PCT: The What
JMT / PCT June 2021
A continuous path from the Mexican border to the Canadian border passing through California, Oregon and Washington and crossing 26 National Forests, 7 National Parks, 5 State Parks and 4 National Monuments.
A trail of 2650 miles spanning the desert of Southern California, the Sierra and Cascade mountain ranges, and the volcanic landscapes of Oregon and Washington. Designated as a National Scenic trial in 1968 over 40 years after the idea was first proposed, and links countless existing trails to allow foot and livestock travel from the southern to the northern US border (https://www.pcta.org/about-us/history/)
While the history of the PCT, and indeed the history of the lands that make up what we now refer to as the United States, is often talked about from a colonizers perspective the lands that make up the PCT have been home to dozens of indigenous communities for thousands of year. https://native-land.ca shows maps of the traditional territories of the nations the PCT passes through with details about each of the peoples that were custodians of the land for so long before being forcibly removed. Mark David Spence’s book ‘Dispossessing the Wilderness’ provides a great overview of how the indigenous communities managed the land in and around what we now know as Yosemite and other National Parks and the impact their forcible removal had on those communities and the land.
Muir Pass. JMT / PCT June 2021
The Pacific Crest Trail Association issues around 4600 North Bound long distance permits each year and around 690 South Bound permits although it’s not know how many people make use of their permits and how many others complete the PCT using multiple local permits. While no exact figures exist it’s estimated approximately 20% of those who set off to through hike the entire trail succeed with the vast majority of people having to leave the trail due to the physical toll or other circumstances. The last few years have also added the complexity of drought and forest fires throughout the west with hikers having to leave the trail for safety reasons. Many hike the trail over multiple years, completing sections at a time, countless more recreate on the PCT – day hiking in summer, ski touring in the spring but with harsh conditions the time window to complete a through hike with a continuous path is very limited. The high temperatures of the desert combined with the lack of water sources, the ice and snow of the Sierras and Cascades and the rainy seasons in Washington mean those traveling North Bound (NOBO) need to depart the Mexican border sometime in March/April/May and those traveling South Bound (SOBO) departing June/July depending on the snowpack.
I’m traveling North Bound (NOBO), departing the Mexican Border at Campo on April 10 – the idea being the initial 700 desert section should not yet be too hot to hike for most of the day and I will arrive at mile 703, Kennedy Meadows South, the official PCT start of the Sierra in mid/late May when hopefully weather patterns will be settled, and the Sierra snowpack allowing reasonably efficient and safe travel over the multiple high passes of the Sierra Nevada mountains. I’m expecting to take 4-5 months to complete the journey from border to border.