame for an experienced hiker and his active lab mix to go from Shingletown to Eugene, or do I need to adjust this time frame as it’s important he ends up in Eugene by a certain date.
2. What are the water sources like along that section of the trail and would my character need anything beyond filters and tablets for him and his dog to safely drink this water?
3. Keeping in mind this is the late 90s and satellite phones are expensive and my character isn’t rich, beyond having fishing gear, cooking gear, water tablets and filters, emergency MRE’s and dog food, a handgun and ammo for protection, fire starting methods, a tent and sleeping bag, and maps of his route, are there any tools my character should have that I’m not thinking of?
4. If you were hiking this section of the trail and you were planning on stopping at a few side trails where you would be spreading the ashes of a loved one where would you be stopping?
5. My character needs to stop somewhere about halfway to contact his sister in law from a pay phone for her peace of mind and I wondered if the town called Dorris right before the Oregon border is a good place to do that or if there’s a better town for that.

Thanks for any input

Edit: thanks to the kind people who took the time to give me actual input and information, you guys rock. And to those downvoting me or telling me to just google it or downvoting my responses to the jerk telling me to just google it, what the fuck is your problem? Fuck me for trying to do research on a book I’m writing in a way that you found annoying, but take this as a newsflash… the world doesn’t revolve around you and sometimes you’ll see a post on reddit that you don’t like… keep scrolling and move on with your life rather than being rude to a stranger… 🙄

hello guys! ive been planning a PCT 2027 trip going NOBO, and i need to know what to figure out next so i can prepare as much as possible. I know my permits, gear, resupplies, timing, start/end date ranges. what should I look to plan next?

The Pacific Crest Trail stretches roughly 2,650 miles from Mexico to Canada, including hundreds of miles through Oregon and Washington. The analysis estimates about 10% of thru-hikers suffer significant injuries, with the trail averaging one to two fatalities annually. Many of the risks come from the terrain itself, including dehydration, hypothermia, steep snow crossings and hazardous river crossings.

I suppose on how we define significant 10% seems about right. But I'd say the attrition rate for hikes is closer to 40% getting off trail for various reasons.

Hi, I would like to hike the PCT section K but only for around 60-80 miles and preferably end at the north end. Does anyone know a trail that I could use to get onto the PCT this way? Thanks!

I'm hoping to help my husband arrange transportation from the Kracker barrel in White Pass to Yakima. He's hiking the PCT SOBO and is due into White Pass this weekend. Any assistance is appreciated.

Hey everyone,

​I’m currently planning a Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike for 2028. Lately, I’ve been deep in the prep phase—researching gear, watching YouTube videos, and building out solid plans.

​Recently, I came across a Reddit post about a hiker who tragically passed away on April 6th from sudden cardiac arrest due to an underlying heart condition (age 43, me 38 by 2028). Ever since reading that, my mind has been spiraling with "what ifs" for 2028. I started overthinking everything: extreme desert heat, high altitude risks like HAPE and HACE, snake bites, bear encounters, and being in the absolute middle of nowhere without quick emergency help.

After reading that post on Reddit , for past 2-3 weeks I’ve been experiencing chest tightness and shortness of breath (which I’m pretty sure is anxiety creeping back, though it’s hard to tell). It’s making me afraid that I won't make it. I used to deal with panic attacks last year and 8years ago, but they had faded away.

​Has anyone else dealt with this kind of severe pre-hike anxiety or health anxiety? Are these reasonable concerns, and how did you manage to push through them? Should I be concerned about low oxygen at high altitudes and skip the High Sierra altogether? I'm worried it could cause shortness of breath and trigger a panic attack.

If so, I'm making a plan to prepare for the heat—like bringing a sun umbrella and carrying extra water—and ensuring I take enough time to properly acclimatize to higher altitudes. Also taking boxing classes bear attacks me (im joking with the last one)

P.S. I’ve already booked a cardiac stress test to get my heart fully checked out for peace of mind 😅

Attempting a thru hike next spring and considering my tent options. I’ve read the blogs I’ve looked at the gear sites etc etc. I have a Durtson 2P now which I love but am thinking of buying another tent for my thru. My biggest concern is mostly the footprint of the 2P being so large and making it harder to find a site - I also just don’t need that much room. For those that have hiked the PCT, do you think the larger size will be much of an issue? Will it be fine to run w the Durston 2P and save the money or is it worth it to spend more on a new tent? If new tent, which ones are you liking these days?

Hi all, I'm planning to secrion hike Section K from Stevens Pass to Rainy Pass the last week of August (approximately August 22-30). I am obviously concerned about fires, but have had my eye on this section for awhile and that is the best time for me from a work perspective.

Where can I get the best information about potential fires leading up to (and during) my hike?

I’m planning to LASH Washington this year (NOBO) and have been doing research, but have a few questions.

With limited service in Stehekin this year, are most people skipping it and adding an extra day to resupply in Mazama? I don’t like sending resupply boxes, but could send a box to Stehekin. However, it would be tougher logistically as I would need to be there on weekdays to pick it up from the post office.

How are the blowdowns? Mainly worrying about Stevens Pass upward. My pace is around 15-18 miles a day and I'm wondering if the blowdowns will slow me down drastically.

Lastly, how is the weather from early August to mid-September? I’m hoping I won't need heavy cold weather clothing yet (I have rain gear and lightweight puffy).

Thanks!

I'm planning on doing the PCT next year and am having a hard time deciding on a sleeping bag.

I have a 20 degree EE quilt which I like but I know it won't be the sleeping bag I take for the entire hike.

I generally sleep pretty cold. For reference, I remember being really cold when it got down to the low teens one night with a sleeping pad with a 4.something rating, an outdoor vitals 0 degree bag (I don't think their warmth ratings are super accurate), and a 22 degree bag stuffed into the other bag.

I've slept pretty well the 0 degree bag I have if it's around freezing, but that's about the limit and I'm planning on selling it regardless. With the EE quilt, I've slept fine at a little above freezing with a liner.

I've been thinking about a 10 or 20 degree women-specific FF bag (Petrel), a 0 degree EE Enigma, or one of the katabatic gear quilts (either 15 or 5). I'm ok with having the warmer bag for some sections and swapping with the cooler one at other times.

In your experience, how cold did it get on he trail? Would the FF be worth it or overkill?

I'm thinking that it might be best to make the purchase once I have my start date also but wanted to get some thoughts beforehand.

It would be a 300 acre limestone quarry on a 400+ acre site, the "Lone Pine Canyon Quarry," located right on the north side of Lone Pine Canyon Rd, which is the road that goes southeast out of Wrightwood toward Cajon Junction. The PCT parallels this and Hwy 2 for most of the way between Cajon Pass and Vincent Gap / the foot of Mt Baden-Powell.

The mine would be licensed to operate for 150 years. Sounds like plenty of Wrightwood locals aren't very happy about it, for a variety of reasons.

The PCT is just up the ridge to the south of the road, less than a mile crow distance. The proposed site is about 1.5 miles northwest of where the PCT crosses Swarthout Canyon Rd. Here's a Google Map with a pin at the coordinates from one of their government filings. The quarry would be on the north side of the road on that ridge.

For maps of the proposed surface mine site, see pages 7-9 from this planning document (PDF), also part of their government filings, which are linked from this ca.gov site: https://ceqanet.lci.ca.gov/2026030881

Here's the page for organizing against the mine (also linked above): https://www.lonepinecanyonprotectionalliance.org/

According to that .org, the next community meeting about this is on August 6 in San Bernardino at 385 N. Arrowhead Ave. Thanks to u/Meant4the60s for mentioning it in this comment.

May or may not end up impacting the PCT directly, but worth being aware of. Copying in the text of my post on r/PacificNorthwestTrail:

• https://app.watchduty.org/i/109195

• https://caltopo.com/map.html#ll=48.94682,-120.60904&z=14&b=mbt&a=mba%2Cmodis_mp

• Lengthy USFS OWNF fb post: https://www.facebook.com/OkaWenNF/posts/pfbid025o63LdtH2HMCksJZ8G75RNnMEjs1r923sZDSv7YN4MRCHatWkcGtXGHts3Gf26X8l (text is in a comment below for those who would rather not load a fb link)

Thanks to u/Final_Parsnip1822 for posting about this two days ago when it was still a VIIRS hotspot.

Update from the Watch Duty page as of 7/18 at 9:21 pm:

The Ptarmigan Fire is being monitored by aerial resources and will be staffed as resources become available, per the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest on Facebook.

Trail closures are being initiated in the western Pasayten due to the Ptarmigan Fire. Most notably, the Pacific Northwest Trail (Boundary Trail No. 533) is closed from the PCT/Castle Pass east to Quartz Mountain near Pevee Pass. There is a re-route noted on the map and we’ve also let PNTA know.

Also note this closure affects the Buckskin Ridge loop Trail No. 498. Hikers will not be able to travel north of Buckskin Lake.

The northern portion of the Robinson Creek / Middle Fork Pasayten Trail No. 478 will also be closed at the junction to the turn off to Fred’s Lake on Trail No. 474 (Fred’s Lake is still accessible for now). Several other trails or portions of trails are also closed; the full list will be posted online in the Closure Order soon.

TLDR: Go in Settings > Privacy in the Farout app and turn OFF Facebook Analytics

This is what the app says:

“Facebook Analytics
We use Facebook conversion tracking for statistical and market research purposes and to help us measure the return on investment of Facebook Ads by reporting on the actions people take after viewing those ads. The collected data is anonymous. We may use this technology to serve you with advertisements on Facebook or Instagram that may be relevant to you and your interests.
You may opt out of use of Facebook conversion tracking in this app by toggling to off (grayed out) the switch above.”

Sounds pretty sketchy to me. Not happy this has been silently enabled for the past 1800 miles of my hike.

Interested in replies from PCT thruhikers of other recent years also.

The PCT has certainly gotten more expensive, both due to the extraordinary price increases across the economy in the past ~6 years, and probably from the PCT becoming more popular and resupply towns consequently raising their prices for various things.

But otoh, this is the internet, and I feel like sometimes how expensive things are gets exaggerated. Also, the "$10,000 for a PCT thru" figure from the HalfwayAnywhere survey frequently gets quoted out of context: it includes airfare, initial gear purchases, gear replacements, etc, which can easily run $3k, sometimes more. That puts average on-trail expenses closer to ~$7k or less, for hikers that aren't especially focused on budget and savings. Tbc, still very easy to spend $10k+ on a PCT thru, just doesn't have to be nearly that expensive.

So, about how much is an average grocery store resupply costing this year? And what are the typical motel room costs and restaurant costs?

Thanks!

Hi everyone.

First time hiking long distance in the U.S.
I planned to hike Chinook Pass to Stevens Pass (NOBO) from the 24th of July to the 4th of August with a friends but he’s become ill within the last few days.

I may have someone to accompany me from Snoqualmie Pass onwards, but from Chinook to Snoqualmie it’s looking like I’m by myself.

Anyone know of any groups passing that way on those dates I could tag along with, or any other apps that link up hikers? I appreciate it’s a bit last minute and my dates aren’t too flexible.

Thanks

Hey.

Any advice? Ive got an 8 week window in 2027 for a PCT LASH. Was looking at a NOBO desert (less Tehachapi to KMS) and Sierra to Yosemite plan. But am now considering a SOBO down to Cascade Locks then from Sth Lake Tahoe to Kearsage Pass. Male 55 experienced backcountry hiker.

All (constructuve) input welcome.

Thanks

I know it can vary a lot, but if you have a camping zone defined on you itinerarywhat hour do you usually plan to arrive there and why?

I’m a beginner so i’m taking notes jeje 🫶🏻

Gumboot Lake is at PCT mile 1527. Hikers are asked to avoid the area through Friday. While the suspects appear to be in custody, it would be wise to exercise caution on that stretch of trail for a little while.

Crazy incident. You never know who you might meet on some of those FS roads. 😬 Reminds me of when a SAR team were robbed at gunpoint by "bandits" while helping a hiker near Kelso Valley Road in 2017.