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what you need to know
The Pacific Crest Trail spans all the way from Canada to Mexico.
Measuring at 2,650 miles, it is one of the longest possible continuous trail hikes in America and takes, on average, 5 months to complete. Due to snow-pack in the north, most hikers start in the south, around May, to avoid hiking in difficult conditions. However, Rachel will be hiking North to South, and so she will begin later, at the end of June to avoid the worst of the snow.
What will she eat and how does she get food? Can you fish, hunt or forage along the trail?
You eat ramen, mac and cheese, dehydrated meals, instant mashed potatoes, protein bars, wraps, candy, trail mix, chips and copious amounts of food on “town days.” All the typical backpacking foods that can be preserved and packaged. There’s simply no way to carry all the gear for fishing, hunting, or foraging, let alone have enough time to find food if you actually want to finish before winter.
How much water will she carry? Where will she get water?
The recommendation is about 1 liter of water for every 4-5 miles, give or take depending on the environment (are you in the desert heat, or are you in a shaded forest). Hikers typically carry a couple of liters of water at a time and have a filter so they can refill their bottles at the next water source. The navigation app, “FarOut,” labels most water sources along the trail. Hikers can leave comments, updating if a source is still flowing or has dried up. This helps you to plan how much water you need to carry. Water sources range from rivers, streams, and lakes to water caches and tanks maintained by trail angels and the PCTA.
How many miles will she hike each day?
This is going to vary widely from person to person. It might sound like a lot to the average person, but once a hiker gets into a rhythm, they may hike anywhere from 20-30 miles per day. Days spent going into town to resupply will be shorter and inclement weather can slow you down, but in good conditions Rachel should be able to knock out 20+ mile days, no problem. At a total length of 2,650 miles, if Rachel averages 17.5 miles per day she can finish the hike within her 5 month time frame.