Going Solo: South Lake Tahoe to Donner Pass
I last left off with the cliffhanger that Miles and I planned to split up and hike separately once we left South Lake Tahoe. It didn't happen. Let me explain......
Book Six, Chapter Five – Freakin’ Stehekin
Short post, more words than pics this time. There's really only so many pictures you can take in one day. But it's time for some contemplation and a day in...
Book Six, Chapter Four – The Top of the Ninth
I've been trying to decide of there's an appropriate metaphor for hiking the PCT. Maybe a baseball game? Announcer Joe: A haggard-looking Smokebeard takes the mound for the top of...
Backpacker Radio Episode 19: Piers Ellison on His PCT Brown Recluse Spider Bite, Hiking with a Guitar, and Considerations for International Hikers
Before leaving for a long distance trek, it's common for people to envision worst case scenario. For Piers Ellison, on his 2016 PCT hike, this fear became a reality when...
Surviving the End of a Trail Relationship
When does a trail relationship actually end? Is it the moment you step off the path where the two of you had been walking side by side for a thousand miles?...
Hitting My Stride in Washington
Four months ago, I stood under the blazing sun at the border of the US and Mexico, staring north. The thought of walking from Mexico to Canada was daunting and...
The Pros and Cons of Flip-Flopping the PCT
Flip-flopping is a style of thruhiking that really works for those of us who like doing things our own way. But it also has its drawbacks.
Magic in the Mountains, and Betrayal in Town
Well, we made it through Stevens Pass before the fire got too bad. Hiking through ski resorts is very strange, and this is the type of area where I always...
Congrats to These 2018 Pacific Crest Trail Thru-Hikers! (Week of Sept. 3)
PCT northbounders are ending their trek to Canada! In true PCT fashion, fire closures have made things interesting and stopped some of this week's hikers at Harts Pass. Regardless, a...
Trail Correspondents Episode #13: Technology Use on a Thru-Hike
Technology on a thru-hike. Combining these words tends to rouse some heated debate. Some people abstain entirely from technology during their hikes, opting only to keep in touch with