Legend: Yellow – 2016; Red – 2019; Blue – 2021; Purple – 2023 – Click an icon to read more
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The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is one of the best-known long distance paths in the United States. It is one of 11 national scenic trails in the country. Its path runs from Mexico to Canada along the mountain crest, traversing the Peninsular Ranges, Transverse Ranges, Sierra Nevada Mountains, and Klamath Mountains in California, and the Cascade Range in California, Oregon, and Washington. Over its 2,650-mile distance, the PCT passes through over 100 major mountain passes, 48 wilderness areas, 26 national forests, 7 national parks, 5 national monuments, and 5 state parks.
In 2016 we attempted to hike the entire length of the PCT in one season. Over 4 1/2 months we completed 1,828 miles in most of California and all of Oregon. Although we did not reach our goal of finishing the entire trail, we still had a great experience hiking in the California desert, the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and the Cascade Range.
In 2019 we returned to hike about 350 more miles of the trail in California and Washington. During the summer of 2021, we added 247 more trail miles in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains. In 2023, we completed Washington and a remaining Sierra Nevada section (42 miles) in California, finally finishing our PCT journey!
Watch a visual summary of our 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail trek. This video shows the highlights from the route, taking the viewer in a continuously northern direction from the Mexican Border to the Canadian Border.
Watch all the individual section videos from our PCT trekking adventure by clicking on the YouTube playlist below:
Read more about our journey below:
Our Next Journey – The Pacific Crest Trail!
On April 17, 2016 we will begin hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). It runs 2,650 miles from the Mexican Border in California to the Canadian Border in Washington.
Preparing for the Pacific Crest Trail
Sandy details some of our preparation for the Pacific Crest Trail trek.
Settling into our PCT Trekking Routine
We are at Cajon Junction, mile 342 on the Pacific Crest Trail, and at the end of four weeks of trekking. Already in that time we have hiked through a variety of weather, including rain, gusty winds, a snowstorm, and temperatures in the 90s.
Of Snow, Mountains, and Desert: 500 Miles on the PCT
Since our last post we have arrived in Tehachapi, CA, located about 35 miles southeast of Bakersfield.
Mountain Highs and Lows: Hiking into the PCT’s Sierra Nevada
The past segment of the PCT from Tehachapi, CA has had a little of everything: heat, scarce water, fire worries, treacherous trail, snow, and finally, torrential rivers and streams. It also marked the end of our desert hiking and the beginning of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Back on the PCT Again: From the Sierras to the Cascades
It had been a traumatic experience for us to leave the PCT in the High Sierras, due to the raging river crossings. As we rejoined the trail in South Lake Tahoe, we weren’t sure whether we would encounter other issues that would force us to make a similar decision. We knew that we would still…
A PCT Goodbye to California and Hello to Oregon!
The Cascade Range of mountains extend about 700 miles from British Columbia, Canada to Northern California. The Cascades differ from the Sierra Nevada Mountains in their series of volcanic peaks dotting Northern California, Oregon and Washington. In fact, all of the volcanic eruptions over the past 200 years in the contiguous United States have taken…
Ending the PCT On Our Terms: Reaching the Columbia River
The Pacific Crest Trail spans three states as it travels from Mexico to Canada: California, Oregon and Washington. The Oregon portion of the trail is the shortest of the three states, covering a distance of 455 miles. After over 1,300 miles of hiking in California, we were ready to tackle a new state.
Five Mistakes We Made While Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT)
Darren writes about five mistakes we made last year while hiking 1,828 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) in California and Oregon.
Don’t Hike the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) Without Reading This
Darren writes a companion story to the post about our Pacific Crest Trail mistakes, detailing the things that went well for us, and other factors for potential PCT hikers to consider.
What is it Like to Hike the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT)? [Video]
In 2016 we attempted to hike the entire 2,650-mile length of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) in one season. Over 4 1/2 months we completed 1,828 miles of the trail in California and Oregon. Although we did not reach our goal of finishing the entire trail, we still had a great experience hiking in the…
This Year We are Trekking the U.S. West!
Sandy introduces this year’s adventure – 1,000 miles of trekking in the Western United States on the Pacific Crest Trail and Arizona Trail!
From Sand to Snow: Hiking the “Missing” Pacific Crest Trail
With our goal of finishing the entire PCT in 2019, we decided to complete a missing piece of trail that we needed to detour around three years ago. It is a challenging section, climbing over 7,000 feet in elevation from the desert sand to the forest snow.
Use It or Lose It: Preparing Our Gear for Trekking the U.S. West
As we prepare for our Trekking the U.S. West adventure this summer, we have been focused on our gear. Taking into account the lessons we learned from hiking the PCT three years ago, we have strived to review every backpacking item to lighten our load. If we aren’t going to use something extensively, it stays…
Of Mosquitoes and Mice: Hiking the Washington PCT
In April 2016 we began hiking the Pacific Crest Trail north from the Mexican border. Our goal was to hike the entire trail in one year, but after 1,828 miles we stopped at the Columbia River in Oregon. A little over 1,000 days later, we stood at the same location, ready to pick up where…
In the Shadow of Mount Adams and Mount Rainier: Continuing the Washington PCT
After 82 miles of hiking and a rest day in Trout Lake, Washington, we were ready to continue our journey along the Pacific Crest Trail. The next section would take us alongside the iconic mountains of Adams and Rainier, as well as through the Goat Rocks Wilderness, considered one of the most scenic portions of…
A Rocky Finish to Our Trekking: Ending the Washington PCT
In the last two weeks and 246 miles of hiking, we gained over 45,000 feet and lost over 43,000 feet in elevation. While my heel had been hurting since we left the Columbia River and Darren had occasional calf issues, we both felt rested after spending a day and a half in Seattle.
Trekking the U.S. West Summary Videos
In 2019 we undertook our latest adventure: hiking in California, Arizona, and Washington in what we called Trekking the U.S. West. During our three treks, we hiked 550 miles. At the conclusion of each hike we made short summary videos.
The Third Time’s the Charm: Beginning the Sierra Nevada Pacific Crest Trail
Five years ago we attempted to thru-hike the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) from Mexico to Canada. While we didn’t finish the entire 2,650-mile path that year, we did complete over 1,800 miles in California and Oregon before stopping after 4 ½ months. Since then we have tried to get back on the trail in California…
Keeping a Weather Eye: Continuing the Sierra Nevada PCT
During the first six days of our Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) Sierra Nevada trek, we completed 69 miles and ascended over five passes of at least 11,500 feet in elevation. We also contended with afternoon heat and sudden rainstorms. While the altitude of the passes would diminish as we continued north, we knew that the…
A Smoky Finale: Finishing the Sierra Nevada PCT
After 12 1/2 days and 160 miles of trekking on the Pacific Crest Trail through the Sierra Nevada Mountains, we stopped to resupply in Yosemite National Park’s Tuolumne Meadows. Now we were faced with a weather forecast of up to a half-inch of rain (and potential thunder and lightning) for each of the next three…
Trekking California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains on the JMT and PCT Summary Video
In July and August 2021 we undertook our latest journey: a 268.5-mile section hike in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains. Our trekking took us on the John Muir Trail and Pacific Crest Trail through two national parks and five wilderness areas. The video shows some of the most spectacular and pristine scenery in the world that…
It’s the Journey Not the Destination: Hiking the Northern Washington PCT
When we began hiking the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail in 2016, our goal was to make it all the way to Canada. This year, with just 231 miles left to complete, we planned a trek to finally reach the Canadian border. Even though our focus was on our final destination, it would be the day-to-day…
Thanks for the Memories: Completing the Northern Washington PCT
Prior to beginning our Northern Washington trek, we had spent 164 days hiking on the PCT. We made many memories as we trekked 2,419 miles in the desert, over mountain passes, through beautiful forests, and across numerous streams. As we continued to hike toward the Canadian border, we couldn’t help but reminisce about all our…
Trekking the Northern Washington PCT Summary Video
In July and August 2023 we undertook a trek on our last major portion of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT): a 197-mile section in Northern Washington. Our trekking took us through several wilderness areas and North Cascades National Park. When we reached the Canadian Border, it was the culmination of over 2,600 miles of hiking…
A PCT Epilogue: Completing Our Final Miles in the California Sierra Nevada Mountains
Upon reaching the Canadian border, we had completed 98.4% of the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail, with only 42.7 miles to go. However, we still felt a nagging urge to walk every mile. It was what we had intended when we first began our thru hiking attempt in 2016.
Pacific Crest Trail Summary Videos
Now that we have completed the entire 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), we decided to summarize our trekking journey by creating two different videos.