2012.
Nice edit. Helpful for those contemplating a future LONG hike.
Click PLAY or watch it on Vimeo.
Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail
Here’s ANOTHER (fairly) new long distance trail.
The Pacific Northwest Trail (PNT), now designated as the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail, is a 1200 mile hiking trail running from the Continental Divide in Montana (connecting it with the Continental Divide Trail), through the northern panhandle of Idaho, to the Pacific coast of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. It traverses the Rocky Mountains, Selkirk Mountains, Pasayten Wilderness, North Cascades, Olympic Mountains, and Wilderness Coast. The trail crosses three National Parks and seven National Forests. The trail was designated a national scenic trail in 2009. …
The trails route was first conceived and explored by Ron Strickland in 1970. …
related:
Ron Strickland – The Pacific Northwest Trail, a National Scenic Trail
Pacific Northwest Trail Strip Maps
Ron Strickland’s book: Pathfinder – Blazing a New Wilderness Trail in Modern America
NEW – Oregon Desert Trail
A 33-year-old hiker has just become the first person to hike a proposed trail that spans roughly 800 miles across Oregon’s high desert.
The trail runs from Bend to the Owyhee Canyonlands near the Idaho border. The Oregon Desert Trail — as it’s being called — connects many wilderness areas and proposed wilderness areas. …
read more – 800 Miles Of Juniper And Jack Rabbits: First Hiker Completes Oregon Desert Trail
Click through that link to hear an audio interview with Sage Clegg.
Water was her biggest problem. She cached some in advance in order to complete the mission.
Perkins Tower, Appalachian Trail, NY
Gone Hiking posted an excellent write-up of an 8 mile off-season section hike of the Appalachian Trail, climbing to Perkins Tower.
Bear Mountain State Park, NY – Appalachian Trail to Hessian Lake
That’s a great hiking site. I’ve subscribed. 🙂
Me?
I drove up to Perkins. Posed for a photo op on the Appalachian Trail, my first encounter with the AT.
This was the first section of the AT opened, October 7, 1923.
Pacific Crest Trail Days 2013
Oregon in September
PCT DAYS 2013 is a great time for people to check out the latest outdoor products and gear, participate in classes and activities, visit with old and new friends, listen to music & watch movies, and celebrate the past, present and future of the Pacific Crest Trail.
The 7th annual Pacific Crest Trail Days will take place on Thunder Island of the Marine Park in Cascade Locks, Oregon on September 6-8, 2013.
Wizards of the PCT trailer
Trailer for “Wizards of the PCT,” a feature length documentary about a thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Kolby Kirk – trail journaling
I’ve been a fan of Kolby Kirk for years. He’s certainly one of the most entertaining and creative hiking bloggers.
100hikes.com
In person, he’s even better. 🙂
Likable. Personable. Self-effacing.
I grabbed a front row seat for Kolby’s ADZPCTKO 2013 presentation on JOURNALING a hike.
Rather than try to explain what I got out of his talk, here’s Kolby himself explaining the journaling he did for a hiking documentary, MILE… MILE & A HALF.
Click PLAY or watch it on Vimeo.
And I was convinced. I’ll be carrying a hard cover Moleskine journal on future long hikes. A mechanical pencil. And carrying the journal some place easy to reach on a whim.
related – The fools ( Mahe Drysdale, Tamati Coffey, Cate Helm, James Gibson) selecting hikers for an Air New Zealand contest — 9 Great Walks in 9 weeks — did NOT choose Kolby Kirk.
The criteria: “… personality, creativity and skills that may be useful on the trip …”
Do as I do. Boycott Air New Zealand, if you can.
I’m planning to travel to New Zealand next year. I’ll choose a different airline.
I HIKED THE PCT
43 miles … or 1.6% 😦
day 1 – 20 miles Mexican border to Lake Morena County Park in southern California.
day 2 – 23 miles Mount Laguna back to Lake Morena County Park.
… I’d caught a ride up the mountain with a Trail Angel so I could hike downhill. 🙂
day 3 – ZERO day
My feet had small blisters after the first two days, MUCH TOUGHER than I’d expected. So I’d planned a modest day 3 – only 10 miles onward from Mount Laguna.
After an hour I gave up trying to hitchhike up the Sunrise Highway. And ended my PCT. For now.
After all, I’d attended ADZPCTKO 2013 for information and inspiration.
Mission accomplished.
PLAN FOR 2014.
The week prior to ADZPCTKO 2014 I’ll travel directly to Warner Springs at the 110 mile mark. Hike south to Mount Laguna.
Catch a ride to the Kick Off party at Lake Morena.
Gear up.
Then catch a ride back to Warner Springs. Continue north from there as far as time and feet will allow.
Hopefully a resupply at Anza. (152 miles)
Finish perhaps at lovely Idyllwild. (179 miles)
… That would get me up to a slightly more respectable 6.7% of the PCT. 🙂
Meantime, I may catch a section in the Sierras this summer.
Wish me luck.
PCT day 2 – Mount Laguna back to Lake Morena
trip report by editor Rick McCharles
I knew next to nothing about PCT hiking strategy.
But it seemed a no brainer to catch one of the many available Angel rides up to Mt Laguna at mile 43. And hike downhill to Lake Morena at mile 20 … rather than uphill.
Yet very few hikers did so.
Beautiful country.
I passed hundreds of sweaty, hot thru hikers climbing. It was interesting to check their gear. And their hiking systems.
No mountain bikes are allowed. But trail riders and beasts of burden are welcome.
Several hikers had seen Rattlesnakes. I saw 3 of these guys. A gopher snake, I believe.
It seemed to take FOREVER to get back to the Kick Off campground. Yeesh.
I grabbed a shower. Then enjoyed free chile provided by Trail Angels.
Feet sore. Some blisters. Confidence shaken. … I wasn’t at all sure I’d be able to hike day 3. 😦
PCT day 1 – Mexican border to Lake Morena
trip report by editor Rick McCharles
Everyone was excited to get to the Mexican border, the start of the Pacific Crest Trail.
Trail angels drove clean hikers here the 20 miles from ADZPCTKO 2013. (Annual Day Zero Pacific Crest Trail Kick Off)
The infamous fence between Mexico and the USA was less impressive than I expected.
A savvy coyote would dress his illegals in hiking clothing. And tell them to march north on the PCT.
Lovely scenery to start. Much greener than you’d think.
Interesting and colourful desert vegetation.
I dropped a Summit Stone conspicuously on this rock. This trail will be super busy only for about 3 days.
The first 15 miles seemed easy, the heat not a problem this day.
… Then we got a look at these switchbacks.
I cooled my feet and psyched for the climb.
A second wind got me up there. But well meaning angels had left BEER at mile 18.
Smarter hikers than me resisted.
I had to drag myself the last 2 miles to camp. Where free and delicious dinner welcomed.
The hot shower was much appreciated. I slept early.
