To celebrate the ten-year anniversary of my first long thru-hike, I returned to the US-Mexico border and started hiking north. With a little under three weeks to see what I would see, I didn’t know what to expect. Of course, the trail would be pretty similar, but how might the culture be different, and how would my body hold up?
I pushed hard and paid the price, though it wasn’t until the very end that I felt my body breaking down. Yet more so than the physical challenges, this journey was defined by the twists and turns in my mind. I was lonely, and sometimes thrilled to be so. It was a joy to relive 2015, but my faith in memory was profoundly shaken. Ultimately, I asked more questions than I answered, with the best saved for last as I finally settled into trail life while simultaneously readying myself to leave it again.
This was a wild ride, with more of everything than I anticipated. Because even the most detailed memories can’t prepare us for the full richness of the real thing.
PCT Summary
Start/End: US-Mexico border to I-15 at Cajon Pass
Mileage: 349 miles
Elevation gain/loss: a lot
Dates: April 27 – May 14
Resupply: Julian, Warner Springs, Idyllwild, Big Bear Lake
Resources: PCTA, San Jacinto Trail Report, PCT Snow Conditions, ATWeather.org
Navigation: FarOut Guide (PCT)
The map:
https://new.spotwalla.com/trip/e9b1-e4e0408-ca06/view
PCT Gear List:
https://hikefordays.com/pct-gear/
Highlights:
- Wildly abundant and varied desert wildflowers.
- Revisiting a section of trail that I would otherwise not have.
- Meeting a bunch of great people from all over the globe.
- Hiking a new-to-me section of trail into Idyllwild.
- Warm desert nights.
- Navigating the washouts of Mission Creek during a huge day.
- Soaking in Deep Creek Hot Springs.
- Eating a bunch of yummy burritos.
- Starting and finishing in San Diego, wondering if any of it had happened at all.
Trip Report
PCT Day 0: Back to Where it all Started (US-Mexico Border)
PCT Day 1: Same-same, but Different
PCT Day 2: It’s a Dud (Mount Laguna)
PCT Day 3: Finally Figuring it Out, Maybe
PCT Day 4: Pizza and Power Hiking (Julian)
PCT Day 5: The Long Way Around
PCT Day 6: Sweltering
PCT Day 7: The Hardest Day
PCT Day 8: Feral and Domestic (Idyllwild)
PCT Day 9: Freebird
PCT Day 10: Who Needs Friends When You Have Music
PCT Day 11: BBQ Lays Are My Boyfriend
PCT Day 12: Much Ado About Washouts
PCT Day 13: Hallowed Ground (Big Bear Lake)
PCT Day 14: And Then There Was Peace
PCT Day 15: Meh
PCT Day 16: Memories, Schmemories
PCT Day 17: Trash Paradise
PCT Day 18: So Much for Conclusions (I-15, Cajon Pass)
If you have any quick questions, please feel free to contact me. And if you want to dive deeper, I offer Thru-Hike Coaching, which is great if you are an aspiring backpacker or thru-hiker. Overwhelmed by all the details, or don’t know where to start? I would love to help. From route planning, gear choices, on-trail safety, and food selection, I’d be honored to contribute to your journey!
Hike For Days 